The singing sisters
Among the most evocative of Vadnagar’s many stories is that of Tana and Riri, two sisters of the town renowned, in legend, as extraordinary singers. The tale tells that the great musician Tansen, of Emperor Akbar’s court, fell gravely ill with fever after singing the fiery Raga Deepak, and that only the cooling Raga Malhar, sung by Tana and Riri, could heal him — but that the sisters, to protect their honour and their art from being summoned to the imperial court, chose death over compromise.
Honoured as martyrs to music and purity, the sisters are commemorated at Vadnagar by memorial cenotaphs (Deri) and, each year, by the Tana Riri Festival, a celebration of classical music held in their name.
For visitors, the memorial is a poignant reminder of Vadnagar’s deep cultural roots and of Gujarat’s place in the story of Indian classical music. (The site has memorial cenotaphs.)
Two sisters, a raga, and a sacrifice
The raga that heals.
Tana and Riri, sisters of Vadnagar, were famed in legend as singers of extraordinary command of raga.
Their Malhar is said to have healed Tansen, burning from his own performance of Raga Deepak at Akbar's court.
Summoned to that court, the sisters chose death over singing against their vows — the legend's tragic core.
Vadnagar honours them with memorial cenotaphs and an annual classical music festival in their name.
Reasons to make the time
Singing sisters
The story is Vadnagar's own — the town claims the sisters, and their memory shapes its identity.
Raga Malhar
The healing of Tansen by Raga Malhar is one of the great legends of Indian classical music.
Martyrs to music
It is a poignant tale — artistry, devotion and refusal, ending in sacrifice.
Memorial cenotaphs
The deri shrines — small memorial cenotaphs — mark the sisters' remembered site.
Music festival
The Tana Riri Mahotsav brings India's leading classical musicians to Vadnagar each year.
Cultural roots
The memorial belongs to Vadnagar's larger heritage — one thread in a very old town.
What to look for inside
The Tana Riri deri
The memorial cenotaph shrines of the singing sisters.
Raga and sacrifice
A story of music carried five centuries.
How to spend an hour or two
Honour the sisters
Visit the memorial cenotaphs, a quiet garden site on the edge of the old town.
Learn the legend
Learn the legend of raga and sacrifice before you come; the site is the story.
Time the festival
Time a visit to the Tana Riri festival if you can — classical music at the sisters' own memorial.
Sense the heritage
Read it as part of Vadnagar's music heritage, which the town takes seriously.
Reflect quietly
Allow the poignancy; this is a memorial to a refusal, not a celebration.
Pair with the old town
Continue to Vadnagar's other sights — the torana, Sharmishtha lake and the kirti stambhs.
A tribute in stone and song
The Tana Riri memorial at Vadnagar honours the legendary singing sisters with memorial cenotaphs (Deri) and an annual classical-music festival held in their name. Its power is in story and culture rather than grand architecture: a place to remember two martyrs to music and to celebrate Vadnagar’s, and Gujarat’s, deep connection to Indian classical song.
It sits within Mehsana district — browse more places to visit in Mehsana.
Tana Riri memorial cenotaphs
The legend of Raga Malhar
Annual Tana Riri music festival
Vadnagar’s cultural heritage
When to go
October to March is the pleasant season for Vadnagar, and the festival falls within it.
The monsoon greens the town and lake; the memorial garden is at its softest.
April to June is hot; visit in the early morning.
⏰ Visit on a tour of Vadnagar's heritage; the annual Tana Riri Festival is the best time to feel its meaning.
Timings & entry
- A freely accessible memorial
- Best during the music festival
- A short, reflective visit
- Pair with Vadnagar's sites
- No entry fee
- Be respectful at the memorial
- Don't litter
- Combine with the old town
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport is nearest.
By Rail
Vadnagar / Mehsana stations.
By Road
In Vadnagar town.
At the memorial
MUSIC & MEMORY
A tribute to the singing sisters
What to shoot
The memorial cenotaphs in their garden.
Theme
Vadnagar's music heritage on display at festival time.
Respect
A reflective site — photograph it quietly.
Best light
Soft morning light on the deris.
Know before you go
More to see close by
STEPWELLStepwell Country
Gateway to Patan’s Rani ki Vav & Adalaj
SOLAR TEMPLEVadnagar
An 11th-century masterpiece with a stepped tank
Taranga Jain Temple
Marble temples on the Taranga hills
Hatkeshwar Mahadev
The ornate Nagar Brahmin temple
HERITAGEKirti Toran
Soaring 12th-century ceremonial arches
DAIRYDudhsagar Dairy
The milk-rich heartland behind Amul
Where to eat near Tana Riri Memorial
Gujarati Thali
Sweet-savoury full meals.
Dhokla & fafda
Steamed and fried snacks.
Chaat & snacks
Lively market-town fare.
Dairy capital
Home of Dudhsagar Dairy & superb milk sweets.
Tana Riri Memorial FAQ
What is the Tana Riri Memorial?
A memorial at Vadnagar honouring Tana and Riri, the legendary singing sisters of the town, with cenotaph shrines in a garden setting.
Who were Tana and Riri?
Sisters of Vadnagar famed in legend as singers of extraordinary skill — claimed by tradition as granddaughters of the poet-saint Narsinh Mehta.
What's their connection to Tansen?
Their Raga Malhar is said to have healed the great Tansen, who was burning from his own rendering of the fiery Raga Deepak at Akbar's court.
Why are they honoured?
As martyrs to music and their vows — summoned to the imperial court, they chose death over singing against their conscience.
What is the Tana Riri Festival?
The Tana Riri Mahotsav — an annual classical music festival held at Vadnagar in their name, drawing leading musicians from across India.
Is there an entry fee?
No, the memorial is freely accessible through the day.
Where is it?
In Vadnagar town, Mehsana district — alongside the town's torana, lake and other heritage.
When should I visit?
October to March, and ideally during the festival, when music returns to the memorial.
Related places across Gujarat
PORTPippavav
A major modern private seaport
LIGHT SHOWModhera Surya Kund
Dance & projections at the Sun Temple
LAKEGopi Talav
A restored medieval lake & lakefront plaza
TEMPLEShamlaji Temple
A revered carved Vishnu shrine on the Meshvo
TEMPLEKashtabhanjan Dev
The mighty Hanuman temple of Salangpur
TOWNBarvala
An old market town of the region
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026