Posted on 14 November 2026:
💫 #YathraRhythm: Poetry in Motion
Dhrupadi Nrityotsav 2026: Two Evenings of Dance and Homage at Sovabazar Rajbari
On 14th and 15th November, from 5:30 pm to 9 pm, Sovabazar Rajbari (36 Raja Nabakrishna Street, Kolkata) hosts the Dhrupadi Nrityotsav.
It is presented by Sovabazar Seni Sangeet Sabha 1970 and Mrs. Priti Ghosh of San Francisco, in celebration of the 160th birth anniversary of Sister Nibedita.
The festival also honours Sri Haren Ghosh, Sri Satyajit Ray and Smt. Balasaraswati Devi. It opens with a violin recital by Tanishka Bhar, and entry is free.
Day 1, 14th November:
The Golden Jubilee of Satyajit Ray’s documentary Bala is marked with a screening. It is followed by a Bharatanatyam recital by Guru Aniruddha Knight, grandson of T. Balasaraswati, with Usha Shivakumar, Adyar Gopinath, Purushothaman, Shivakumar, Abinaya, Maharani, Kowsika, Kokila, Parasamuthu, Venkatesan and Vaishnavi.
Day 2, 15th November:
The second day features a specially curated presentation on the evolution of Dhrupadi traditions in India, conducted by Dr. Mahua Mukherjee and Pandit Amitabho Mukherjee of Gaudiya Nritya Bharati.
The programme offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the profound aesthetic and philosophical dimensions of one of the oldest surviving forms of Indian classical music.
Adding further distinction to the festival are the special guests, including representatives from international cultural institutions and renowned figures from the fields of art, literature, and education. Their presence underscores the continuing global relevance of India’s classical traditions and the enduring cultural bridge-building efforts inspired by Sister Nivedita.
Sri Koustav Dutta will paint live as the dances unfold.
The eminent performers include: Shri.Sudip Kr. Ghosh (Manipuri), Usha Rani Baishya (Sattriya), Dr. Satabdi Acharya (Gaudiya), Rajiv Bhattacharya (Odissi), Dr. Sucharita Datta Ghata (Kathak), Subha Jena (Kuchipudi), Sumita Bhattacharya (Bharatanatyam), Molly Roy (Mohiniyattam) and Arpita Ray (Kathakali). A Gaudiya Nritya recital follows, by Sayantika Majumdar, Saheli Pal, Debopama Ghosh, Debosama Ghosh, Premankita Roy, Ruchira Banerjee and Prodip Bera. Sri Koustav Dutta paints live throughout.
Special guests include Consul General of Italy Mr. Giuliano Fragnito De Giorgio, Sri Biswajit Ganguly of Aurobindo Bhavan and Sri Arindam Mukherjee of the Indian Art and Culture Society.
Concluding with an inaugural violin recital by Tanishka Bhar, Dhrupadi Nrityotsav promises an immersive journey through the elegance of rhythm, melody and movement.
Cinema, lineage & living tradition meet in one luminous tribute to Indian classical dance.
💫 #YathraRhythm
