Pushing the boundaries of traditional arts

The idea of enjoying traditional music, dance and theatre performances with some great food is certainly alluring. What if you could also interact with the musician during the performance? All the more alluring, right? Navras — a performing arts festival, which will kick-start on this weekend in Jaipur, will enable you to do this and much more.

“We’ve the best of the performers but there’s little bit of experimentation that we’ve planned, to push the boundaries of traditional arts and make the festival a richer experience for all. For instance, the festival opens with a performance by singer Shubha Mudgal, but she will not perform solo, she will perform with her pop and fusion music band, Koshish,” says Pooja Sood, who is the curator of the festival.

Like its name, the weeklong festival will feature performances that aim to evoke all nine emotions. “As part of the festival, we have a three hour-long reading of Hindi writer Krishna Sobti’s book, and alongside audiences will be allowed to enjoy great food,” adds Sood.

Delhi-based singer Vidya Shah, with her performance (a mix of music, narratives and visuals) aims to harness nostalgia for the old world charm. “When gramophone came in the music world, in many interesting ways, it changed the world of music. A lot of women called the Baijis were at the forefront of this phenomenon. This performance will be highlighting their contribution to the gramophone era,” says Shah.

Another highlight of the festival will be the performance by Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company. Apart from the music, dance and theatre performances, there will also be exhibitions such as Women on Record curated by Parthiv Shah and The Theatre of E Alkazi curated by Amal Allana.