Zaveri’s appearance places him among a distinguished lineup at this year’s festival, which includes artists such as Usha Uthup, Grammy Award-winner Ricky Kej, and the Kanishk Seth Trio featuring Kavita Seth
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Singer-composer Nisschal Zaveri is set to present Whispers of the Infinite – Spring Edit, a ghazal and poetry performance that explores love, silence and renewal, at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival on Friday, February 6, at 7 pm. The performance will take place at Mumbai’s historic Cross Maidan as part of one of India’s most celebrated public cultural festivals.
Zaveri’s appearance places him among a distinguished lineup at this year’s festival, which includes artists such as Usha Uthup, Grammy Award-winner Ricky Kej, and the Kanishk Seth Trio featuring Kavita Seth. Since its inception in 1999, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has transformed Mumbai’s heritage precinct into an open-access celebration of music, literature, theatre, visual arts and performance, attracting audiences from across the city and beyond.
This year’s festival theme, Ahead of the Curve, aligns closely with Zaveri’s evolving approach to the classical ghazal form. Trained in both Indian and Western classical traditions, the singer-composer is known for honouring the emotional depth of the ghazal while extending its expressive boundaries through minimalism, restraint and contemporary sensibility.
Whispers of the Infinite is Zaveri’s ongoing musical and poetic project, rooted in intimacy and emotional stillness rather than spectacle. The Spring Edition draws inspiration from seasonal transition, exploring themes of longing, bloom and transcendence. The performance is designed as a quiet, immersive listening experience, allowing poetry to unfold gradually, mirroring the subtle rhythms of renewal in the city.
Zaveri’s national profile has been steadily growing through appearances at major cultural platforms. He recently performed to an audience of over 2,000 listeners at Jashn-e-Rekhta and has delivered sold-out solo ghazal concerts with orchestral arrangements in both Delhi and Mumbai, each receiving standing ovations.
At Kala Ghoda, Zaveri will be accompanied by his ghazal ensemble featuring tabla, sarangi, 12-string guitar, bass, keyboard and percussion. The setlist is structured as an emotional arc, moving from stillness and anticipation toward expansiveness and release. Sparse arrangements and intentional pauses are central to the performance, creating space for poetry to breathe.
Speaking about the upcoming performance, Zaveri said, “Ghazal is not meant to impress,it is meant to reveal. At Kala Ghoda, I look forward to creating a space where listeners can meet the poetry honestly, without spectacle, and rediscover the timeless intimacy that this form holds.”
Event Details
Whispers of the Infinite – Spring Edit
Date: Friday, February 6, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 7:35 pm
Venue: Cross Maidan, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
Admission: Free and open to the public