Inkpot India has announced Songs of the Stone, an evocative new after-dark musical series designed to reanimate India’s historic monuments through contemporary artistic experiences. Co-presented by Max Estates and supported by Delhi Tourism and the Archaeological Survey of India, the inaugural edition will take place on 13 December 2025 at 7 PM at the iconic Qutub Minar.
Conceptualised by Simar Malhotra, founder of Inkpot India and an alumnus of Stanford and Columbia University, the series aims to reposition monuments as vibrant cultural stages where architecture, memory and modern creativity intersect.
The debut performance will feature award-winning sitar maestro Mehtab Ali Niazi, known for blending classical ragas with jazz and fusion elements. He will perform alongside a distinguished ensemble including Khurram Ali Niazi, Zargham Akram Khan, Divyam Gaur, Ranajoy Das, Danish Ali, and Monis Ali, creating an intricate musical tapestry combining tabla, multi-percussion, guitars, drums and ambient soundscapes. The evening will also include premieres of Mehtab’s unreleased original compositions.
The programme will open with writer, curator and Itihāsology founder Eric Chopra, who will explore the layered civilisational histories woven into the Qutub complex and the Mehrauli landscape.
As night falls, attendees will be immersed in an atmospheric experience shaped by curated scent notes, warm kahwa, Indo-fusion delicacies and subtle monument lighting—transforming the heritage site into an intimate canvas of sound and shadow.
Reflecting on Inkpot India’s philosophy, Founder & Curator Simar Malhotra said, “Inkpot is about looking inward and recognising the depth of our cultural wealth. Our task is not only preservation but reframing—making India’s artistic expressions aspirational and resonant in the contemporary global imagination.”
Inkpot India has previously curated platforms such as the Inkpot India Conclave featuring Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Sanjoy K Roy, Shobhaa De, Shovana Narayan and Sunita Kohli; Inkpot in the Neighbourhood for emerging poets and musicians; and a series of literary dialogues and book discussions.
Songs of the Stone marks the beginning of a long-term national initiative committed to creating immersive, emotionally connected artistic experiences across India’s heritage sites. The event is being produced in association with Excurators Events Pvt Ltd, an organisation focused on developing experiential cultural platforms that bring India’s heritage to contemporary audiences.
