Mumbai: For Jazim Sharma, one of the most memorable aspects of the India Music Retreat was not limited to what happened on stage. The Ghazal artist says the intimacy of the three-day gathering, where artists and audiences lived alongside one another, created an experience unlike a regular concert.
“That was probably my favourite part of the retreat,” he said.Artists and audiences had the opportunity to spend time together beyond performances, creating space for conversations and musical discovery. “Artists and audiences were all staying together, eating together, talking about music and discovering each other’s work. It felt much more intimate than a regular concert,” he said.”
One of the moments that stayed with him happened spontaneously on the final day. During Jasbir Jassi’s Sufi and folk finale, Jassi invited him on stage. The two ended up performing Punjabi folk and Sufi music together.
“We ended up singing some Punjabi folk and Sufi music together. Those unplanned moments are often the ones you remember most,” he said. The retreat also gave him the chance to spend time around veteran musicians, something he describes as an experience in itself. “Simply being around artists like Shahid Parvez Khan ji, Aruna Sairam ji and Bahauddin Dagar ji was a learning experience in itself,” he said.
When asked what he hopes audiences take away from the three-day experience, Jazim’s answer goes beyond a particular performance or song. “I would be happiest if they remember a feeling. If someone goes back remembering a particular Sher, a melody, a moment from the performance, or simply the joy they felt while listening, that is enough for me,” he said.
For Jazim, that lingering impression captures what music is ultimately meant to do. “Ultimately, music is about what stays with you after the music has stopped,” he said. He also believes Jaipur’s cultural character makes it particularly suited to a retreat centred around music. “Jaipur has such a strong connection with art, culture and tradition. There is a certain timelessness about the city which naturally makes you slow down and listen,” he said.
The setting at Fairmont Jaipur added another dimension to the experience. “When you combine that with a beautiful setting like Fairmont Jaipur, and have artists and audiences living together for three days, it becomes something completely different from a regular concert,” he said.
“You don’t just attend a performance and leave. You listen, talk, eat together, discover new music and make new connections,” Jazim ended.
