Acclaimed musician Anoushka Shankar will be in Mauritius in a couple of weeks for a unique concert. Dubbed the Queen of Sitar, she has forged her own path in the music industry with a passion for and mastery of the instrument she shares with her late father and guru Ravi Shankar.

She’ll be on stage with her three-man band at the Trianon Convention Centre on the 26th of September with her album Land of Gold. Mauritius, and Reunion Island on the 29th, are “places I want to go to” with this album, says Shankar. Who is “very excited” about her trip to the Indian Ocean.

Released in 2016, Land of Gold is inspired by the global refugee crisis and the plight of families, women, children, fleeing conflict and war for what they hope to be greener pastures. Yet, faith, hope, humanity, resilience in the face of and overcoming adversity and vulnerability lie at the heart of this album. Although the refugee crisis, now more acute than ever, seems to be less prominent in conversations today, Shankar finds.

She will be on the sitar alongside Sanjeev Shankar, an Indian Shehnai player, an ancient Indian reed instrument; Manu Delago, who plays the Hang and percussions and is also the main co-writer on Land of Gold; and an upright bassist/pianist.

Her broad command of styles is on par with her skill in blending different genres, from classical Indian to jazz, electronica and classical minimalism. All the while keeping an organic quality to the songs, improvisations notwithstanding.

With nearly a hundred concerts under the belt, the Land of Gold tour is drawing to an end. A few more concerts are lined up, in Japan and the Netherlands next year, but also France and the USA (which, with India and the United Kindgom, was also home to Shankar, who is now based in London). A new album, more intimate, says the artist and composer, is already in the works.

Eric Triton will be warming up the public for Anoushka Shankar’s quartet with his new album So Blues.

When: Wednesday 26th of September. Where: Trianon Convention Centre. How much: From Rs 450 (Discovery) to Rs 5,000 (Platinum) on www.monticket.mu

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