This November shines bright with the magnificent light installations and decorations of Deepavali. The festival of lights is often celebrated with puja (prayers), gifts, feasts, and sweets. But it doesn’t have to stop there – continue the festivities with the Esplanade's annual Indian arts festival Kalaa Utsavam from November 20 to 29.
The 19th edition spotlights the various ways in which local Indian arts have shaped Singapore’s cultural and arts scene. Get a dose of culture and discover the rich Indian heritage with a wide range of free and ticketed digital programmes including newly recorded works, archival screenings, and live-streamed performances. It’s not all online either – genre-bending groups RaghaJazz and TaalMenz are set to perform live on stage at the Esplanade Annexe Studio.
The main draws, however, are three digital premieres that will enthral you. No matter where you are, set your alarms for dance productions Amara – Dancing Stories of Banteay Srei by Apsaras Arts, and Pallavi through Abstractions by Chowk Productions. The former animates scenes from the ancient Hindu Mahabharata and Ramayana epics as observed on the sacred Banteay Srei temple in Cambodia, while the latter is the final instalment of the Pallavi Series, a three-part choreographic exploration of the Odissi dance form.
If you’ve got an appetite for stories, cosy up for RDG’s showcase Pathey Nimidam which features nine 10-minute Tamil plays. Brought to you by Tamil and non-Tamil theatre directors, playwrights and actors, the nine narratives centre on different subject matters which are relatable, some even close to our hearts. Fun fact: the directors collaborated with filmmaker K. Rajagopal – best known for the acclaimed social drama A Yellow Bird – to film the plays for the digital premiere.
Other programmes of Kalaa Utsavam include the festival’s annual Chakra-thon Hindustani music performances by prominent artists from India, Stories for Solving specially for families, and podcast conversations with Zakir Hussain, Leela Samson, Arundhati Nag, Atul Kumar, Devdutt Pattanaik, and local artist Md Raffee.
With a mix of captivating dance performances, plays, and even live music concerts, the 10-day arts festival is sure to keep spirits up this Deepavali season. For more information on the various free and ticketed programmes ($15), visit esplanade.com/kalaautsavam.