I just want to keep evolving, keep creating, and keep honouring the music I’ve grown up with: Rishab Rikhiram Sharma

Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is a sitar virtuoso, composer, and sonic healer whose work bridges centuries of tradition with the pulse of the modern world. A disciple of the legendary Shri Ravi Shankar and heir to the Rikhiram lineage of instrument makers, Rishab brings both deep-rooted authenticity and fearless innovation to his music. Whether performing on global stages or leading his Sitar for Mental Health initiative, he uses sound as a tool for storytelling, reflection, and healing. Blending Indian classical with ambient, electronic, and cinematic textures, Rishab’s music transcends genres, offering listeners not just a performance, but an emotional and spiritual journey. We had an interaction with him recently, check out what he has to say:

The Burning Ghat is deeply rooted in the sacred spirit of Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat. What drew you to this space, and how did its energy influence your composition?

Manikarnika has this energy that you can’t really explain in words, it’s sacred, intense, humbling. It’s one of the only places in the world where life and death exist side by side so unapologetically. Just being there shifts something in you. When I visited, I felt this overwhelming silence inside, like the noise in my head just stopped. That experience stayed with me, and I felt the need to express it through sound. The Burning Ghat came from that space of surrender and stillness. It’s less of a song and more of a feeling, a reflection of everything that place made me feel.

You’ve described this piece as a tribute to the ‘purest fire known to mankind.’ What emotions or messages were you hoping to evoke in listeners through this instrumental journey?

Yeah… the fire at Manikarnika is believed to have never gone out. It’s eternal, and it frees the soul from the cycle of rebirth, which in itself is such a powerful idea. Through this track, I wanted listeners to feel a sense of release, like letting go of what’s heavy. I wasn’t trying to make people feel sad or overwhelmed, but more connected, grounded. It’s about acceptance, reflection, and maybe even healing, whatever they take from it, I just hope it moves them.

Watch the song here:

Your work beautifully fuses classical Indian tradition with contemporary elements. How do you strike that balance while keeping the soul of the music intact?

For me, the soul of the music will always be classical, that’s non-negotiable. Everything else, whether it’s electronic textures, production tricks, or modern instruments, is just a way to frame it, not change it. It’s like how you build a gallery around a piece of art. The space should elevate the art, not distract from it. So, when I blend sounds, I’m very conscious of preserving the purity of Indian classical music. It’s our heritage, and my job is just to present it in a way that speaks to this generation.

Following your Sitar for Mental Health tour, how does The Burning Ghat reflect your continuing journey of using music for healing and emotional restoration?

Honestly, it feels like I’m still at the very beginning. Every time we do a Sitar for Mental Health show, I realize how much more there is to do, how much healing people are searching for. The Burning Ghat comes from that same intention, to use music as a way to process, to reflect, to feel. That’s always going to be a part of my journey, no matter what project I’m working on.

From Tandavam to The Burning Ghat, your recent work feels like a powerful storytelling arc. What’s next in your sonic evolution, and what stories are you looking to tell?

There’s a lot brewing right now. We’re planning to take Sitar for Mental Health global, that’s the big dream. I really want to show the world how healing the sitar can be, and we’re even looking at clinical studies to back that up. Apart from that, I’m working on a full-length album, which I’m really excited about. It’s going to continue that storytelling arc, rooted in Indian tradition, but speaking to a global audience. Each piece will have its own emotion, its own story to tell. I just want to keep evolving, keep creating, and keep honouring the music I’ve grown up with.

Well, with growing repertoire and reputation, Rishab continues to influence a new age of music with classical heritage at its roots. We look forward to more to come from him while immersing ourselves in the intense feel of ‘The Burning Ghat’.

Article by Sneha N.

Photo Credit to the artist