The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) announces the KNMA ANNUAL FESTIVAL 2026. Following editions de

The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) announces the KNMA ANNUAL FESTIVAL 2026. Following editions dedicated to theatre in 2024 and music in 2025, the festival turns its focus this year to dance. Curated by Leela Samson, the four-day festival brings together 14 performances, including six special commissions, featuring veteran and emerging artists across diverse Indian dance traditions. - Oct 15: The festival opens with Chenda Melam, a traditional percussion ensemble from Kerala, followed by Anaṅga Raṅga, bringing together five distinguished practitioners of Indian classical dance, including Swapnasundari, Madhavi Mudgal, Kalamandalam Balasubramanian, Bragha G. Bessell and Vaishali Trivedi. The evening concludes with Ānanda-līlā, a Manipuri Maharaas presentation by the Anjika Society Manipuri Dance & Movement Therapy. - Oct 16: The program opens with Śubhārambha, an excerpt from the Manipuri Sankirtana tradition by Anjika Society for Manipuri Dance and Movement Therapy. The evening continues with three performances � Śṛṅgāra-manjarī, inspired by the timeless story of Nala and Damayanti expressed in Kathakali by Kalamandalam Balasubramanian and Group, Prema Darpaṇa, presented through Kuchipudi and Marga Natya drawn from Aśvaghoṣa�s Saundarānanda-kāvya by Amrita Lahiri and Sayak Mitra and Anurāgam, a Bharatanatyam presentation that celebrates love as the rasa from which all emotions emerge. Anurāgam is choreographed by Dr. Sheela Unnikrishnan, and will be performed by Sridevi Nrithyalaya dancers. - Oct 17: The programme includes Kādal, an excerpt from Subhadrā-kalyāṇam, which reflects upon sibling bonds, friendship and romantic love. The presentation, led by P. Rajagopal, Hanne M. de Bruin, will bring together masters of the Kattaikkutta dance form. This will be followed by Milan, a choreographic interpretation of the life and poetry of the nineteenth-century Punjabi mystic Piro, performed by noted Bharatanatyam practitioner Meera Sreenarayanan. The evening will conclude with Anurākti, a contemporary work inspired by Akka Mahadevi�s vachana that contemplates a love beyond worldly attachment, headed by Mumbai-based choreographer, performer and movement director, Jahnavi Sheriff and her group. - Oct 18: Bhakti, a presentation of Kathivanoor Veeran Theyyam rooted in a legendary love story from Kerala; Praṇidhāna, based on Sant Janabai�s devotion to Lord Panduranga, performed by Harinie Jeevitha; Raṅg Rūḥānī, explores the relationship between Amir Khusrau and Nizamuddin Auliya, presented by BN dancer Aditya PV and Kathak artist and teacher Dheerendra Tiwari. The festival concludes with Basanta Anurāga, a celebration of Krishna in Odissi by Dr. Aruna Mohanty, and the Orissa Dance Academy. At: Sunder Nursery, Delhi, 6pm For further info: anjani.miglani@knma.org; Mobile: +91 - 7011854269