A baithak is the original living-room concert of North India—musicians and listeners sharing one carpet, every nuance felt at arm’s length. We’re reviving that magic, backyard-style, beneath the jacarandas of South Pasadena.

Music in Bloom, Hope in Motion

On the first Sunday of June, an intimate garden in South Pasadena will unfurl into a fragrant oasis of raga, rhythm, and renewal. Three master artists—Paul Livingstone on sitar, Partho Sarothy on sarod, and Chiranjit Mukherjee on tabla will braid sunset melodies into a single shimmering thread of sound. Yet the evening’s true crescendo lies beyond the music: every note you hear, every pulse of the drum you feel, plants a seed for Altadena’s cultural rebirth.

Why Altadena?

This years devastating wildfires shuttered beloved galleries, rehearsal studios, and arts programs across Altadena’s foothills. Neighborhood murals faded, music studios went silent, and local creators lost the stages that once amplified their voices. This Baithak is our answer—a living petition set to music, asking the community to help reel creativity back to the boulevard.

Why It Matters to Altadena

From the Zorthian Ranch jam sessions of the ’50s to today’s indie cafés, Altadena has long punched above its weight in music. Yet many local players now lack even a safe place to keep their instruments. Every ticket and extra dollar you give builds an “Instrument Bank”—secure storage and a small recording nook where donated guitars, tablas, trumpets (and the artists who love them) can find a ready home.

The Artists

• Paul Livingstone · Sitar – Altadena native, disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, weaving ragas with global grooves.

• Partho Sarothy · Sarod – Veteran maestro from Kolkata, known for meditative depth and blistering taans.

• Chiranjit Mukherjee · Tabla – Versatile rhythm architect whose fingers dance between classical and jazz-fusion stages.

The Evening

• Spring Ragas in an intimate garden.

• North Indian non-veg and veg dinner 

• Small-batch chai and conversation as dusk settles.

A Pledge of Transparency

Soul Force Project is a non profit financially administered by Joy of Sharing Foundation, a global non profit platform that quietly supports communities during its most crucial times of need.

Donate beyond your ticket if you can—each $250 sponsors a locking cabinet, $1000 equips a community recording corner. 

Let’s give Altadena’s musicians a place to keep their dreams in tune. For more information see https://www.soulforceproject.com/