A new musical collaboration linking Melbourne and Chandigarh is set to bring the spirit of Raksha Bandhan to audiences across Australia and India. Supported by Creative Arts Victoria, the project uses contemporary music and digital storytelling to celebrate cultural heritage, family connections and the shared traditions that continue to connect communities across borders.
The initiative is being led by Melbourne and Chandigarh-based artist Nawal Moudgil, also known as Navkish. His Raksha Bandhan-themed release forms part of the broader Dil Soul Melbourne series, a creative project focused on cultural diversity and heritage. The song is scheduled to reach digital platforms in mid-August, ahead of Raksha Bandhan on 28 August.
The campaign has been developed with audiences in both Australia and India in mind, particularly Punjabi and Hindi-speaking communities. Promotional activity will reach communities across Melbourne as well as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat, giving the project an opportunity to connect people who share cultural traditions while living in different parts of the world.
Rather than being limited to a single release, the initiative forms part of an eight-song album planned under the Dil Soul Melbourne banner. The wider project will continue to be promoted through cultural and community gatherings over the coming year, creating opportunities for the music to feature alongside celebrations connected with several major Indian festivals.
The future program is expected to include appearances connected with Garba, Janmashtami, Diwali, Dussehra and Gita Mahotsav, with community activities continuing into the 2027 festive season. This broader approach gives the project a continuing cultural presence rather than positioning it solely as a seasonal Raksha Bandhan release.
Project organiser Nawal Moudgil said the campaign is intended to build connections between audiences in Australia and India while also creating potential opportunities for businesses involved in Australia-India trade. The promotional strategy will extend across Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, together with music-focused distribution channels, allowing the project to reach audiences beyond traditional community events.
The collaboration arrives as multicultural arts projects become increasingly visible across Australian communities. Music, digital media and community-based cultural initiatives can provide accessible ways for people to maintain connections with their heritage while introducing traditions to wider audiences. The organisers say this project similarly aims to use contemporary creative expression to bring cultural participation and community engagement together.
Raksha Bandhan provides a particularly meaningful setting for the first release, with the festival traditionally centred on the bond between siblings. By presenting the theme through an Australia-India creative partnership, the project reflects how cultural traditions can evolve through new forms of artistic expression while remaining connected to the communities that celebrate them.
For Melbourne’s Indian community, the project also highlights the growing contribution of local artists to Australia’s multicultural creative landscape. The involvement of Chandigarh-based talent alongside artists connected with Melbourne creates a direct artistic link between Australia and India, demonstrating how music can provide a platform for collaboration across geography and cultural settings.
With the first release planned ahead of this year’s Raksha Bandhan and additional songs and cultural appearances scheduled over the following year, Dil Soul Melbourne is aiming to develop a continuing musical journey rather than a one-off festival project. Its combination of music, community events and digital promotion is designed to keep Australia-India cultural connections at the centre of the initiative.
