Tansen is no stranger to the musically initiated or otherwise.

One of the nine jewels at the court of the mughal emperor - Akbar, Tansen was once solicited to invite the saint-poet Swami Haridas (Tansen's guru) to perform at the Mughal court.

Despite the emperor's unprecedented wealth and the power he wielded, he knew he'd have to seek audience with the saint through alternative paths. He spent hours hidden outside the saint's house, while Tansen deliberately made mistakes so he could make his guru sing. What the emperor witnessed then was nothing short of miracle.

Fortunately, none of us connoisseurs, patrons or students have had to stand outside gurukuls yearning for the angelic nectar to drench our parched ears. The incontestable masters have willed us gems in their shishyas, who've upheld and fueled the eternal flame to enrich our lives with the mellifluous fluidity of a religion that knows no barriers - Music. These shishyas in turn keep the flame alive and induct more shishyas to pass on the baton, the heritage to.

This is the guru-shishya tradition. Started in 1971 and resumed in 2000, this Mahotsava is our relentless effort and endless toil to keep this tradition alive.

The Swami Haridas Sangeet Nritya Mahotsava is our humble effort to make an offering in reverence of the saint musician and the innumerous other musical gurus who sowed the seed of illustrious talent in their shishyas, who are now masters of music in their own right.

The Mahotsava is the brainchild of Ms. Uma Sharma, kathak danseuse par excellence, to enrich the lives of the youth with the musical prowess of the masters.

The Mahotsava has its roots in the musical city of Brindavan, when an esteemed religious guru Shri Gopal Ji advised Ms. Sharma to revive and spread the heritage towards a cultural 'renaissance' and resuscitation of the musical ethos.

Since 2000, the festival's found its anchors in the cultural capital of Delhi.