New Delhi
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) hosted its first major cultural event for the year 2023, dedicated to celebrating India’s rich cultural heritage of dance and music, on Friday, February 10, 2023, 6:30 p.m. at Sunder Nursery Amphitheatre in New Delhi.
Titled Charishnu, the performance brought together some of India’s most celebrated dancer-choreographers in a collaborative production, directed by Leela Samson and is the official collateral event of the India Art Fair 2023.
Enhancing the already expansive range of events on offer at the museum, the performance at Sunder Nursery is part of new and extensive programming planned to celebrate art and culture. Through this, the museum aims to expand its reach and tap into new and diverse audiences and build on its mission to grow a museum-going culture and encourage viewers to explore different aspects of art, at the crossroads of culture and performance.
Kiran Nadar, Chairperson, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art commented, “We are delighted to present Charishnu at Sunder Nursery as part of our efforts to celebrate inclusiveness in the cultural space and provide audiences with an enchanting experience showcasing some of the country’s most talented dancers, as culture truly connects us.
Kiran Nadar, Chairperson,, speaking at Charishnu
Charishnu, directed by Leela Samson
Charishnu, the production that was created subsequently, brings together some of India’s most celebrated dancer-choreographers in a collaborative production, directed by Leela Samson. Priti Patel for Manipuri and her collaborator, Imocha Singh for Thang ta, Aruna Mohanty for Odissi, Sadanam Balkrishnan for Kathakali and Mohiniattam, Aditi Mangaldas for Kathak, Mahesh Vinayakaram for the drum ensemble and Leela Samson herself for Bharatanatyam, created short abstract pieces set to original music that represented their individual styles, which were then woven together into a seamless and flowing production.
Charishnu, meaning the desire to move, is enriched by the deep professionalism and discipline of the artists. Their belief in the richness of their art forms brings alive on stage all of the versatility, colour, rhythm and grace of India’s performing arts 
in a grand spectacle.
The soundscape and lighting play an important part in a varied presentation such as this, which uses both live, and pre-recorded sound. Sai Shravanam of Resound India Studios, Chennai, seamlessly brings different levels of the music together. Different lighting designers have worked on this production and on this occasion, Milind Srivastava’s lighting enhances further the dramatic aspects of this presentation.
