DARJEELING, INDIA, December 7, 2025 — The hills were alive with an unfamiliar yet captivating sound today as world-class bagpipe player Andrew Forbes brought his celebrated, genre-bending music to the iconic Chowrasta square. Shunning the grandeur of concert halls for the immediacy of the street, Forbes treated locals and tourists to a powerful performance that underscored his reputation as one of the most innovative pipers in contemporary music.

_{^{Bagpipe Master Andrew Forbes Stuns Crowds Busking at Darjeeling Chowrasta / Photo : Sudip Chanda}}

Forbes is no ordinary bagpiper. With a career experience few of his contemporaries can match, he has consciously divorced himself from the rigid, regimental competitive circuit, choosing instead a path of radical musical reinvention.

^{_{Bagpipe Maestro Andrew Forbes Brings ‘Musical Odyssey’ to Darjeeling’s Chowrasta / Photo : Sudip Chanda}}

“Forbes is a piper that paints with his sound and use of variation. Beyond mastering the instrument, he’s taken it out of the four-cornered box. He’s taken the proverbial box and smashed it to smithereens,” remarked a fellow musician, highlighting Forbes’s groundbreaking approach. More interested in the raw, expressive potential of rock, folk, and world music, Forbes has embarked on a compelling musical odyssey rooted in the poetic traditions of America. His unique sound and mastery of original techniques quickly garnered him credits and accolades alongside world-class musicians and Grammy-winning producers.

_{^{Bagpipe Maestro Andrew Forbes Brings ‘Musical Odyssey’ to Darjeeling’s Chowrasta / Photo : Sudip Chanda}}

Today, however, the global session player traded the studio for the scenic, bustling Chowrasta. In a spontaneous act of musical intimacy, Forbes transformed the public square into a stage for his innovative art. The powerful, razor-sharp technique for which he is known – delivering both traditional and original music – resonated across the square, blending an ancient instrument with a modern, American rock and blues sensibility.

_{^{Bagpipe Maestro Andrew Forbes Brings ‘Musical Odyssey’ to Darjeeling’s Chowrasta / Photo : Sudip Chanda}}

His busking performance is a testament to the enduring love of his instrument, proving that his passion for the pipes extends far beyond commercial success or competitive accolades. It is in moments like these, connecting directly with an audience in the heart of a vibrant city like Darjeeling, that Forbes’s enduring odyssey of musical exploration continues. The performance served as a powerful reminder that in the hands of a master like Andrew Forbes, the bagpipe is not a relic of the past, but a vibrant, evolving voice for the future of global music.