India, Sept. 20 -- O n a night when rain poured in sheets, my husband and I braved Delhi's gridlock and the notorious parking hunt to reach a stranger's home. We had, in fact, paid to be there. Inside, about 40 people sat cross-legged on rugs as a young sitarist tuned her instrument, joined by a tabla player. No velvet curtains, no stage lights, no professional sound system. Yet, as the music began, a stranger's living room instantly felt like home. Baithaks, intimate and hyper-local ticketed concerts held in homes, are quietly reshaping Delhi's cultural landscape. For many millennials, they are both a throwback to childhood memories of baithaks at grandparents' homes and a new experiment in intimacy in a city crowded with strangers. In Vasant Kunj, Sukanya Banerjee and Tejas Jaishanka began hosting baithaks in May under the name Upstairs with Us. "We wanted to create a space where people could appreciate classical music without feeling intimidated," says Sukanya, a vocalist who quit her teaching job last year. To keep it sustainable, they charge a modest fee and cook dinner for everyone. Sukanya is now training other music lovers to start their own home concerts. In Dwarka, Soumya Rao and her husband Varun K call their series Evenings Unplugged. "Some come because they miss that neighbourhood connect, some for the raga. Otherwise, all classical concerts are in Mandi House," she says. At their last baithak, her mother-in-law, a trained sitarist, served a South Indian meal to the guests. Gurugram too has its outposts. Leadership coach Sangeeta Chopra runs Naadyatra, hosting monthly baithaks. "The cultural scene in Gurugram is not very promising," she says, adding, "This is my effort to revive it and fill my house with music." Before each performance, she serves guests chai and snacks. Tickets typically range from Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,500, often including dinner. But food and repertoire are not the main draw. It is the come-home-and-listen energy that attracts audiences. "You don't feel judged here," says Prakash Sharma, who first discovered baithaks through an Instagram reel. The intimacy with artists is another appeal. "People sit so close to the performer," says Sangeeta. Sitarist Malvica Chopra agrees: "We get paid fairly, and it is not like a hall with bright lights and distance. You can decide how you want to showcase your music." For musician Manohar Balatchandirane, the appeal lies in artistic freedom: "It is an intimate format where you can go beyond the mandate." Vocalist Vivek Bhola adds, "Here, I can see the audience breathe. There are no egos. The sound is slightly amplified, but the acoustics remain natural."...