HYDERABAD: Tabula Rasa 2017 has been the crowd’s favourite open-air bar in the heart of Hyderabad and a forerunner in the cultural space in the city. Even though they had started off with a staff of merely 15 people, and a dream to be a space of inclusivity & opportunity, it is now a 75-person strong staff and has recently turned five years old.
Sharing about the five-year anniversary, Shravan Juvvadi, Founder of Tabula Rasa, said, “When we started Tabula Rasa five years ago, the indie music scene in Hyderabad was still at a nascent stage. We felt the need to provide a platform for all emerging bands and artists which is exactly what we did. Take for instance Telugu Music Fest — Rasa which paved the path for some of the most talented individuals who are now part of the most prominent Telugu bands such as Niraval, Elyzium, etc.
What got us to the place that we are today is our inherent care for the quality of sound, state-of-the-art infrastructure and the finest audio-visual experiences. The charm of our rustic-themed ambience and the oasis of green amidst the concrete jungle brought people closer to nature and music. I started this place with a similar mindset as the name. Being in the hospitality business for over 10 years, I strongly believe hospitality is all about connection. I am so grateful to have bonded with the people of Hyderabad through Tabula Rasa. They made me feel like Tabula Rasa is not just a bar but an emotion.”
Team Tabula Rasa has planned a week-long celebration to mark the occasion. “The five-year anniversary is being celebrated over a week that started off with a Sip & Paint session and Sunday Playground and is being followed by some of my favourite bands & artists — EL Taxidi, Aikyam, Aarohi, Niraval, Varnam & The Deccan Project respectively, throughout the week till the 27th, every day. The week-long celebration concludes on the 28th, with the Listening Party in the afternoon and Akhlad Ahmed and Iberian Muse in the evening,” says Shravan.
Five years ago, the motivation to launch Tabula Rasa for Shravan was his being an open-minded person. “I started Tabula Rasa with an open mind. Being an antisocial person, opening the smallest bar (2,400 sft) in Hyderabad at the time and choosing a model with no reference, when there was a spree of large-sized bars opening around me, was indeed a gamble. I followed my heart, choose music as the USP and created an ambience around it,” he says, adding, “I am excited to announce our new 1,800 square yards outlet in the Financial District. It’s set to open in January 2023. It’s going to be on similar lines as the Jubilee Hills outlet but there definitely are surprises almost as big as my dreams.”