Duty, Beauty, Violence: The Taj Mahal
Baul artiste Parvati Baul to perform at the 8th edition of Root Music Festival (Yogendra Kumar/HT Photo)What: Written by American playwright Rajeev Joseph in 2015, Guards at the Taj follows Humayun and Babur, two imperial guards stationed at the newly completed Taj Mahal. Set in 17th century India, the play explores their struggle with duty, obedience and the value of perfection.
Highly humorous and sharply satirical, the plot moves through humor, violence and intimacy, examining the fragile line between loyalty and rebellion. Although Humayun was an honorable and dutiful man, Babur possessed free will. The night that unfolds in this dark comedy challenges their enduring friendship amid the changing political landscape of the times.
Winner of the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play and the 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play, the production is being presented in Hindi for the first time. This adaptation leans towards poetic language, raw emotion and absurdity.
When: February 7 (Saturday), 7 pm
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Where: Infantry theater
Entry: ₹400
Roots Music Festival
What: The 8th edition of Roots Music Festival, focusing on folk and traditional music, features vocal and instrumental music by artistes like Baul veteran Parvati Baul; Prahlad Singh Tipania, a Kabir Bhajan singer performing in Malwi folk style; Palestinian-American violin virtuoso Akram Abdulfattah; Madhya Pradesh folk band Nimad, known for their immersive audio-visual storytelling; and the Manipuri folk group Mihun (The Pulse).
Emphasis on acoustic performance, oral traditions and folk music practices, foregrounding community-based sounds over the performances of individual stars, are all part of organizer Sahaja Parv’s efforts to create a dedicated platform for the preservation of original musical traditions.
When: February 7 & 8 (Saturday & Sunday), 5 pm
Where: GD Birla Assembly Hall
Entry: Price starts ₹499
An evening with the poet
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What: Kabira Music, a Bengaluru-based ensemble whose repertoire ranges from retro Bollywood hits and popular chart-toppers to vintage melodies and high-energy, dance-driven sets, is performing structured mashups and medleys in Kolkata this weekend. Their performances are built around fluid transitions rather than individual songs. Expect clapping and singing along to this signature live set.
When: February 7 (Saturday) 9.30 pm
Where: Hard Rock Cafe
Entry: ₹500
Punjabi poetry in concert
What: Punjabi poet and singer Satinder Sartaj brings his Heritage India Tour to Kolkata as part of his ongoing concert series. The tour features Sartaj performing live with his musicians, presenting an evening focusing on his work as a singer, songwriter and performer. Known for combining poetry and music, the concerts draw on his Punjabi repertoire, with an emphasis on lyrical composition, musical arrangements and Sufism.
When: February 6 (Friday) 7 PM
Where: Science City Auditorium
Entry: Price starts ₹1,500
Growing up, he asked
What: Bali Ka Basra is a stand-up comedy solo by Tushar Basra, which observes middle-class life, Delhi families and the quiet discomfort of growing up “just fine”. The hour-long show features snappy storytelling with sharp punchlines, engineering-college dream experiences, awkward first jobs, shared flats, pointless queues and long meetings that raise existential questions.
Basra’s humor is drawn directly from everyday situations. As part of its ongoing tour, the show brings this personal set to Kolkata, giving audiences a live experience of Basra’s humor.
When: February 8 (Sunday) 7 pm
Where: Satire Club
Entry: ₹299 for one; ₹499 for a couple
