Raghav Mehta on ‘Sounds of Kumbha’ and India’s Moment on the Global Music Stage
The GRAMMY nomination of Sounds of Kumbha in the Best Global Music Album category at the 68th GRAMMY Awards 2026 marks a defining moment for Indian music. Central to the album’s musical direction is composer and producer Raghav Mehta, whose work plays a significant role in shaping how India’s spiritual sound traditions are translated for a global listening context. Rather than being created with awards in mind,...
The GRAMMY nomination of Sounds of Kumbha in the Best Global Music Album category at the 68th GRAMMY Awards 2026 marks a defining moment for Indian music. Central to the album’s musical direction is composer and producer Raghav Mehta, whose work plays a significant role in shaping how India’s spiritual sound traditions are translated for a global listening context.
Rather than being created with awards in mind, Sounds of Kumbha was conceived as a sonic documentation of the Mahakumbha, one of the largest spiritual gatherings in the world. The album blends on-ground field recordings, ancient chants, contemporary world music, and immersive binaural sound design to capture the scale, emotion, and energy of the event.