Pheras to remember ft Ankit Batra
Delhi singer Ankit Batra talks about enhancing wedding pheras with live music, making ceremonies more engaging, as seen at Parineeti Chopra's 2023 wedding.
With wedding season right around the corner, there’s growing interest in making the ceremony engaging and immersive, not only for the couple but also for those in attendance. And taking it upon himself to add that something extra special, Ankit Batra, a Delhi-based singer, has been a key proponent of musical performances during the pheras.
“It took three years of deep study and then in 2013, we started, which changed the entire perception of pheras,” shares the 36-year-old.
Batra performed at the wedding of actor Parineeti Chopra with politician Raghav Chadha in September 2023 and recalls it as “a memorable one”.
Ask him why this trend is important and Batra shares, “Most people are busy eating or chit-chatting during the pheras. The simple reason being that the priest is not explaining what is happening.. We don’t change anything, the rituals are the same; we only simplify the mantras for the couple and the audience to understand. For example, if we have Ganesh Pujan going on, then we have a Ganesh Bhajan if we have a Shiv Poojan going on, then we have Shiv melodies playing in the background.”
The goal is for people to be engaged. “People, from an 8-year-old to an 80-year-old, come and tell us that this is the first time they have understood what happens during the pheras,” he ends.