A river, a city, and a song that never ends.

In 2016, a chance visit to the Dhrupad Mela in Varanasi changed everything for the Esperanto project. Enchanted by the stillness of the Ganga and the ancient spirit of the ghats, they returned year after year, with each visit deepening their bond with the river’s timeless rhythm.

From this connection was born Boat on the River, an album that imagines human life as a tender, drifting vessel: ever moving, ever feeling. The music is meditative, textured, and filled with reverence for Ganga Maiya’s quiet strength.

In a serendipitous meeting of mediums, their work resonated with Kolkata-based artist Asit Poddar, whose vivid paintings, also inspired by Varanasi, now breathe life into the project’s music videos. Together, sound and image offer a glimpse into the sacred, dreamlike presence of the river.

This performance is part of the group’s ongoing Kala Yatri journey: an evolving celebration of music and art shaped by the ghats, and carried gently, like the river, from city to city.