"Everyone has been asking us if this year's festival is going to be bigger and grander, but it is already both big and grand. How do we make it even more bigger?" said Shrikant Deshpande, also the executive secretary of the organisation and grandson of Sawai Gandharva. But he added that there would definitely be certain elements to watch out for this time around. Upon being questioned further, Shrinivas said with a laugh that these elements would be disclosed gradually so that people can savour them even more.

This year, around ten artistes would be performing for the first time at the festival. These include vocalists Krishnendra Wadikar, Suhas Vyas, Prasad Khaparde, Madhup Mudgal and Madhuri Dandge. "Accomplished Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam will also perform at this year's edition. Though I'm looking forward to the other performers as well, she is one person I'm excited about as she is known to sing my father's Marathi `abhangs' in a place like Chennai," Joshi said.

Other first-timers at the festival include sitarist Farhan Khan, son of renowned sitarist Ustad Rais Khan, sarod player Tejendra Majumdar, violinists Ganesh and Kumaresh and Kathak dancers and siblings Anuj and Smriti Mishra.

Apart from these, the line-up also includes renowned names like vocalists Pt Jasraj, Devaki Pandit, Pt Ajay Chakravarti, Arshad Ali, Malini Rajurkar, Pt Rajan and Pt Sajan Mishra, Vinayak Torvi and Shrinivas Joshi. The other big names include santoor maestro Pt Shivkumar Sharma, shehnai exponent Tukaram Daithankar and flautist Pt Ronu Mujumdar.

"The festival will end with a performance by renowned vocalist Prabha Atre. A new feature at this festival is the `Taal Vadya Kacheri' that will see percussionists Akhilesh Gundecha, Anup Singh, Himanshu Mahant, Manoj Singh and sarangi exponent Sarwar Hussain perform together," said Deshpande.

The festival will also feature other attractions, including a film festival and a photography exhibition, apart from interactions with some of the musicians.

"Joshi being honoured with the Bharat Ratna has made the festival more special. Like last year, we have planned a photography exhibition featuring Joshi over the years this year as well," said Shrirang Godbole, president of Indian Magic Eye, the communications and branding agency that handles the festival.