First look: Journeying Across The Himalayas 2026

New Delhi: Royal Enfield Social Mission kicked off the musical roadmap to Journeying Across the Himalayas 2026 last evening with an intimate curtain raiser at Oddbird Theatre, New Delhi. The evening was a lead-up to the annual festival Journeying Across the Himalayas 2026 (Dec 3-9), featuring a rare cross-regional collaboration between Khasi blues vocalist and guitarist Tipriti Kharbangar and internationally recognized Manipur’s folk artist Mangka Mayanglambam, alongside Manipuri & Khasi folk musicians.

The performance served as an exclusive preview from the inaugural performing arts programme by Royal Enfield Social Mission in partnership with the Oddbird Foundation. A core highlight of the festival will be the final showcase of all eight acts supported under the programme featuring Tipriti Kharbangar x Mangka Mayanglambam, Sound of Women by Krantinaari, Night (Kathmandu), Featherheads Haokui, Moko Koza, Yawar Abdal, Himachal Sanskriti Kala Manch, and Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl (DMZP).

Speaking at the preview, Bidisha Dey, Executive Director, Eicher Group Foundation & Festival Director, Journeying Across the Himalayas, said, "Journeying Across the Himalayas always brings diverse regional voices together on a single stage. Our partnership with the Oddbird Foundation builds on this commitment through a performing arts programme that equips artists across folk and contemporary forms with mentorship, technical support, and market access. Through this, we are building a long-term framework that gives artists the platform to co-create new work, receive real audience feedback, and create professional documentation that outlasts the festival. The festival serves as the dedicated platform to showcase this work, bringing these practitioners together to share their stories, music, and living heritage with wider audiences.”

Running from July to December 2026 and culminating at Journeying Across the Himalayas 2026, the grant-led initiative supports 57 artists across eight acts. Of these, three acts comprising 18 artists receive dedicated residency time at Oddbird Theatre, with dramaturgical mentorship and technical production support. The programme brings together traditional folk and contemporary artists and musicians, creating opportunities for cross-regional exchange and experimentation.

Shambhavi, Co-founder, Oddbird Foundation said, “At Oddbird, we’re interested in what becomes possible when artists have the time, space and support to develop an idea. Bringing Tipriti and Mangka together creates room for an exchange between distinct musical traditions, while allowing each artist to retain her own voice. That is what we want this programme to support: artists learning from one another, experimenting, and making new work on their own terms.”

Following the live performance, the intimate evening transitioned into a conversation led by acclaimed poet and novelist Karuna Ezara Parikh, exploring the role of music, oral traditions, and artistic collaboration. The evening concluded over hors d’oeuvres with a culinary showcase curated by Chef Tanisha Phanbuh of Tribal Gourmet, drawing on indigenous ingredients and foodways from the Himalayas.

The music lineup of the festival this December offers a rich journey across the region featuring Shillong Chamber Choir, Taba Chake, Gini, Raman Negi, and Aabha Hanjura among others. Designed to bring Himalayan performers to urban audiences, the residency bridges traditional heritage with contemporary contexts, culminating in live final showcases.