To celebrate 22 years of togetherness, Parikrama will perform in Pune.

It is an unheard of feat in the Indian music industry to find a band that has stayed for 22 long years together. Hailing from Delhi, Parikrama, which was formed in 1991, is the oldest hard rock band in the country that has not only stood the test of time but whose music has grown younger with every passing year.

But Subir Malik, band manager, and keyboardist, takes offense whenever people consider them old. “Someone asked me the other day if 22 years is a long, long time, and I said no, it is not. Come back and interview me when we are 50,” he said with a smile. It is truly heartwarming to see the camaraderie they share.

Malik says that every member has made a conscious effort to ensure peace and sanctity in the group. According to him, the best part of the band is that every member is a good human being with zero ego, which culminates in the music they make.

“Being a good human being is what matters in the end. It has always been our policy to take genuine members. One may be the best guitar player in the world, but if he is a lousy person, chances are he will come, destroy the peace, and eventually get lost. If one is just 60% of a player and a nice person, he’ll still be able to learn along the way,” he says. To celebrate the 22 years of togetherness, the six-member band will perform in the city at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday. They will be seen performing ‘Xerox’ — their first original composition, which was never released. “The song is all about rock ‘n’ roll dreams and stuff like that. The last time we played it was in the 1992 winter, and after that, we’ll be playing it now,” he says.

In their two-decade-long journey, the band has had many memorable moments, but the most noteworthy is the one where they performed for the great rock legend Iron Maiden. “It was a dream come true to play for our legends. When we played the first song, they left their green rooms and stood on the wings, seeing the entire show. When we finished, the organisers told us to continue playing as Maiden wanted to hear more. That was an amazing feeling,” he says. Currently, on the tour, they are gearing up for their performance in Pune. “We’ll, be performing — Don’t Cut Me Down, which debuted at I-Rock Mumbai in 1998, and two brand new original compositions,” says Malik, while signing off.