The journey started 10 years ago albeit with a little trepidation about whether the Blues genre, not as popular as jazz in India, would take off. But Jay Shah says they look a leap of faith right from the first year and Mumbai responded with "full heart and soul". The Mahindra Blues Festival, which celebrates 10 years next week, returns to Bandra's Mehboob Studio.

Shah, vice-president for Cultural Outreach at Mahindra & Mahindra, says the idea originated because Mahindra's business in the US warranted that they emotionally connect with their customers i.e., farmers in the Mississippi delta. "We thought it would be great to organise a Blues festival to send out the message that Mahindra is invested in the culture of the people they are collaborating with, and we are celebrating it in a land far away," he says. What began as a business decision has blossomed into a full-fledged music festival the city looks forward to.