SINGING INDIA

Be part of an international music event!

SINGING INDIA

Small Group Travel : Max 15 Pax
Dates : Winter – 2026/27

SINGING INDIA with Anub Ghatak approaches India through the lens of song and music. We will sing with Bhopa Gypsies, with classical Indian musicians, with Buddhists in Sarnarth and Sufis in Varanasi. We will sing in villages and alley ways, in deserts and as the sun sets and rises on the Ganges.

Meeting in Delhi, we then head to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, the Golden City. In our first five days in Jaisalmer, Maestro Anub will craft a wonderful repertoire that allows Western voices to enter the world of the Indian music tradition: slowly at first with fusion pieces and simple folk and Bollywood songs. By the end, voices will be tuned to enter the world of musical India.

After mystical Jaisalmer, we journey to the blue city of Jodhpur and then onto the spiritual heart of India – Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest cities, before returning to Delhi. 

If you are singer, then travelling India as part of a musical troupe is like landing in heaven. Singing India is a breathtakingly beautiful musical journey.

Singing India creates a soundtrack to its own journey. In doing so it celebrates the fundamental Indian love of music at the deepest level of its culture

You Are The Singer. This Is Your Soundtrack!

YOUR PLACES

Singing India picks the jewels out of the Indian cultural treasure trove. Beautiful havelis & hotels give the traveller respite from the movement and energy of India.

  • Delhi:
    Delhi, our starting point, is the complex, throbbing seat of government and home to millions.

  • Jaisalmer:
    Jaisalmer, set in the beautiful Thar Desert, its beautiful fort still standing after 700 years.

  • Jodhpur:
    Jodhpur, the ‘blue city’ of Rajasthan, calms your eyes after the gold of Jaisalmer.

  • Varanasi:
    Varanasi, the great spiritual magnet of Indians wanting to live a holy life now and secure an even holier death by being cremated on the banks of the Ganga.


Four of India’s most Incredible Destinations!

YOUR PROCESS

The singing aspect of this event is what gives it meaning, power and soul. Most importantly it provides a connective tissue between the traveller and the people we meet, the culture we seek to understand, the places we visit and the musicians we sing with.

How does it work?

  • The Rehearsal: Mornings in our gorgeous accommodation in Jaisalmer are spent developing the repertoire.
  • Repertoire: The music is selected to reinforce the theme of the journey – to connect with India and Indian people. There will be simple Indian folk songs that people will love to hear; meditative chants for sacred spaces; Western & Indian fusions that can extend into jams. 
  • Arrangements: Anub will create musical arrangements that fuse western harmonies with Indian folk music. 
  • The Indian Musicians: Apart from our leader Anub we will jam and sing with local people all along the way. Manganiyar and Gypsy Bhopa musicians in Jaisalmer, Sufi minstrels and tabla & flute players in Varanasi where we are led by tabla master – Dr Sandip Kewale. 
  • Singing Level: Indian people will love our attempts to sing their songs in their language. They will appreciate the generosity of spirit that underlies that attempt. Musical perfection is not our aim and reading music is not required. It probably helps to have had some experience singing in a choir. Having said that, we will seek to honour the moment with beautiful and heartfelt singing. 
  • Performance: We sing as we go, in pop-up performance with children, in improv pieces in the deserts of Rajasthan,  chants in temples, impersonating buskers in Jaisalmer Fort, sessions with Indian people in villages. We will design a formal recital towards the end to share our musical journey with friends and guides.

YOUR PROGRAM

Experience a 15 days journey through Delhi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Varanasi, immersing in India’s rich culture, history, and spirituality.

  • The Adventure Begins: Arrive Delhi and enter into the other world of Dharampura Haveli in the Old City. 
  • Immerse In The Fable: Fly to the Golden City and start the immersion in the fable that is Jaisalmer.. 
  • A Lake In A Desert: A lake in a desert and cenotaphs of the Maharajahs.
  • A Day In Suraj Haveli: A day embedded in Suraj Haveli listening to the artisans from the Jaisalmer Fort.
  • Evening In The Thar Desert: Manganiyar Moslems, desert towns and an evening in the Thar Desert.
  • Blue City Of Jodhpur: Journey to the Blue City of Jodhpur for step wells and more blue than you thought possible.
  • Stories From Mehrangarh Fort: Stories from Mehrangarh Fort and inspiration in courage and hope at an NGO school.
  • Varanasi: The holiest place in India and one of the worlds oldest cities
  • Ancient Stories Of Sadhus: A day of ancient stories of sadhus – Amhara wrestlers – pilgrims and the Ganga.
  • Streets Of Varanasi: Walking through time and narratives in the streets of Varanasi.
  • Story Of Buddha: Stories of Tibetans and Buddha at Sarnath.
  • Back To Delhi: Back to the old world of Delhi and a surprise visit to the haveli.
  • Visit Delhi Emporium: A time to buy beautiful stuff from an ethically sourced emporium. Last conversations and reflections on the journey.
  • Part Of You Leaves Today and part of you never will

YOUR GURUS

Our knowledgeable and passionate guides bring deep cultural insights and unique perspectives, enriching your travel experience. They unlock hidden gems, share fascinating stories, and provide meaningful interactions, making your journey immersive and unforgettable.

  • Anub Ghatak: Maestro and Travelling Minstrel
    Anub is one of India’s most diverse and accomplished musicians playing violin, viola, guitar and flute. He traverses the Western and Eastern traditions with equal expertise. Anub is a conductor and holds an international degree with distinction at the Royal School of Music, London. He has performed in Berlin, Munich and all over India as leader/concert master/assistant conductor. He’s a great guy to be around. 
  • Manu Singh – Vanishing India Tour Director
    Manu is a legendary guide who hails from a small village in Rajasthan. The journey from that remote desert environment has seen him complete Masters degree in Tourism and degrees in History and Politics, acquire fluent English and French language skills, travel to every part of India and be invited as a guest speaker in Europe.
  • Dr. Sandip Kewale: Talba master and Son of Varanasi
    Dr. Sandip runs the International Music Ashram and tours Germany annually in  an Indian/European fusion ensemble. Sandip is one of Varanasi’s foremost tabla players and holds a PhD in the study of great Hindu musicians of the Holy City. He quite literally opens doors that are never opened to Westerners, doors that lead to stories of antiquity, belief and extraordinary musical possibilities.

YOUR PALACES & HAVELIS

Maidens Hotel

Delhi, Civil Lines Area, Delhi

Gulaal Haveli

Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Devi Bhawan

Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Guleria Kothi

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Unique and Exceptional Accommodation Spaces!

YOUR INSPIRATION

“Everything is recycled in India, even dreams.”
— Shashi Tharoor –
 
 “India lives in several centuries at the same time.”
 – Arundhati Roy –
 
“To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim.”
 – Martin Luther King, Jr. –
 
“I like the evening in India, the one magic moment when the sun balances on the rim of the world, and the hush descends, and ten thousand civil servants drift homeward on a river of bicycles, brooding on Lord Krishna and the cost of living.”
 – James Cameron –
 
“Benares {Varanasi} is older than history, older then tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” 
Mark Twain

DETAILS

DATES & GROUP SIZE

Winter – 2026/27
15 Days
12 – 15 pax

Singing India is a moderately active program with some walking required in Varanasi and Jaisalmer.
Apart form that, some conversations with different Indian people need guidance from participants to avoid culturally inappropriate questions. As a general rule, questions will be asked at the conclusion of sessions and at the discretion of the facilitator.

DATES & HOTEL TBA. The tour commences at the Delhi hotel on the first day of the tour at 1pm.
The tour concludes at the Delhi hotel after breakfast on Sunday.

The tour starts in Delhi.

If you wish to add tours to Agra or any other Indian location you can contact Manu Singh at India Personal Tours – travel@indiapersonaltours.com.

TOUR PRICE

$6,950 USD Per Person [Twin Share]
Deposit $1,500 USD Per Person [Payable upon booking]
Single Room Supplement $1,500 USD Per Person. [Payable upon booking]
Balance payable 3 months before departure.

Tour deposit is non-refundable

Programs accompanied by Tour Facilitator, Tour Director plus one other translator/cultural guide plus local specialist guides and cultural interactions in Jaisalmer and Varanasi.

– Accommodation on Double/Twin occupancy for 14 nights on bed & breakfast basis
– Meals mentioned in Itinerary. 13 Lunches (Hotels / Local Restaurants) and 14 Dinners at Hotels.
– All transfers, excursion & sightseeing by using AC Deluxe Coach.
– Fully curated event that integrates tour theme into the daily itinerary.
– Conversations with Bhopa Gypsies. Maganiyar Muslim communities, selected personalities, Sufi priests, Sadhu & Akhara community, tour to Tibetan university, and all other interactions mentioned on itinerary.
– Visit to NGO in Jodhpur.
– Monuments Entrance Fees.
– House boat ride in Varanasi including musicians.
– 4 x Domestic Airfares.
– Services of agents representatives at airports.
– All currently applicable taxes including Government Service Tax.

 -Alcohol.

– Laundry bills, telephone – calls, Tips, table drinks etc.
– Travel insurance, visa etc.
– Camera fees – still & video.
– Flights to and from India.
– Any other expense which is not mentioned in inclusions.

FAQs

Dr. Vishakha Sharma

How will the rehearsal process work?

Do I have to be a professional musician?

Are the people paid?

Do we do other things as well on the Singing India event?

It must get quite emotional singing with people from a different culture?

Can we film the events?

Can you arrange flights to India or Nepal?

Should I arrive early for the trip to acclimatise?

Make your virtual journey a real adventure.

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If you can't make SINGING INDIA
Check out the Nepalese singing adventure

SINGING WITH ELEPHANTS

Partner Network Accreditations

Our Story

VANISHING INDIA is an imprint of Fabulous Limited, part of the market-leading Fabulous Media Private Limited group, one of the leading marketing networks. It works in association with India Personal Tours [IPT Travel Private Limited] and Explore Himalaya Travel Pvt. Ltd {Explore Himalaya Tours}, two long-standing travel companies. Bookings are made through Stripe, one of the world’s most secure payment gateway.

Legacy travel companies are working with one of India’s leading entrepreneurial entities to deliver on VANISHING INDIA’s simple objective – to revolutionise the way travel is experienced on the subcontinent.