A Celebration of Indian Dance and Music in Kerala

For ten days every year, the capital of Kerala comes alive with the festivities of the Soorya Classical Music and Dance Festival. Hosted in Thiruvananthapuram in October, this festival is organised by Soorya Stage and Film Society, which is one of the largest cultural societies in the world. With chapters in 36 countries as far flung as Singapore, New Zealand, Germany and Botswana, the organisation aims to promote and achieve the integration of Indian culture throughout the world. With a strong focus on promoting arts of all kinds, the Society also organises film festivals, theatre, painting and lectures that are focused on the promotion of Indian arts and culture.

Of Classical Dance and Music

This celebration of Indian dance presents many forms of the art from around the country including Kathakali, Odissi, Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyatta. Classical music is also another popular feature of the festival and will include renowned musicians from various genres including instrumental and jugal bandhis.

Being a celebration of traditional Indian art forms, this festival seeks to expose the audience to a wide variety of beautiful sounds and a brilliant spectacle of joyous dance. Some famous performers who have previously participated in the Soorya Classical Music and Dance Festival include Padma Subramaniam, Lakshmi Gopalaswami, Amjad Ali Khan and Bhimsen Joshi.

The festival is held in Thiruvananthapuram, at the Tagore Theatre in Vazhuthacaud. For a luxurious place to stay not too far from the venue, you can try the new Vivanta by Taj.  For a more modest budget, the SP Grand Days Hotel is also located nearby and has comfortable rooms available.

Visit the Sacred Serpent

If it is your first visit to Thiruvananthapuram, there are many great things to see, but the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is not to be missed. This temple is over 260 years old and is the spiritual heart of Kerala. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple has a reclining sacred serpent with Lord Padmanabha resting on it.  The serpent is made from over 10,000 sacred stones that are believed to have been transported to Kerala all the way from Nepal on elephants. The temple is open only to Hindus and you may be required to wear a dhoti or sari to enter, but it is certainly worth a visit.

Getting There

Thiruvananthapuram is serviced by an international airport located close to the city centre, with connections across India, and to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and countries in the Middle East and. If you are coming by train, there are connections to Thiruvananthapuram from all over India.  Most will stop at the central station at Thampanoor which is a short taxi ride to the theatre. The major bus station is also located in Thampanoor and operates across Kerala.

Want to dance? MakeMyTrip offers convenient flights, trains and buses to Thiruvananthapuram.