Nitya Nritya 2025 - A journey of emotion, art, and reflection

- Dr. Veena Murthy Vijay
e-mail: veenamurthyvijay@gmail.com
Photos: Srivatsa Shandilya

November 8, 2025

Three days of Nitya Nritya (Oct 24 - 26), Bengaluru's foremost world-class dance festival curated by Nupura, were filled with emotional highs and moments of deep reflection. The festival paid moving tributes to two stalwarts - the late Sreenivasan, a great patron of the arts and founder of Nitya Nritya, and the late Vimala Rangachar, a visionary in the fields of education, culture, and philanthropy, whose presence and guidance in many spheres have long been cherished by the arts fraternity.

During its inception years, Nitya Nritya opened new frontiers in Bengaluru by pioneering the concept of a dedicated dance festival. It exposed audiences and dancers alike to some of India's greatest scholars, dance gurus, exponents, and emerging talents. It was one of the first festivals of its kind to be launched in the city, bringing national recognition to the artistes who performed on its stage.

For me, it was truly an honour to present a paper and perform at this prestigious platform, sharing space with legendary artistes, scholars, and gurus. I vividly recall how, a few decades ago, we - the young dancers - were in awe of the Nupura team. With grace, warmth, and cheer, they would conduct the festival with seamless energy through its three hectic yet exhilarating days. Each night, we would gather to exchange thoughts and ideas, discussing the day's presentations, ideating on artistic concepts, and drawing inspiration from one another.

This year's edition felt like a beautiful memory rekindled - yet infused with fresh energy and insight. Curated with thought and depth by Manu Srinivasan, the theme "Communicating Connections" explored Nritta on the first and second day and Abhinaya on the third. The venue was Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Snigdha Surdhip

The festival opened with a lively shloka - a prayer to Lord Shiva from the Shilpa Shastra - followed by an invocatory piece depicting the essence of Nitya Nritya. This was composed as a tillana and excerpted from a choreography by Guru Dr. Lalitha Srinivasan, the Festival Director, and beautifully presented by her young granddaughter Snigdha. Dr. Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, in his inaugural address, spoke about the remarkable contributions of the festival to the propagation of Kannada literature and the performing arts.

Shreevidya Somayaji and Belli Suresh

Prathibha Ramaswamy & Janani Murali

The inaugural evening featured Vidya Subramanian, who presented Vinimaya - Reciprocity, a deeply sincere and traditional Bharatanatyam performance. This was followed by a duet by Shreevidya Somayaji and Belli Suresh of Nupura, titled Samanvaya - Togetherness through Dance, which beautifully sketched the nuances of Bharatanatyam and Kathak, blending both styles in harmony and synchrony.

Rohini Prabhat & Anuradha Vikranth

On the second day the festival featured well-conceived presentations by Dr. Anuradha Vikranth and her team comprising Shama Krishna (Kuchipudi), Madhulita Mohapatra (Odissi), Veena Dhanya (Mohiniattam), Mahati Kannan (Bharatanrityam), and Rohini Prabhat (Kathak). Followed by two brilliant exponents from Bengaluru, Janani Murali and Prathibha Ramaswamy, who presented a duet based on the theme Gangavatharana. The audience was treated to impactful abhinaya and a brilliant display of artistry by the duo.

Mahati Kannan

The concluding day featured an academic session, "Connecting through Abhinaya," curated by Poornima Gururaj with her ensemble comprising Anwesa Mahanta, Katyayani Kanak, and Anil Iyer.

The festival concluded with a magnificent Yakshagana solo, "Maaravathara," presented by Keremane Shridhara Hegde. His portrayal of Manmatha, the god of love, moved beyond conventional mythological depictions of Krishna, Shiva, or Rama. It was a refreshing exploration of Manmatha's persona - his fiery arrows of love aimed at Lord Shiva - presented through powerful vachika abhinaya, rich in similes and metaphors. The lyrical beauty of Kannada, combined with his seamless transition from dialogue to dance, was further elevated by exceptional vocal and percussion support. The audience was truly spellbound.

Heartfelt thanks to Manu Srinivasan and Dr. Lalitha Srinivasan of Nupura for this beautifully curated and thoughtfully sustained festival. A big thank you to H. N. Suresh, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Nitya Nritya stands as a rare example of consistency, quality, and vision - having thrived through decades of challenges while continuing to nurture artistic excellence.

Looking forward eagerly to yet another year of Nitya Nritya - and many more celebrations of dance, dialogue, and devotion.

Dr. Veena Murthy Vijay is a Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponent and mentor, a research scholar and a well-known choreographer from Bangalore. She is the director of Sri Raja Rajeshwari Kala Niketan, Samanavay Dance Company and AIM Bengaluru International Arts Festival. She is President, World Dance Alliance, Karnataka Chapter, Asia Pacific.