The city of joy witnessed a historic musical union on Sunday night as global sensation Arijit Singh made a surprise appearance at legendary sitarist Anoushka Shankar’s concert. This comes just weeks after the singer announced his hiatus from film playback singing, making this live performance a momentous occasion for his grieving fans.

The atmosphere inside the auditorium turned electric when Anoushka introduced the ‘Son of the Soil’ from Ziaganj. A visibly humble Arijit took the stage, admitting, “I am very nervous right now… thank you for having me here.” However, the nervousness vanished as soon as he began humming ‘Maya Bhora Raati,’ a soul-stirring Bengali classic composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar. Accompanied by Anoushka’s sitar and Bickram Ghosh’s tabla, Arijit’s rendition left the audience in a trance. He also hinted at a future collaboration, revealing that he and Anoushka have recently composed a new track together.

Beyond the concert, Arijit’s simplicity stole the limelight once again. He, along with his wife Koel, paid a surprise visit to singer Lopamudra Mitra’s ‘Sahaj Parab’ festival. Since it was Lopamudra’s birthday, Arijit celebrated by feeding her traditional ‘Payesh’ (rice pudding) and gifting a bouquet. A touched Lopamudra shared on social media, “Arijit and Koel gave me the best gift of my life.” While he may have stepped away from the commercial playback scene, Arijit continues to prove that his musical journey is evolving into something far more profound and independent.