A Band That Refuses to Be Defined
Parikrama is not coasting on past glories. Thirty-five years into their journey, they are still writing new material, with plans to release 50 original songs over the next five years. What sets them apart is not just longevity but a refusal to fit a single mold. They started as a tribute act to classic rock but included an original composition in their very first show.
Their music incorporates instruments rarely seen in rock—a bansuri line, a tabla beneath a guitar riff—without feeling gimmicky. Most of their catalog was developed live, in front of audiences who would later sing along. This approach gives their songs a dynamic, unfrozen quality.
The Decision That Defined Them
Early on, the band agreed that music would never be anyone's primary income. While others chased rock-star dreams, Parikrama members held day jobs and businesses, playing purely for love. This scrappiness produced enduring tracks like 'Till I’m No One Again' and 'Open Skies' (1995), selected from over a hundred demos for India's first serious rock compilation. 'Gonna Get It' followed in 1996, 'Load Up' in 1997, and in 2001 came 'But It Rained', later named among India's greatest rock tracks by Rolling Stone India.
'But It Rained' is inseparable from lead guitarist Sonam Sherpa, whose solo became the band's iconic moment. After Sherpa's death in February 2020, Parikrama re-released the song with his solo untouched—a poignant tribute that still resonates.
Global Stages Without a Label
Parikrama has played thousands of shows worldwide, sharing stages with Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Porcupine Tree, and Deep Purple. Iron Maiden spotted them in Bengaluru and invited them for a UK tour. This success came from a sound built on second-hand equipment and blank tapes.
Rather than signing to a label, Parikrama gave away music for free, pressing tracks onto blank discs and distributing them at shows. This turned recordings into invitations to live performances, building a loyal fanbase who remember the nights they first heard the songs.
A Template for Independent Music
Before the internet made independent music accessible, Parikrama proved a band could write across languages, use diverse instruments, tour without a label, and be taken seriously as rock and roll. Musician Palash Sen credited Parikrama with inspiring his band Euphoria and a generation of musicians. Parikrama didn't just survive—they kept the door open for others.
Three Defining Songs
Xerox (1991): Slipped into their first tribute show, this original signaled from night one that Parikrama would not stay confined to covers.
Till I’m No One Again (1995): Selected from over 100 demos for India's first rock compilation, this track put them on the map—raw, fast-recorded, built for live performance.
But It Rained (2001): Their signature song, featuring Sonam Sherpa's iconic solo. Named among India's greatest rock songs by Rolling Stone India, it gained new weight after Sherpa's death, when the band re-released it with his solo intact.
