This is a weekend that is a mut for all art lovers in the city with a slew of music and dance performances that are all set to enthrall.
The 64th edition of Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava (BGU) One of the city’s iconic music and dance events, BGU in its 64th year is going completely traditional. With the guidance of the Sringeri Sharada Peetha, all rituals will be conducted as per tradition. The best part is that the festival is completely environment friendly, as they use the same Ganesha idol every year. The smaller version of the idol that is made using clay will be immersed. All the flowers are recycled too, and the event is zero plastic. There are devotional music acts each day until Sep 26.
Samanvay 50 marks the Golden Jubilee of Sri Rajarajeshwari Kalaniketan and celebrates 50 years of their journey in arts promotion and propagation. Samanvay means coming together, and that idea lies at the heart of the celebration—bringing together artists, traditions, generations and audiences. Together, Satyabhama and Apsara allow us to look at powerful feminine figures from our vast cultural narratives not merely as characters from mythology, but as women whose stories continue to resonate with us today. Satyabhama, the celebrated heroine of Bhamakalapam, the iconic Kuchipudi dance drama attributed to Siddhendra Yogi, is one of the most powerful characters in Indian classical dance. This fascinating journey—from pride to longing, and from ego towards surrender—is brought alive through five outstanding dancers of India, presenting the character of Satyabhama through the diverse languages of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi. The story unfolds in English, with the well-known Kathak dancer Mysore Nagaraj appearing as the Sutradhara. His conversations with Satyabhama, the Sutradhara or Madhavi become the thread that traces her journey, emotions, relationships and transformation. Today’s audiences respond to strong narratives, compelling characters and experiences that connect emotionally. We therefore look at ways of presenting traditional content with clarity and imagination, while retaining the grammar, aesthetics and integrity of the classical form.
The 18th edition of the Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF) will present an evening of musical innovation and storytelling on September 20 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, bringing together the contemporary energy of Carnatic-jazz fusion and the enduring wisdom of the Panchatantra.
Dancing Tales Panchatantra brings alive some of the most well-known tales from the Panchatantra, where through parable and allegory, the production talks about friendship, bravery, quick-wittedness, foolishness, leadership and freedom. In this 79-minute dance-theatre production laced with humour and wit, five well-known stories from the Panchatantra come alive — The smart hare that outwitted the mighty Lion, the king of the forest; the foolish monkey who gets his tail caught in the wedge; the cranes and the tortoise; the evil crocodile and the monkey; and the escape of the doves. Conceived and choreographed by renowned dancer Padmashri Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant, the performance is by 20+ artists from Hyderabad and Bangalore. A perfect family viewing experience that combines classical dance, theatre, humour and timeless wisdom.
Read the full story that first appeared in Our Bangalore dated Sep 19-25, 2026 here:
Leave a Reply