Bengaluru’s esteemed cultural extravaganza, the Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF), gears up for its 16th annual celebration, embodying the spirit of ‘Celebration of Harmony through Arts’. Renowned for its intellectually stimulating and captivating showcases by esteemed artists, BIAF 2024 promises five days of enchanting musical and dance performances by some of the nation’s most distinguished talents, all aimed at spreading the message of harmony through the medium of art. Commemorating the birth centenary of the legendary Pandit Kumar Gandharva, the five-day festival will kick off on March 22nd at the esteemed Chowdiah Memorial Hall.
Organized by Artiste’s Introspective Movement (AIM), BIAF originated as a platform to unite artists, fostering collaboration and performance in the celebration of art. Held in association with Academy of Music, Department of Kannada & Culture -Government of Karnataka and supported by Ministry of Culture, Government of India, BIAF stands as a testament to Bengaluru’s vibrant cultural landscape.
The Bengaluru International Arts Festival is eagerly anticipated each year, drawing together luminaries of the Indian classical music industry. This year’s musical events will take place from March 22nd to 24th at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall and on March 30th at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Concluding on March 31st, the festival will culminate with a sapling plantation ceremony, aligning with AIM’s mission to promote environmental consciousness among the populace.
The BIAF this year kicks off with a Jugalbandi by Ronu Majumdar and Troupe on March 22nd at Chowdiah Memorial Hall followed by Karnatic Vocal by Abhishek Raghuram and Troupe.
The second day of the festival is dedicated to dance drama performances by some of the renowned names from the industry. The day starts with ‘Pratibodhana – The Awakening’ – A Dance production by Rama Vaidyanathan and Team. This is followed by a grand dance drama and the tale of the Anklet “Silapadhikaram. ” Conceptualised by Lalitha Das and Choreographed by Veena Murthy Vijay, the performance includes 25-member dance ensemble comprising Shama Krishna, Mithun Shyam & Sangeetha Phaneesh, Ayana dance company and 20 vibrant dancers.
The third day of the festival starts at 10 am on Sunday, March 24th at Chowdiah with a Hindustani Vocal performance by Vidhula Venugopal followed by a lecture demonstration – on the contribution of Kumara Gandharva to Hindustani Music by Nagaraj Havaldar and Hindustani Vocal performance by none other than Sangeetha Katti.
The evening performances on March 24th will witness “Marma” by Chandana Bala Kalyan – a multi – lingual and multi-generic confluence of spiritual and philosophical poetry. This is followed by Hindustani vocals by Venkatesh Kumar and Troupe.
Read the full story that first appeared in Our Bangalore dated March 23-29 here: