Seattle: The spirit of tradition and cultural richness took center stage as the Svaram 2025 Classical Arts Festival, recently hosted by the Neerthuli Foundation, enthralled audiences at the Black Box Theatre, Edmonds College, Lynnwood, Seattle, WA, USA.
Celebrated in honor of the Tamil New Year, the event brought together classical dance and music enthusiasts from across the Pacific Northwest.
The festival opened on a ceremonious note, setting the tone for an evening filled with artistic brilliance.
Among the standout performances was a spellbinding Odissi duet by Ekta Sandbhor and Shruti Sharma, two Seattle-based dancers who graced the stage with poise and precision.
The duo commenced their recital with Basant Pallavi, choreographed by the legendary Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, with music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra. Set to Raga Basant and Tala Ektali, the piece captured the essence of spring with lyrical grace.
Following this, they presented Batu, a vigorous and visually captivating pure dance number rooted in temple sculpture aesthetics, also choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Their performance, set to Raga Bhupali, showcased mastery in hasta mudras, expressions, and body language, drawing the audience deep into the classical Odissi tradition.
The cultural celebration continued with a diverse lineup:
Savita Srinivasa with a powerful Kuchipudi performance
Reshmi Namboorthiry enchanting with the fluidity of Mohiniyattam
Anvitha Babu, also presenting Kuchipudi
A riveting Bharatanatyam presentation by Neerthuli’s Narthaki Group
Graceful group and solo Bharatanatyam numbers by Navya Ramesh and students
A dynamic Kathak performance by the UW Kathakars
Adding a musical dimension, the audience was treated to a Carnatic vocal recital by Kirthi Krishnamurthy and a Tabla solo by Aditya Koneru, each performance adding depth and rhythm to the evening’s offerings.
A particularly emotional highlight was the dance drama ‘Thai Manne Muthamida Vendum’, presented by the Neerthuli Narthaki Group, portraying the deep love and sorrow of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Choreographed by Karishmma Suntheresen to a song by VS Udhaya, the moving piece featured performers Athvika Chandru, Deeptha Babu, Jyoshika Prabhakaran, Khrishaa Srikkanth, Mythri Kumaran, Poorvi Kumaran, and Prakruthi Venkataraghavan.
The evening was expertly anchored by Aishwarya Seshadri, whose commentary provided context and cohesion between performances.
In recognition of their contributions, all participating artistes were felicitated with certificates by the administrative directors of the Neerthuli Foundation.
A Seattle-based non-profit organisation, Neerthuli Foundation continues its mission to support healthcare and education in Sri Lanka while promoting Sri Lankan Tamil culture, history, and classical arts through initiatives like the Svaram festival.
