This weekend, Bengaluru’s classical dance gets a new addition as Nrutya Rangoli 2026 returns with a three-day celebration of India’s rich dance traditions at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall from July 10 to 12. For this year’s edition, the festival is expanding its horizon by bringing together artistes from across the country alongside Bengaluru’s own celebrated performers. Suma Sudhindra, renowned veena artiste and secretary of Chowdiah Memorial Hall, believes nothing can replace the magic of experiencing dance live, and says, “A live performance, especially one accompanied by a live orchestra, is a completely different experience from watching it on a phone. The lighting, music and stagecraft come together in a way that’s impossible to recreate on a small screen. I hope youngsters come in large numbers and experience it for themselves.”The festival at a glanceDay 1Raag Raagini – A unique Kathak-Bharatanatyam duet by Pooja Pant and Parshwanath UpadhyeĀnanda-Rasam – An Odissi production by Guru Ratikant MohapatraDay 2Vishwavyapi Dikshitar – A tribute to the compositions of Muthuswamy DikshitarUnder the Double Eagle – Presented by Lakshmi Gopalaswamy and Sathyanarayana Raju, celebrating the cultural legacy of the Mysuru WadiyarsDay 3Widening Circles – A Kathak production by Aditi Mangaldas, inspired by Buddhist philosophyThe Star (Dhruva): The Path to Brilliance – A dance drama exploring courage, resilience and purpose through mythology
