The Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust has been conducting the Vasant Utsav Festival of Dance commencing on the 1st of May each year at Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai since 2006. The festival of dance is conducted for roughly 10 days and showcases the various classical dance forms of India
Over the years the festival has showcased performance by stalwarts such as Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh and Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subramaniam and has awarded world renowned performing artists and Vedic scholars for their contribution to the preservation and promotion of Indian Culture and heritage. This festival is one of the core cultural activities of the trust and is dedicated to the promotion of Vedic heritage and Indian art and Culture
The festival is dedicated to the loving memory of the Late Smt. Indira Garyali the founder of the trust who was a great patron of arts and worked for the preservation of Indian culture and heritage
This year will be the 16th edition of the Vasant Utsav Festival of Dance will be held from 1st to 12th May 2019 at Kapaleswarar Temple, Mylapore. Sri Phanindra Reddy IAS (Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) will inaugurate the festival on 1st May and Sri. K. Mohammed Ibrahim Khaleel (Regional Officer Indian Council for Cutural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs. Govt of India) will be the Guest of Honour. Bharatanatyam Gurus, Smt. Revathi Ramachandra and Kalamamani Srekala Bharath; Vedic Scholars Shri Mani Dravid Sastrigal and Sri. Anantha Krishnan P and Sri Virendra Qazi, Kashmir Saivisam scholar will be honoured during the inaugural function
The ceremony will be followed by Kathakali recital of Sri. Prabal Gupta and Sri Kottakkal C.M.Unni. The festival will continue until 12th May featuring fantastic performances of various dance schools such as Kuchipudi Art Academy, Kathak by Devaniya, Bharatanayam by Guru Kalaimamani Srekala Bharath and disciples and Kuchipudi by Guru Kalimamani Sailaja
Programmes from 1-12 May, 2019
Day 1: 01-05-2019 (6.30 pm) – Kathakali by Sri. Prabal Gupta and Sri. Kottakkal C. M. Unni
Day 2: 03-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by Smt.Geeta Sirisha followed by Bharatanrya by disciples of Guru Smt.Saradha Sethuraman
Day 3: 04-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by disciples of Navarasakendra, Guru Acharya Choodamani Smt.Chitra Subramaini
Day 4: 05-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Kuchipudi by disciples of Kuchipudi Art Academy
Day 5: 06-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by the disciples of Bharatanatyalaya, Guru Smt. Latha Ravi followed by Kuchipudi by Guru Kalaimamani Shailaja and group
Day 5: 06-05-2019 (7.00 pm) – Kuchipudi by guru Sailaja and group
Day 6: 07-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by Kum.Shruthe Raammohan disiple of Kanagasabai, Guru Smt. Sasirekha Rammohan followed by Bharatanatiyam by disciples of Sri Sudarshini Natyalaya, Guru Smt. Charulochana
Day 7: 08-05-2019 (6.30 pm) – Bharatanatyam by disciples of Kiran’s Academy of Natya, Guru Sri. Gopukiran Sadasivan and Smt. Aashin Kiran
Day 8: 09-05-2019 (6.30 pm) – Bharatanatyam by disciples of Indisha Guru Sri. Nidheesh and Indu
Day 9: 10-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by Smt.Anjana Ramesh Sarma followed by Bharatanatyam by disciples of Shankaram Dance Academy, Guru Smt. Sasmitta K Aroraa
Day 10: 11-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Carnatic Vocal by Sri T. K.Ramachandran IAS followed by Odissi by Kum. Ushoshi Ghose and Smt.Sanhita Basu Ghose of Konarka Odissi Dance Academy
Day 11: 12-05-2019 (6.00 pm) – Bharatanatyam by Guru Smt. Srekala Bharath and disciples of Thejas followed by Kathak by disciples of Devaniya, Guru ligyasa Giri
The Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust:
The Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust was founded in the year 1996 by the late Smt. Indira Garyali with a view to promote Education, Indian Culture and Heritage and to facilitate charitable assistance for the aged, poor and destitute of India
Over the years, the trust has conducted many activities under it’s core objectives and has grown from strength to strength to be recognized in India and abroad for affordable education, promotion of vedic heritage, Indian classical dance and music and charitable assistance and endowments
The trust conducts the Vasant Utsav festival of Dance every year to promote Vedic clture and Indian classical dance and music. The trust also conducts many charitable activities as providing donations for scholarships, aged care facilities, mental health of the poor and needy as well to orphanages, girl child education, palliative care and for assistance of the disabled. The main charitable purpose of the trust is to help women and families take care of their children and determine their own future. The trust has collaborations with Equitas Development Initiative Trust and the Sai Jeya Trust to conduct
charitable activities that help youth and families build a future for themselves
The curent trustees include Padmabhushan Sri. R. Nagaswamy, eminent archaeologist and Dr. C.K. Gariyali IAS Rtd
