A Music Lover's Guide To Delhi India

Whether it’s Western genres, like jazz and rock, melodious Bollywood tunes or classical forms like qawwali, Delhi’s music scene has developed from a wide range of inspirations. Here are some of the best places to visit in the city if you are a music lover.

Qawwali at Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah

Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was the most influential Sufi saint in the Indian subcontinent. His dargah (shrine), located at Nizamuddin West, is the site of rousing qawwali performances every night. Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music, which originated in India during the 13th century. Nizamuddin Auliya’s protégé, Amir Khusrau, is credited with pioneering this music form.

On Thursdays, or the Jummeraat (the day before Jummah or Friday), as it is known in Islam, the scene really lights up. The Nizami brothers are the resident qawwals (qawwali singers) of Nizamuddin and they have descended from a family of Sufi singers as old as the music genre itself. The ambience at the dargah during these performances is beyond compare. For those interested in classical music, live qawwali performances at Hazrat Nizamuddin is absolutely unmissable.

Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah, Boali Gate Road, Nizamuddin West, New Delhi, India, +91 98117 78607

Live music venues

Delhi has some exciting live music venues that cater to every kind of music genre. For jazz, the Piano Man Jazz Club is definitely the best place to visit. It is, after all, the first jazz club to have opened in the city. The Piano Man Jazz Club has excellent acts lined up each day of the week so you don’t need to wait for the weekend to unwind with some great music. Depot 48 is another place where both homegrown and international acts are up on stage every night. What’s great about this place is that their acts are so diverse. From Sufi to western classical and African music, Depot 48 will have them all. For rock music fans, there’s always the ever dependable Hard Rock Cafe.

The Piano Man Jazz Club, B-6-7/22, Safdarjung Enclave Market, New Delhi, India, +91 11 3310 5379

Depot 48, N 3 Level 2, N Block Market, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi, India, +91 11 3310 5212

Hard Rock Cafe, 1st Floor M-110, DLF Place Mall, Saket, New Delhi, India, +91 81301 55885

Vintage LP record stores

In this day and age, where iTunes, Spotify and YouTube dominate the way people listen to music, not many think it worth their while to give vintage Long Play (LP) records any attention. Except for die-hard music lovers, of course. Which is why independent stores like Shah Music Centre and New Gramophone House, which were established over seven decades ago, still have their businesses up and running. Both stores are located in the dusty by-lanes of Chandni Chowk. New Gramophone House was first established in Lahore but after the partition of India and Pakistan, the owner set up shop in Chandni Chowk. You will find vinyl records with everything from classic Bollywood films to Western rock and roll. If you want to avoid the crowded Chandni Chowk but still want to get your hands on a good old LP, then try Radio and Gramophone House in Connaught Place.

Shah Music Centre, Shop no. 256, Meena Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India, +91 92127 56090

New Gramophone House, Shop No. 9, Opposite Moti Cinema, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India +91 99909 55557

Radio and Gramophone House, K-27, Opposite PVR Plaza, Connaught Place, New Delhi, India, +91 11 2341 6454

Jam pads and rehearsal studios

Just a few years ago, there were but a handful of options in Delhi for those looking to jam with their bands. Today, that scenario has completely changed. Many studios or jam pads, as they are popularly known as, have opened up in the city and a lot of them are easy on the wallet. The minimum cost for an hour-long session is usually Rs. 200 (£2.30) to Rs 250 (£2.90), which is great news, especially for aspiring musicians looking for affordable rehearsal locations. These spots aren’t just suitable for rehearsals but are ideal social spaces for meeting up and hanging out with other like-minded musicians.

Sound Station is one of the most popular jam pads in the city and boasts catering to about 400 bands so far. Even established musicians often drop in to rehearse at Sound Station. Loyal Jamming Studio and SoundSpeaks are two other great jam pads in Delhi.

Sound Station, D- 72, Phase 1, Okhla Industrial Area, New Delhi, India, +91 99100 01202

Loyal Jamming Studio, RZ 154 1st Floor, Jagdamba Main Road, Tughlakabad Extension, New Delhi, India, +91 99992 26894

SoundSpeaks, E-13/29, Harsha Bhawan, Middle Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi, India, +91 9643 117770

Indian classical music concerts

Indian classical music traces its origins to the Vedic period (1500 to 600 BC). There are four Vedic Sanskrit texts and Samaveda is considered to be the “Veda of melodies and chants”. If you’re an admirer of Indian classical music – or want to learn more about it – then Delhi has just the right places for you to explore. There are regular concerts at the Siri Fort Auditorium, Shri Ram Centre, Kamani Auditorium and The Stein Auditorium that you can attend. You can check the city supplements of national newspapers for event listings and book your tickets via this website. Apart from Indian classical music, these auditoriums also hold Western music concerts.

Siri Fort Auditorium, A-25 Balbir Saxena Marg, Siri Fort Institutional Area, New Delhi, India, +91 95555 09841

Shri Ram Centre, 4 Safdar Hashmi Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi, India, +91 11 2371 4307

Kamani Auditorium, 1 Copernicus Marg, New Delhi, India, + 91-11 4350 3351

The Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, India, +91 11 2468 2001

A musical concert at Kamani Auditorium, Delhi

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.