As a music enthusiast, seeking new artists and music genres in a sea of digital audio space could be tad overwhelming. A lifetime is not enough to discover all sounds, but you could start your journey from Bir Music Festival (BMF).
Its 10th edition will celebrate original music, accompanied by experiences like a cyclothon, star gazing, yoga, art workshops, and more.
Fire art | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Bir is Asia’s largest paragliding destination, but that’s not all there is to this village. It has a rich culture and we, as a community of artistes, are coming together to promote it,” says Alakhananda Sharma, founder, BMF, adding that the festival originated in 2020 after the pandemic. It has been hosted twice or thrice a year, sometimes in other cities, as a way to promote tourism in the village.
BMF is completely sustainable festival. “Even the stage of the festival is made from bamboos and the sheds in the venue are made from discarded and donated clothes,” says Alakhananda.
“Across the previous nine seasons, we have hosted over 300 artistes from across the country,” she adds. This edition will play host to Indie band Agnee among several other lesser-known bands and musicians, like DIY Disruption, a Kerala based rock band,Rajasthani classical and ghazal singer Prakhar Jojan, and Likhari, a poet from Delhi.
The festival does not play recorded or electronic music on both its stages. “Our music is 100% live, and everyone plays and performs their original compositions,” says Alakhananda.
Previous edition of BMF | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The music plays non-stop for 56 hours, the festival’s duration. It houses both, performing artistes and visitors. Tickets cover accommodation and meals. However, day passes, which allow entry into the festival, are available exclusively for the residents of Himachal Pradesh.
“We started the festival because we wanted to promote original music, especially from the mountains, and eventually artistes from other locations started reaching out to us,” she says, adding that the festival will also have yogis, healers, painters and more. “We have an art stage where we do painting as well as other formats like fire and slow art, which will be taught and performed,”. The festival will also be hosting activities that focus on promoting local businesses and culture.
Organic tribal music band Shanka tribe | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The festival focuses on promoting locally made food and beverages, especially alcohol. “The festival is for all ages, but since the venue is spread out, we have a separate bar area where we only allow adults. We do not sell local alcohol, but make them taste it through activities for free, so people can go into the village and experience it themselves. This is another source of income for the local women,” says Alakhananda.
Those into fitness could participate in a cyclothon at BMF. Bir offers tranquil views of the Himalayan mountains, and a cycling track of 24 kilometres is a great way to explore the village. “People will need to register separately for the cyclothon. We take bookings according to the level of experience people have, and they can also choose to ride e-bikes,” says Alakhananda.
Bir Music Festival | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Interestingly, the festival does not allow the sale of drinking water. Kiosks with earthen pots filled with drinking water are set up at various places around the venue, and the audience can fill their own water bottles.
The Bir Music Festival will be held from 15 to 17 June at Hipostel, Bir. Book your tickets on birmusicfestival.com, starting ₹8,925.00
A sneak peak into the country’s biggest events and festivals before they happen. So, you want to travel more? Watch this space.
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