Dear friend Visitor ji,
 Working closely with India’s Ministry of Culture and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and in association with the Australia’s Department of Communications and the Arts, we have chosen some of the finest elements from the rich tapestry of Indian culture and civilization for our friends in Australia.
Over a twelve week period, lovers of culture and entertainment in Adelaide, Alice Springs Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney will have the opportunity to savour an extraordinary range of performances. They will see the virtuosity of Nrityagram and Kalakshetra deemed as among the best dance companies in the world present the classical Odissi and Bharatanatyam dance forms; they will be mesmerized by the life sized puppets by contemporary puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee in Transposition; they will sway to Raghu Dixit’s unique mix of world music; they will soak in the spell-binding words and music of Sonam Kalra’s Sufi Gospel Project; and they will join Bollywood flash mobs and dance workshops at some of Australia’s most iconic locations; and they will want more.
Navdeep Suri
High Commissioner of India in Australia
Canberra Theatre Centre Tickets Absolutely at a Bargain Price
Success of this festival really depends on the number of your friends from other communities.
Inform, Invite and Bring Along your Friends, Colleagues and Neighbours.
Sat 17 September - A Free Bollywood Workshop by Gillies Chuyen
Trained in France in Folk, Modern Jazz, Ballet and Contemporary dance styles, Gilles Chuyen has been working in India since 1994 with various dance forms such as Chhau Mayurbhanj, Kathak and Bharatnatyam. He has been teaching Bollywood dance style extensively in India, the U.K and South Africa.
Time: 5pm to 7pm
Where: Forecourt Canberra Theatre Centre - Civic Square, Canberra
Cost: FREE
Confluence brings a total of 116 shows to Australia, join other free events at http://confluencefoi.com/events/. Register: https://www.stickytickets.com.au/41415
Sat 17 September - The Raghu Dixit Project
Often hailed as India’s biggest cultural & musical export, Raghu Dixit’s unique brand of infectious, happy music transcends age, genre, and even language. His music is strongly rooted in Indian traditions and culture and is presented with a very contemporary, global sound. From playing to over 100,000 people in his home state to every big music festival in India, from Glastonbury to the BBC to even playing for the Queen of England and the entire Royal Family, Raghu Dixit seems to have done quite a bit!
Time: 8:30pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre - Civic Square, Canberra
Cost: $30 Buy Tickets before Sold Out
The Raghu Dixit Project is one of India’s foremost bands in its genre. Earthy, rooted, colourful, vibrant, simple yet highly enjoyable are some of the words that describe the music of The Raghu Dixit Project. Often hailed as India’s biggest cultural & musical export his music is strongly rooted in Indian traditions and culture and is presented with a very contemporary, global sound.
Fri 23 September - Sonam Kalra and the Sufi Gospel Project
Multiple award winning singer and composer Sonam Kalra is that rare breed of musician who has been trained in both Indian and Western traditions of music and is equally adept at both.
Sonam’s unique brainchild, ‘The Sufi Gospel Project’ which blends the many voices of faith, through poetry, prayer and music to create one universal voice of faith, has earned her international critical acclaim.
Time: 7pm
Where: James O Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia (NGA), Canberra
Cost: $15 - $30 Buy Tickets before Sold Out
Sonam has been recognised and appreciated for her all inclusive definition of Sufism and her message of Peace and Oneness has made her a popular voice at prestigious festivals and venues around the world including London, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Algeria, Dubai, Tunisia, Mauritius, Egypt, South Africa and The United States of America.
Sun 25 September - SRIYAH Nrityagram Dance Ensemble
Ancient dance in a modern era – exquisite Indian dance from the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, whose vibrant costumes and lively yet fluid movements depict an ornately carved Hindu temple springing into life and colour.
Time: 6:30pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre - Civic Square, Canberra
Cost: $35 Buy Tickets before Sold Out
The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble is regarded as one of the foremost dance companies of India. The Ensemble has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, from New York to Hawaii in the US and in Denmark, Holland, Portugal, the Middle-East, Singapore and Japan.
Sun 2 & Mon 3 October - Pung Cholam
There will be a free Pung Cholom performance in the Floriade Night Fest.
Time: Sun 2 October from 1:40 PM & Mon 3 October from 2:40 PM
Where: Floriade Night Fest, Albert Street, Canberra
Cost: FREE Register before Booked Out
Pung Cholom is a unique classical dance of Manipur. In this style, the dancers play the pung (a form of hand beaten drum) while they dance at the same time. They use acrobatic movements without breaking the rhythm or flow of music.
The dance is marked by a gentle rhythm, which gradually builds up to a thunderous climax. Pung cholom borrows elements from the Manipuri martial arts Thang Ta and Sarit Sarak.
In the Western imagination, India conjures up everything from saris and spices to turbans and temples—and the pulsating energy of Bollywood movies.
But in the Festival of India you will get a glimpse of whole of India culture and arts - classical to contemporary - in over 12 weeks. Please visit to have a look at the event schedule across Australia at
http://confluencefoi.com/
Wed 12 October - Transposition (Ishara International Puppet Trust)
The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust founded in 1986 by Dadi Pudumjee is one of India’s leading contemporary puppet theatres, committed to creating awareness, exposure and education to the multifaceted traditions and techniques of puppetry in India and the world.
Time: 7:30PM
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre - Civic Square, Canberra
Cost: $35 Buy Tickets before Sold Out
The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust is known as one of India’s innovative modern puppet groups. The group has evolved through the years with Puppeteers, traditional artists, actors and dancers, creating a language of gesture – Ishara. The group has performed in many countries and organizes the only annual International puppet festival in India in collaboration with Teamwork.
Tue 8 November - Jatayu Moksham (The Kalakshetra Foundation)
Kalakshetra in Chennai was founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936 and has since become a premier institution primarily dedicated to dance and music.
Time: 7:30PM
Where: The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre - Civic Square, Canberra
Cost: $35 Buy Tickets before Sold Out
The repertoire of the company includes mythology based dance-dramas, classical and contemporary Bharatanatyam compositions, as well as programs of the varied folk dances of India. In particular, Kalakshetra’s dance-dramas have come to be recognized worldwide for their impeccable technique and aesthetic.
The Kalakshetra Foundation will be performing an expressive dance piece Jataya Moksham from the Ramayana choreographed by Rukmini Devi Arundale herself.
‘The undisputed face of classical arts’ – The Hindu
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