November 2025: Siddhant Bhatia on ‘Sounds of Kumbha’, Spirituality, and the Journey From Concept to Creation

In an exclusive conversation with MusiCulture, Siddhant Bhatia opens up about the extraordinary journey of creating Sounds of Kumbha, an expansive 12-track musical experience born from the spiritually charged environment of the Kumbh Mela. Across 45 intense days, Bhatia, along with a global team of seven producers and several Grammy-winning musicians, shaped an album that now finds itself aligned with Grammy submission timelines and global attention.

What exactly sparked the idea behind Sounds of Kumbha?

It stemmed from a very simple idea, that we were supposed to create something for the Maha Kumbh! The government of Uttar Pradesh approved a concept through Network 18,
we would go to the Kumbha, record the actual sounds — river, temples, chants, crowd ambience — and preserve them as vibrations of a spiritually charged environment. People shoot reels, photos, videos, but we rarely process sound with the same depth. I wanted to internalise, archive, and transform these sounds into music.

How did you decide which sounds to capture? Was there a plan?

Honestly, the plan was to go there and flow organically. The Kumbh is massive — movement is difficult, the crowds are overwhelming, safety is a priority. You can’t script what you’ll capture. The only intention was to cover as much expanse as possible.

Watch the ‘Making of Sounds of Kumbha’ here:

The project evolved into something much bigger. At what point did you realise this?

Initially, the mandate was to finish everything before the Kumbh ended, 12 original songs and tons of reels so we delivered our ask within the Kumbha deadline. But as we started, gratitude kicked in, the crew was overwhelmed, people wanted to contribute. Friends called friends, instrumentalists from around the world joined, rappers joined, choirs joined and so much more. Everyone came with the mindset of contributing to the Kumbha, not just an album. It just kept getting bigger as we kept going ahead and I think it was a divine blessing that energies from so many people came together for this album.

Seven producers worked on this. How did you navigate so many creative minds?

I started alone, but very quickly realised we needed support. I reached out to my close friend Raghav Mehta, an incredible producer and multi-instrumentalist. Then came Grammy-winning musicians like Charu Suri, Jim “Kimo” West, Ron Korb, and more. When your intention is honest, the right people just align. This project is proof of that. There was never a need to navigate through the creative minds, each one came with his or her own contribution to the Sounds of Kumbha.

You also aligned the project to Grammy submission timelines. Did that change the process?

We were conscious of the Grammy cycle, but the album was not made for any award in particular. A Grammy submission is only a guideline, a timeline to release. Awards cannot drive creativity. You cannot create art with the award as the goal – you lose the soul of the content. But yes, knowing the bar helps you aim for top-of-the-line production and storytelling.

Watch ‘Legend of Kumbha’ here:

After being immersed in the Kumbh for so long, what does the Kumbh mean to you now?

To me, Kumbha means moving from being someone to being everyone and finally, no one. It’s a journey from oneness, to togetherness to complete nothingness. You stand amidst millions who have surrendered to the same intention of faith. and there is overwhelming chaos but no conflict. There is environmental noise and in that there is profound silence. In that silence, you realise that we are actually nothing, yet the divine works through us. That is the influence of the Kumbha on me.

Now that Sounds of Kumbha is out, what’s next for you?

First, I need your prayers, if this wins, it’s a win for India. A lot of collaborations are already in motion. Producers from around the world want to work together. But there’s no rush now unless another immediate project arrives! Creative processes need time and space to breathe.

Your broader vision seems global — taking Indian sounds worldwide. Where do you see yourself heading?

Indian music has been global long before us. My role is to contribute more: explore ethnic instruments, collaborate across cultures, and bring Indian sonic textures into global conversations. Many Indian musicians don’t get the platform they deserve — I want to do whatever little I can do to help bridge that gap through global collaborations and meaningful representation.

Sounds of Kumbha is more than an album, it’s a sonic pilgrimage, a meditation, a collaborative act of devotion. In 45 days, the team created something that transcends borders and captures one of the largest spiritual gatherings on Earth. With Siddhant Bhatia at the helm, the project not only honours the divinity of the Kumbha but also redefines what Indian spiritual music can look like on a global stage.