The south Indian state of Kerala comes alive in the month of October every year, with music and dance festivals lined up at various places in the state. Some of the top artistes in the field of Carnatic music and classical dance are featured at these fests.
While Dharani, a Cochin based cultural organisation hosts a Kalotsav in November, various arts organisations in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Palakkad host festivals in the first two weeks of October.
Here is the schedule...
Soorya Festival / Thiruvananthapuram
The 28th Soorya Festival is now on at Thiruvananthapuram. Besides dance and music, this fest also features feature films, documentaries, video films, theatre festival, talk festival, Ramayana mela, poetry and story sessions at the 75-day fete.
The dance and music festival is being held at AKG Hall from October 1 to 10, 2005 starting with a Carnatic recital by K.J. Yesudas. His excellency Abdulla Saihati of Saudi Arabia was to be the chief guest at the inaugural function. Sudha Raghunathan, Nityasri Mahadevan, Sanjay Subramaniam, Manjari, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Ravi Kiran, Padma Subramaniam, Alarmel Valli and Lakshmi Gopalaswami, Rajendra-Nirupama are among the artistes who perform here.
Thalam Festival / Thrissur
Thrissur used to be the cultural hub of Kerala. It lost that eminence. More and more concerts and arts events shifted to Thiruvananthapuram. But bodies like the Thalam Cultural Trust are trying to create the buzz that the town was known for.
Thalam hosts events every month. Recently, a Finnish group staged a Shakespeare play in English and Thalam's trustee, K. K. Gopalakrishnan, says people from all over came to see the show.
Now, Thalam is conducting its 4th annual festival from October 1 to 7 at the Regional Theatre of the Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi.
The fest features Nangiarkoothu by Usha Nangiar, Bharatanatyam by the Dhananjayans, Odissi by Jhelum Paranjpe, Contemporary dance by Samudra Performing Arts, violin concert by Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan and Kuchipudi by Ananda Shankar Jayant.
Thalam has about 250 members which keeps the organisation going. Sponsorships by local stores and well wishers helps to fund the fest.
Contact: K. K. Gopalakrishnan, Secretary, Thalam Cultural Trust: lasya@vsnl.com or thalamthrissur@yahoo.com
Navarathri music festival / Thiruvananthapuram
On the occasion of the Navarathri festival, music concerts showcasing the Navarathri kritis are being held from October 3 to 11, 2005 at the Navarathrimandapam, Fort Palace Complex, TThiruvananathapuram.
Main concerts begin at 6 pm each day preceded by the singing of the 'Thodayamangalam' by the Mullamoodu Bhagavathars.
The fest features Carnatic vocalists Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma, Malladi Brothers, Trichur V. Ramachandran, Sanjay Subrahmanyam, T.N. Seshagopalan, N. Ramani (flute), T.M. Krishna, K.N. Renganatha Sarma and T.V. Gopalakrishnan.
The Swathi Sangeethotsavam music festival will be held from January 6 to 12, 2006 at Kuthiramalika, the palace built over 160 years ago, by Maharaja Swathi Tirunal.
For more info, contact Chemprol Raja R. Varma, e-mail: crrvarma@vsnl.com
Swaralaya Dance and Music Festival / Palakkad
Swaralaya, Palakkad is conducting a Dance and Music festival at Palakkad from Oct.1 to 11, 2005 at Rappadi Open-air Auditorium, Fort Maidan, Palakkad.
Schedule:
1-10-2005
5.00 PM Inauguration
6.30 PM M.G.Sreekumar & Party
2-10-2005
5.30 PM Rudrapatanam Brothers - Carnatic Vocal
8.00 PM Bharathanatyam - Alarmelvalli
3-10-2005
5.30 PM Gottuvadyam - Ravikiran
8.00 PM Kathak Recital - Lajja Sambhavnath
4-10-2005
5.30 PM Sanjay Subramoniam - Carnatic Vocal
8.00 PM Odissi - Jhelam Paramjpe Smitalay , Mumbai
5-10-2005
5.30 PM Sudha Raghunathan. - Carnatic Vocal
8.00 PM Bharathanatyam-Aswathi & Srekanth.
6-10-2005
5.30 PM Hindustani Vocal - Mahima Chowdhury
8.30 PM Kathak Recital - Nirupama & Rajendra.
7-10-2005
5.30 P.M. Carnatic Violin Concert Kunnakkudy Vaidyanathan
8.00 P.M Kathak Recital Shallu Jindal & Party.
8-10-2005
5.30 P.M Pradip Somasundaran,Vidhu Prathap, .Rimy Tomy , Sainoj , Manju Menon ,Prathibha, Vrinda
8.00 P.M Kuchipudy .Ananda Shankar Jayant Shankarananda Kala Kshethra, Hyderabad.
9-10-2005
5.30 P.M Nithyasree Mahadevan - Carnatic Vocal
8.00 P.M Mohiniyattam Pallavi Krishnan.
10-10-2005
5.30 P.M Carnatica Brothers (K. N. Shashikiran & P. Ganesh) - Carnatic Vocal
8.00 P.M Modern Dance Samudra Performing Arts
11-10-2005
5.30 P.M Valedictory Ceremony
6.30 P.M M.Jayachandran Night - M. Jayachandran, Madhu Balakrishnan, Afsal, Jyolsana, Manjari, Sayonara, Nishad, Alex
For more info contact jajay@sancharnet.in or visit www.swaralayapalakkad.com
