India's Gen-Z Turns Spiritual Songs Into Dance Parties

Rehmat Khubchandani throws her hands up and lets out a delighted whoop as she emerges from the dancing crowd in Chennai. The music pulses with club energy, but the lyrics praise the divine.

"It feels like a party, but with vibes that connect you with up there," she says, pointing skyward and catching her breath. Rehmat just experienced bhajan clubbing, a movement sweeping Indian cities and even reaching the United States.

The concept is simple: take traditional devotional songs like bhajans and Sufi qawwalis, add high-energy beats, and create a nightclub atmosphere without the alcohol. Gen-Z crowds are packing these events in Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai, dancing to remixed versions of spiritual classics.

At a recent Chennai event, Mandira Bansal swayed to an upbeat rendition of "Dama Dam Mast Qalandar," a Sufi spiritual song. "It might be a Gen-Z concept, but it's wonderful," she explains. "It is like entering a world of trance."

Classical singer Sai Vignesh, whose version of "Varaha Roopam" has gone viral, performs alongside singer Saindhavi to crowds dancing on their feet. "You don't even need to know the full bhajan to enjoy this," Sai Vignesh says with a smile. "The main motto is to make people come together."

The movement addresses something Gen-Z craves: real human connection. After years of endless social media scrolling, young people are choosing shared experiences over screens, finding community through music their grandparents might recognize.

Why This Inspires

This isn't rebellion against tradition. It's reimagining it for a new generation that still seeks meaning and connection.

"We grew up listening to bhajans, but the current generation might not be too exposed to these tracks," explains Saindhavi, known for both film hits and classical concerts. The songs are packaged in a different soundscape, she notes, but the divinity remains the same.

Bands like Backstage Siblings and Keshavam are building followings performing this style, with social media amplifying the reach. Everyone at these events becomes an evangelist, sharing reels and posts about their spiritual dance party.

Chennai's Good Deeds Club, curated by Apsara Reddy, hosts regular bhajan clubbing sessions where women dance together while others clap with closed eyes, absorbed in the moment. Some participants have never experienced anything like it: the energy of celebration combined with spiritual depth.

This movement proves that ancient traditions can thrive when given space to evolve, and that young people still hunger for connection beyond what a screen can offer.