Tourism Minister to Inaugurate Nishagandhi Dance Festival

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala Tourism’s week-long Nishagandhi Dance Festival will start off at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds here on Wednesday, setting the stage for an array of performances by leading exponents as well as up-and-coming artistes from diverse classical dances of the country.

State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas will inaugurate the February 15-21 event at Nishagandhi Auditorium here at 6 pm.

General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty will preside over the opening ceremony. Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil and Transport Minister Antony Raju will be the chief guests.

MPs Dr Shashi Tharoor and A A Rahim, Mayor Arya Rajendran, MLA V.K. Prasanth, Tourism Principal Secretary K.S. Srinivas, Tourism Director P.B. Nooh, District Panchayat President D. Suresh Kumar, KTDC Chairman P.K. Sasi and Thiruvananthapuram Ward Councillor Dr Reena K.S. will also be present.

At Wednesday’s function, Riyas will present the prestigious Nishagandhi Puraskaram to Kuchipudi maestros Dr Raja Reddy and his wife Dr Radha Reddy. The Delhi-based duo is known for their inspiring role as gurus and choreographers. They created history by being the first couple to receive Padma awards and by initiating their daughters to dance, thus gaining name as a ‘Kuchipudi family’.

This edition of the 2023 festival features performances of Rama Vaidyanathan and group (Bharatanatyam), Archana Raj (Kuchipudi), Janet James (Bharatanatyam), Krishnakshi Kashyap (Sattriya), Aswathy Krishna (Mohiniyattam), Pavitra Bhatt (Bharatanatyam), Dr Sruti Bandopadhay and Group (Manipuri), Ramdas (Bharatanatyam), Dr Deepti Omchery Bhalla (Mohiniyattam), Sayanee Chavda (Kathak), Ananthapuri Sisters (Bharatanatyam), Hari and Chethana (Kathak), Padmaja Reddy and Sanvi Group (Kuchipudi), Dr Padmini Krishnan (Kuchipudi), Malavika Menon (Mohiniyattam), Rahul Acharya (Odissi), Ayana Mukherjee (Kuchipudi), Pallavi Krishnan and Group (Mohiniyattam), and Radhe Jaggi (Bharatanatyam).

The inaugural evening will hold a fusion dance by Regatta Natya Sangeetha Kendra, followed by a Bharatanatyam recital by Rama Vaidyanathan and her group.

Public entry is free. The programmes start at 6 p.m. on all days.

Also, eminent artistes will be performing the “Kathakali Mela” at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds, being held in parallel to the dance festival on all the seven days.