Tansen Music Festival

Set in the humble village of Behat in Gwalior, the Tansen Music Festival or the Tansen Sangeet Sammelan/ Tansen Utsav is an alluring display of the art of music. The Tansen Music Festival, is a unique four-five day festival, dedicated to the pillar of Indian music, the great Tansen, and it is held at his tomb in Gwalior every year. Celebrated musicians come together and perform for sessions that go on all night. The prestigious festival was started by the Academy of Department of Culture and the Government of Madhya Pradesh to pay tribute to one of the biggest legends of Indian classical music, Mian Tansen.

Dates of Tansen Music Festival 2024

Every year in December, for a period of five nights (six days). This year it is being held from 14th December to 18th December.

Venue of the Event 

The music festival is held near the ancient Mughal-styled carved tomb of the musical legend, Tansen. The get-together of so many talented individuals amplifies the energy of the fest. This tomb is located in the village of Behat which is situated at a distance of 45 kilometres from the city of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

Entertainment and Events at The Tansen Music Festival

Vocal and instrumental performances by both new talent and recurring artist names in the industry are showcased throughout the five nights and six days, and the atmosphere of the festival is enough to make appreciates of music to head to the village of Behat.
Another essential feature of the festival is the Rashtriya Tansen Samman which is an award of the highest respect given to an individual in the Indian classical music industry, who has made a considerable contribution or out shown his companions.

About Tansen - Legend of Indian Classical Music

Tansen was one of the Navratnas (Nine gems) of Emperor Akbar's court. He was a prolific music composer and was known for its talent as an instrumentalist. Tansen was the reason many advances in the field of classical music were made in India, such as the popularising of the central Asian 'Plucked Rabab'. The legend was often synonymous to Indian classical music, and his voice was said to have magical properties that enchanted animals and nature as well as corpses. Tansen's musical genius is world famous and counted upon by several Indian 'Gharnas' or regional music schools.

While Madhya Pradesh is often known to be a birthplace of classical music and Gwalior for its stream of talented artists such as Veena Sahasrabuddha, DV Puluskar and Malini Rajurkar, the Tansen Music Festival here receives the highest honour and reverence from the entire industry. The festival is often used as a tool to pay not only tribute but also encourage classical music talent and the use of instruments and as a cultural fest to meet like-minded artists.

How to Reach Gwalior

The village of Behat is at a distance of 45 kilometres from the city of Gwalior and can be reached through private cabs and buses or the use of trains.

By Air: Gwalior Airport is a mere 8 kilometres from the city centre. Cabs going to Behat can be hailed from the airport itself.
By Rail: Gwalior Railway Station is located in the heart of the city, whereas Behat itself has a station of its own, not far from the location of the festival.
By Road: Gwalior is well connected to the major cities in the state and Behat, in turn, is well connected to Gwalior and is easily accessible by cab, taxi or buses, both public and private.