Amritanjali Festival

Amritanjali Festival is a festival of Classical Dance and Music committed to keep the age old tradition and culture of India alive. Amritanjali Festival has been started by Dr. Shashikala Ravi, the Founder Director of Amritanjali School of Bharatanatyam in Pune. Classical Dance and Music is a part and parcel of our rich culture and it becomes our duty to make sure that it is not lost by the influence of western culture. Classical Dance and Music, deep seated in devotion, elevate one to higher spiritual levels.

  • Amritanjali Festival 2012 was launched on April 14th 2012, with a 3 hr programme consisting of a Bharatanatyam performance Jai Shri Krishna by the students of Amritanjali followed by a Bharatanatyam DVD launch by Dr. Shashikala Ravi, and finally a Carnatic and Hindustani Jugalbandi by outstation artistes from Bengaluru and Mumbai. It was a huge success with amazing audience turn out and wide newspaper coverage. The festival was held in the Amritanjali Studio. In the second phase of the festival a fusion/ blend of Bharatanatyam and Manipuri was presented as a dance drama – Creation of Life. Manipuri artistes had been invited from Kolkata to perform in this show. Again this was put up at the Amritanjali Studio. This was also a huge success with a great audience turn out and wide newspaper coverage.
  • Amritanjali Festival 2013 was held on April 6th and 7th. During the two day festival a variety of classical events were hosted. Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam by outstation artistes from Aurangabad and Baroda, Carnatic vocal recital, Bharatanatyam ballet Ramayana and Bharatanatyam thematic ballet Save Our Earth were presented. Again the festival was a huge success with packed hall both days and it received wide newspaper coverage.
  • Amritanjali Festival 2014 was held on the following dates - 4th, 5th and 6th April - Sattvika Abhinaya Workshop conducted by Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao from Chennai, 12th April - an Evening of Bharatanatyam by Students of Amritanjali, 19th April - Kathak performance by Dr. Tina tambe from Mumbai, Kathakali by Prabal gupta from Bengaluru and A musical ensemble by Shankarnarayan and troupe from Mumbai. 20th April - Live Bharatanatyam performance by Anirudha Knight from Chennai and Srishthi - a dance ballet by Dr. Shashikala Ravi and Students.
  • Amritanjali Festival 2015 was held on 11th, 12th and 19th April – 

Programme on 11th April - Ganesha Vandana followed by Kuchipudi and Bharathanatyam by Dr. Draupadi Praveen and Dr. Padmini Krishnan from Kerala, Shringara Padamby Amritanjali School,  Kathak by Amit Khinchi and Shubhi Johari from Delhi,   Bhakti Padamby Amritanjali school , Carnatic Vocal Recitalby Shri N. Sivaprasad from Mumbai.

Programme on 12th April -  Bharatanatyam by Visually Challenged troupe Articulate Ability from Bengaluru, Vatsalya Padamby Amritanjali school, Odissi Recitalby Smt. Rina Jana from Kolkata, Javaliby Amritanjali school,  ‘Stree’ - the different facets of a woman, a thematic choreography in Bharatanatyam by Dr. Shashikala Ravi from Pune.

Programme on 19th April – An Evening of Bharatanatyam and Folk Dances by Amritanjali School of Bharatanatyam. 

  • Amritanjali Festival 2016 was held on 16th, 17th and 30th April.

Amritanjali Nrityotsava was held on 16th July featuring-

– SATTRIYA RECITAL ( Classical Dance form of Assam ) by Smt. Prateesha Suresh from Mumbai

– KUCHIPUDI & BHARATANATYAM  JUGALBANDI by Dr Ranjani Ganesan Ramesh &  Kum. Daksha Swaminathan Ramesh from Mumbai

– Presentation PANCHAMAHABHUTAS by Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai ( a blend of Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam & Kathak)

– KATHAK RECITAL by Shambhavi’s International School of Kathak from Pune

Amritanjali Festival of Classical Dance& Music was held on 17th July featuring-

– Ballet SHANKAR GIRIJAPATI by renowned danseuse Dr. Sangeeta Pethkar & Troupe from Nasik

– Live presentation of ASHTANAYIKA by Dr. Shashikala Ravi  (A Tribute to Guru Padmabhushan late Smt. Kalanidhi Narayan)

– CARNATIC VOCAL RECITAL by Vignesh Shankanarayanan, a very young (15 yrs old) upcoming artiste from Mumbai

Students of AMRITANJALI presented An Evening of Bharatanatyam on 30th July

– CONCEPTS OF BHARATANATYAM

– TRADITIONAL BHARATANATYAM RECITAL

– Ballet SAVE OUR EARTH

– Ballet JAI SHRI KRISHNA

  • Amritanjali Festival 2017 was held on 29th and 30th April.

Amritanjali Nrityotsava was held on 29th April and featured–

– Kuchipudi Recital by Shri Gururaju N from Bengaluru

– Mohiniattam Recital by Sujatha Nair & Group from Upasana, Mumbai. A thematic presentation on Madhura Bhakti.

– Bharata Nritya Margam by Dr. Jayashree Rajagopalan & Smt. Aishwarya Harish from Mumbai

– Odissi Recital by Rasika Gumaste & troupe from Pune

Amritanjali Festival of Classical Dance & Music was held on 30th April and featured–

– Solo Bharatanatyam choreography MAITREYI by renowned danseuse Dr. Soundarya Srivatsa from Bengaluru. A live presentation with musicians from Bengaluru

– A solo Bharatanatyam  feature – THE GREAT GODDESS DEVI PARVATI by Dr Shashikala Ravi

– Carnatic Vocal concert by Kalashree D S Srivathsa from Bengaluru

On 22nd April the students of Amritanjali presented An Evening of Bharatanatyam in the evening from 6 pm onwards.

 

  • Amritanjali Festival 2018

Amritanjali Festival 2018 was held in different phases –

Amritanjali Nrityotsava 1was held on 21st Jan  which featured –

-          Invocatory performance by students of Amritanjali

-         Kuchipudi recital by Vaidehi Kulkarni from Nasik

-          Bharatanatyam recital "A Journey of Life'' by Radhika Shetty from Mangaluru

Amritanjali Festival of Classical Dance & Music was held on 15th April which featured –

-          Bharatanatyam Recital – Compositions of Maharaja Swathi Tirunal by Dr. Shashikala Ravi- A live presentation

-          Bharatanatyam Recital – Bhaava Manjaree by Kalaimamani Lakshmi Viswanathan from Chennai-

A live presentation

-          A Carnatic Vocal Recital by Smt. Shubashree from Chennai

Amritanjali Nritotsava 2was held on November 4th which gave a platform to the following promising dancers –

-          Kshithija Kasaravalli from Bengaluru

-          Deepak Aurora & Sreeparna Chakraborthy from New Delhi

-          Pavitra Bhat from Mumbai

The students of AMRITANJALI presented An Evening of Bharatanatyam on 15th and 16th of September.

  • Amritanjali Festival 2019

Amritanjali Festival was held 13th and 14th of April.

Amritanjali Nrityotsava was held on 13th April which gave a platform to the very committed promising dancers of various fields. It featured the following dancers –

-          Subhalaxmi from Bengaluru gave an Odissi Recital

-          Petra Heiz from Switzerland gave a Bharatanatyam Recital

-          Neha Muthiyan and her students from Pune gave a Kathak Recital

Amritanjali Festival of Classical Dance & Music was held on 14th of April which featured –

-          Carnatic vocal recital RamaNama Sankeertana by Nandini Rao Gujar

-          Kathak Recital “A Resonance Within” by renowned Guru Shama Bhate – a live presentation

-          An interaction with Guru Shama Bhate

 The Amritanjali Festival was stopped between 2020 and 2022 due to Covid. It was restarted in 2023.

 

  • Amritanjali Festival 2023

After the long terrible spell of Covid which had engulfed the whole world with dire consequences, , Amritanjali Feestival was lauched again in 2023 though in a small way.

1st of October 2023

An Evening of Bharatanatyam & Folk Dancesby students of Amritanjali

Presentation of ballet Jai Shri Krishnaby Dr. Shashikala Ravi & Disciples

Amritanjali Nrityotsava 2023 – 24th November 2023

 

Amritanjali Nrityotsava is a Festival of Classical Dance for young upcoming artists from all Classical Dance Fields.

Guests of Honour were –

Dr. Sucheta Bhide Chapekar – Bharatanatyam exponent

Smt. Rasika Gumaste – Odissi exponent

Smt. Gayatri Ambekar – Kuchipudi exponent

Smt. Neelima Hirve – Kathak exponent

Several young artists performed on this day. They included –

1.   Dr. Karthika Prasad from Amritanjali School– Invocatory – Bharatanatyam

2.   Pooja Bhattad  from Delhi – Kathak

3.   Shruti Tekawade from Pune – Bharatanatyam

4.   Yogita Bhasin & Varda Vaishampayan from Mumbai – Odissi

5.   Ishavasya Gurukul from Pune – Kathak

6.   Washim Raja from Delhi – Kuchipudi

7.   Sayyali Pawar Kane from Pune – Bharatanatyam

8.   Madhurima Goswami from Kolkata – Kathak Dance Painting

9.   Akanksha Odissi Nrityalay from Pune - Odissi

 

  • Amritanjali Festival 2024

 

Amritanjali Festival of Classical Dance & Music 2024

(a festival exclusively for renowned artists who conduct workshops and perform)

 

5th and 6th April 2024

 

Bharatanatyam workshop conducted by Kalaimamani Roja Kannan, renowned Bharatanatyam exponent from Chennai

7th April 2024 – Chief Guest – Smt. Shama Bhate (SNA awardee)

5.30 pm - Lighting of the Lamp

1.   Bharatanatyam performance OMKAARAKARINI by Dr. Shashikala Ravi

2.   Bharatanatyam performance MAGIC OF MARGAM by Kalaimamani Smt. Roja Kannan

3.   Bharatanatyam performance PARAMPARA by Dr. Sucheta Bhide Chapekar, Smt. Arundhati Patwardhan & Kum. Sagarika Patwardhan

4.   Vote of thanks

 Amritanjali Nrityotsava 22rd November 2024

         (A Festival of Classical Dance for youn upcoming artists from     all Classical Dance fields)

        Programme –

1.   Invocatory by Dakshata Joshi from Pune (Amritanjali School)

2.   Manipuri by Purbita Mukherjee and Disciples from Mumbai

3.   Bharatanatyam by Natyashala Academy of Fine Arts, Pune

4.   Kathak by Swarashri Shridhar from Dubai

5.   Kuchipudi by Devmudraa, a movement School, Aurangabad

6.   Mohiniattam by Aneri Seth, Mumbai

7.   Bharatanatyam by Nrutyanjali Dance Academy, Pune

8.   Kathak by Nrityarati Nrityalay, Pune

 

  • Amritanjali Festival 2025

20th April 2025

AN EVENING OF BHARATANATYAM

(A Festival for students of Amritanjali School)

Dedicated to  MAHAVISHNU THE SUPREME PURUSHA

Chief Guest – Shri Sudarshan Shetty, Zonal Officer, ICCR Pune

Guests of Honour – Guru Smt. Pramadwara Kittur and Guru Smt. Suvarna Bag

Time – 6 pm – 8.30 pm, Venue – Amritanjali Dance Studio

Programme –

1.   Lighting of the Lamp

2.   Welcome address

3.   Formal welcome of Chief Guest & Guests of Honour

4.   Performance - DASHAVATAR by students of Amritanjali School, choreographed by Dr. Shashikala Ravi

5.   Performance - SHRI RAM KATHA by students of Amritanjali School, a ballet choreographed by Dr. Shashikala Ravi

6.   Performance - GOPALAKA PAHIMAM ANISHAM by Dr. Shashikala Ravi

7.   Felicitation of artists, Chief Guest and Guests of Honour

8.   Vote of Thanks

26th April 2025

AN EVENING OF BHARATANATYAM & FOLK DANCES

( By the students of Amritanjali School)

Guests of Honour – Guru Smt. Sharmila Mazumdar & Guru Priya Joshi

Time – 5.30 pm – 8.00 pm, Venue – Amritanjali Dance Studio

 

Programme

1.   Lighting of the Lamp

2.   Welcome of the audience and Guests of Honour

3.   Performance – STORIES OF GANESHA

4.   Folk Dance Kol Kali from Kerala, Bihu from Assam & Ghoomar from Rajasthan

5.   Performance MARGAM

6.   Felicitation of Artists & Guests of Honour

Vote of Thanks