Aware of the fact that artistes can be a self-serving lot, Chennai-based contemporary-classical pianist and educator Anil Srinivasan has always consciously tried to question what the arts can do for the community, instead of the other way round. So, in 2018, after visiting Gnanadarshan, a city-based home for visually challenged women, when he tried to imagine himself in the position of the latter, Concert in the Dark - where he performs blindfolded with other musicians to raise funds - was born. In its third edition this year, the concert has unfolded virtually, with the finale on December 24.

"After my father's demise, I wanted to do something meaningful, which is when I visited the home and met these artistes. I realised that it's one thing to contribute to a charity, but another experience to witness what these women tackle, which drives empathy. And empathy is the beginning of understanding," he shares, adding that he started thinking what it would be like to play the piano with his eyes closed. Having realised that it helped sharpen his perception, the pianist decided to perform blindfolded. What followed was a 20-minute piece for the National Association for the Blind, where the artiste was blindfolded and the audience sat in a dark auditorium, lit only by a candle. "When we turned on the lights, I could sense something among the audience had shifted; many were in tears. We managed to raise Rs 15 lakhs, and that's how we made Concert in the Dark a yearly event," he says.