Posted on 27 February 2026:

Shivaarghya 2026: A Festival of Male Dancers by Ganesa Natyalaya

Ganesa Natyalaya, Delhi’s eminent Bharatanatyam institution, presents the sixth edition of Shivaarghya—a SwarnaSaroja event supported by the Ministry of Culture, New Delhi—on Sunday, 1st March 2026, from 2 pm to 8 pm at its campus in the Qutub Institutional Area.

**The festival opens with an inauguration by Chief Guest Dr. Sachidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, and concludes with the Closing Ceremony graced by Chief Guest Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.**

This year, Shivaarghya features 19 distinguished male dancers from across India, presenting six classical traditions—Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Sattriya, and Neo-Classical. Curated by Rama Vaidyanathan, the festival continues the vision of late Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan, offering a platform for male dancers who have embraced the art as a full-time profession.

Reflecting on the festival’s journey, Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan, President of Ganesa Natyalaya, shares:

“Continuing the tradition initiated by my Guru and our founder, late Saroja Vaidyanathan, we are delighted to host the sixth edition of Shivaarghya. This festival brings together artists from across the country to celebrate the living traditions of Indian classical dance. It is a space for dialogue, discovery and renewed appreciation, where performers share both lineage and innovation, and audiences leave with a deeper connection to these art forms.”

A Constellation of Male Dancers

The sixth edition of Shivaarghya gathers an inspiring constellation of male dancers from across India, each illuminating the richness of classical traditions. The Bharatanatyam segment features Anand Satchidanand, Athul Balu PP with his disciple Shamanthaka, Dr. S. Vasudevan, Dr. Himanshu Srivastava, Nilava Sen, Pritam Das, Vinay Tiwari, Manish Kumar, and Shreyas Nair.

Kathak is brought alive by Aditya Garud, Gaurav Shridhar, Ravi Yadav, and Sushant Gaurav, while Odissi finds graceful expression through Rahul Varshney, Vishwanath Mangaraj, and Rudra Prasad Swain.

The Sattriya tradition is represented by Partha Pratim Hazarika, Kuchipudi by Suryanarayana Rao P., and the Neo-Classical style by Shubhojit Khush Das.

Ganesa Natyalaya: Nurturing Bharatanatyam’s Legacy

From humble origins, Ganesa Natyalaya has flourished into Delhi’s cultural beacon, nurturing Bharatanatyam for students across India and the world. With over 350 Arangetrams and global affiliations, it embodies the timeless spirit of the art. Through collaborations with NGOs like the Guild of Service, Aravindam Foundation, and SARVAM, the Natyalaya extends dance to underprivileged communities—preserving heritage while sharing it as a gift.