Bengaluru's Sleep Concert Invites City to Pause and Rest in Hustle Culture
In Bengaluru, a city that often celebrates productivity as a mark of success, a unique event is asking residents to slow down. Aaraaro – The Sleep Concert presents an immersive experience that brings together lullabies from diverse cultures and languages. This concert is part of BLR Hubba 2026, featuring musicians Gurupriya Atreya and Vedanth Bharadwaj. It creates a shared space for rest and mindfulness, inviting audiences to step away from their busy lives.
Addressing the Urgency of Rest in Modern Urban Life
Gurupriya Atreya feels the idea of this concert is particularly urgent today. She points out that modern urban life often glorifies hustle culture. "We live in an overhyped hustle culture where fulfilment often comes only from being exhausted," she says. "While discipline has its place, rest has quietly slipped out of everyday life." This event aims to reintroduce the value of taking a break.
Vedanth Bharadwaj believes sleep is deeply misunderstood in our society. He explains that sleep is not about switching off completely. "Sleep is not switching off; it is renewal," he states. Vedanth likens it to the natural cycle of the sun setting and rising again, emphasizing its restorative power.
Lullabies as a Meditative Intervention
According to Vedanth, Aaraaro functions almost as an intervention in our always-on world. "This constant state of alertness needs to be addressed, and sleep is where that conversation begins," he says. For Gurupriya, lullabies offer a natural counterpoint to this fast pace. She notes that whether from Brahms or Indian folk traditions, their repetitive structures make them meditative.
"As a mother, I can say the lullaby calms me first before it calms the baby. That calm is what gets passed on," Gurupriya shares. She adds that the repetitive nature of a lullaby guides your breath to follow its rhythm, creating a soothing effect.
Creating a Space for Personal Reflection
There are no strict rules for how to experience the evening at Aaraaro. Vedanth describes it as a space to slow down and enjoy your own company. "There's no dress code, no pressure to sit upright or stay awake. You can come in pyjamas, bring pillows, mattresses or shawls," he says. Gurupriya underlines that the focus is not on entertainment in the traditional sense.
"You are coming here to be with yourself," she explains. "What you make of that space is entirely yours." This approach encourages attendees to engage in self-reflection and personal rest.
Lullabies for Everyone, Beyond Age Assumptions
Both artists are keen to detach lullabies from age-based assumptions. Gurupriya emphasizes that they are not only for mothers and children. "They are for anyone who wants to gift rest — to themselves or to someone they love. The essence of a lullaby is far larger than the age we associate it with," she explains.
Vedanth adds that for adults, lullabies can unlock something entirely different. "When we listen to them later in life, nostalgia enters," he says. "And once nostalgia enters, a space for healing opens." This perspective broadens the appeal of lullabies, making them relevant for all ages.
The Sleep Concert in Bengaluru stands as a gentle reminder in a fast-paced world. It invites people to embrace rest as a vital part of life, using the universal language of lullabies to foster mindfulness and connection.
