New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a Bhajan Clubbing event in Delhi on Friday to mark the 110th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, joining a gathering that blended traditional devotional music with a contemporary concert format.
The event featured singer Sadhu Tiwari, known for his association with Hanuman Ansh, performing the film’s popular devotional song Parvati. As the song played, PM Modi was seen clapping along with the audience and participating in the musical atmosphere.
The gathering brought together devotional music, live performances and a younger audience, reflecting the growing popularity of Bhajan Clubbing events that present traditional spiritual music in a modern setting.
PM Modi participates in devotional music event
The Bhajan Clubbing event was organised in Delhi on Friday as part of programmes marking the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
A video shared on social media showed PM Modi interacting with the audience and participating in the devotional performances. He was seen clapping along to the music and playing a khanjari, a small traditional percussion instrument, during the event.
The Prime Minister later shared a video of the gathering on social media and wrote, “Bhajan Clubbing in Delhi. Spectacular!”
The event combined devotional performances with the energy of a contemporary music gathering, with members of the audience participating in the songs and responding to the performances.
‘Hanuman Ansh’ song Parvati performed at event
Singer Sadhu Tiwari performed Parvati, a devotional song from Hanuman Ansh, during the event.
The performance created a direct connection between the film and the gathering, which focused on presenting devotional music to a younger audience.
Hanuman Ansh actor Shobhinaw Satya was also present at the event. Speaking to NDTV, Satya expressed regret that he did not get an opportunity to meet PM Modi personally.
However, he praised the Prime Minister’s participation in the programme and described his interaction with the audience as childlike and spontaneous.
“The steps he took, the way he came here and sat on a chair, playing some instruments in his hands, the way he was doing it, it felt as if he had become a child among children. I think only a true saint can do it. For me, he is like a true saint,” Satya said.
His comments came in the context of PM Modi participating in the musical performances rather than simply attending the event as a guest.
What is Bhajan Clubbing?
Bhajan Clubbing is a contemporary format that combines traditional devotional music with elements commonly associated with modern music concerts.
The format has gained attention among younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, by presenting bhajans through live bands, concert-style staging, dynamic lighting and energetic performances.
Unlike conventional devotional gatherings, these events can encourage participants to sing, dance, chant and socialise while listening to spiritual music.
The gatherings are generally designed as alcohol-free spaces, offering a concert-like environment centred around devotional performances.
Organisers and performers associated with the format have sought to make traditional spiritual music more accessible to younger audiences by presenting it through a style that resembles contemporary live music events.
The Delhi event similarly brought together devotional songs and a youthful audience, with PM Modi’s participation becoming one of its notable moments.
‘Hanuman Ansh’ connects devotion with cinema
Hanuman Ansh, directed and produced by Vishal Chaturvedi, tells the story of Lakshmi Narayan, a young boy who leaves his home after losing his mother and begins a journey across northern India in search of God.
The film follows his experiences through years of wandering, meditation and service before his transformation into Neem Karoli Baba, the revered spiritual figure associated with devotees’ belief that he was an incarnation of Lord Hanuman.
The film is based on Chaturvedi’s book Divine Detour: That Changed My Life and is planned as the first instalment of a trilogy.
Shobhinaw Satya plays the lead role of Lakshmi Narayan in the film. The cast also includes Chandan K Anand, Nikhil Dubey, Anil Rastogi, Sugandha Malhotra, Bhagvandas Patel, Neha Paranjpe, Udaysinh Rajput and Purnima Tiwari.
The film’s devotional music has also contributed to its connection with audiences interested in spiritual themes.
Film’s box office performance
Hanuman Ansh has also continued its theatrical run with strong box-office collections.
According to the figures cited for its 50th day, the film had recorded a worldwide gross of more than Rs 381 crore, while its India nett collection had crossed Rs 291 crore.
The film was reportedly made on a budget of around Rs 2 crore and has remained in theatres for several weeks.
Its performance has given the devotional film a significant commercial footprint, while its association with Neem Karoli Baba has helped place its spiritual narrative at the centre of its publicity.
The appearance of its song Parvati at a Bhajan Clubbing event in Delhi further brought the film’s devotional music into a contemporary public setting.
A new format for devotional music
The Delhi event highlights how devotional music is increasingly being presented through formats that combine traditional content with modern entertainment elements.
Bhajan Clubbing retains the central role of spiritual songs while changing the setting, presentation and audience experience. Live musicians, lighting, group participation and a concert atmosphere are used to create a different way of engaging with bhajans.
For younger attendees, the format offers an opportunity to participate in devotional music without the conventional structure of a religious gathering.
The presence of a mainstream film song such as Parvati from Hanuman Ansh also demonstrates the overlap between devotional cinema and newer forms of spiritual entertainment.
PM Modi’s participation at the Delhi gathering, meanwhile, brought additional attention to the event, with videos of him clapping and playing the khanjari circulating on social media.
The evening ultimately combined a political figure’s public participation, a contemporary devotional movement and music from a film centred on the life and spiritual journey of Neem Karoli Baba.