Published: May 11, 2016, 19:24 IST    Updated: May 11, 2016, 19:35 IST

Parikrama Marks Their 25th Year In Indian Music And Here's Why It's A Big Deal

Parikrama Marks Their 25th Year In Indian Music And Here’s Why It’s A Big Deal

My earliest memory of Parikrama involves a day spent in the campus of St. Columba’s School, New Delhi, back in 2011. Sitting in an audience of school kids, I had my first Indian Rock moment and it was like an epiphany! That’s the word I would use to describe Parikrama—an epiphany that started 25 years ago.

© Facebook

“It’s been a great journey,” Subir Mallik, the organist of the group says as we sit down to reminisce about the b(r)and’s evolution since its inception (Yes, they ARE a brand). Subir recounts the initial days of the band and how they started out over two decades ago. “It all started when a bunch of like-minded people got together with an aim to create music,” he tells me. “Back then, no one was doing good English rock music in India and we wanted to give people something authentic and homegrown.” Their first concert ever happened back in 1991 at the ever popular Father Agnel School event, titled Bandstand. Soon after, they became a favourite at college fests and concerts, and Parikrama spread across the country like a wildfire.

© The Official Gig

With all the increasing adoration and accolades that the band received, it would seem only obvious that the next thing in their agenda would be to release an album. But they didn’t. “At that time, no one really believed in the concept of CDs and cassettes, to be honest. And we wanted to give our audiences a complete experience, without making them have to buy our music in order to listen to it. Money was never the motive behind our music,” Subir informs.

Parikrama, as a whole, has never limited their music rights to any kind of privilege and have, therefore, made their music available for download to all their fans and every ardent music lover. But how does that work out for the band in a world where everybody wants to make money off everything they possibly can? “For us, music was never a means to an end,” Subir explains. “When we are up there performing, we are doing it for the joy of the music. We’re just a bunch of guys who love music and want to make the most of it.”

© Myopusradio

Parikrama composed their first song, titled Xerox, that came to be known as the ‘face of Indian rock’ music. In 1995, the band released their first single, Till I’m No One Again, along with Open Skies, as part of The Great Indian Rock, Part – 1. One year later, Parikrama came out with But It Rained, a song dedicated to the Kashmir Valley kidnappings that happened around the same time, which went on to be named as one of the band’s biggest hits, ever. One of the major highlights from the band remains their opening act for the Iron Maiden concert in Bangalore, India where they wowed, not just a crowd of 40,000 people who even sang along when the band played ‘But It Rained’, but went on to impress Rod Smallwood, Iron Maiden’s Manager with their performances. Subir recalls how the international iconic rock band later joined them in their green room to praise Parikrama’s music. “It was such a magical moment for us; to be in the presence of those guys,” Subir says.

© Hard Rock Cafe Mumbai

Now, it’s 2016 and the band is still as strong as ever. Older, yes. Experienced, yes. Evolved, in a way, yes. That’s Parikrama. The band has stayed true to their originality that made them into the phenomenon any rock band would aspire to be. And it all happened out of a genuine love for music; not a thirst for fame, or fortune. Maybe that’s a lesson for most modern musicians. Maybe too many artists have sold their souls to the devils of commercialism, just to make it big. “I think it’s more than that,” Subir says. “I think today, it has become important to look at music and artists as a lucrative profession. The industry has grown over time and we have new musicians, genres coming up every day. So why not?” The band today collaborates with younger artists to produce newer and more original music at live shows. “We love to team up with other artists and create new music. The point is to have fun on the stage and do what you love,” Subir says.

And that’s exactly what Parikrama has been doing for the past 25 years—what they love. To many, the band is old and repetitive. But, that is exactly why we need Parikrama around even after 25 years. We need to be reminded of the music of the old. We need to be reminded constantly of where we came from, where we are at and where we are headed.

Yes, it’s been 25 years since Parikrama came to be. 25 years down the line, Parikrama still is. 25 years from now, Parikrama will live on as the Indian rock legends we lived amongst; as the legends who created what we know now to be Indie rock.

© Hard Rock Cafe Mumbai

Congrats on turning 25, Parikrama. Unlike your track, you can never be No One again.

Here’s to many more 25s!