Bhadra Festival by Crraft of Art Returns After 12 Years
Ahmedabad’s Bhadra Festival Returns After 12 Years, Bringing Music and Theatre to Historic Sites
Ahmedabad’s historic Bhadra precinct will host a day of music, theatre, folk performances and art on 19 November, as Crraft Of Art brings back its Bhadra Festival after a 12-year gap. The programme will be followed on 25 November by the Water Heritage Series, with classical music, poetry and dance at three historic stepwells across the city.
Both events are conceived and curated by Crraft of Art, with support from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Entry will be free, though visitors will need to register in advance for selected performances.
The festivals come at a time when Ahmedabad’s old city continues to draw attention for its architectural and cultural history. The walled city received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017, becoming the first city in India to earn the recognition.
Founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 1411, Ahmedabad grew around the Sabarmati River. Its historic streets contain old mosques, temples, traditional homes, gates and neighbourhoods known as pols. The city’s architecture reflects centuries of different religious and cultural traditions.
Bhadra Fort, Teen Darwaza and the surrounding public spaces form an important part of this history. The festival will bring performances and exhibitions into these places, allowing visitors to experience them through art and music.
The Bhadra Festival begins at 4 pm on 19 November, with activities spread across Bhadra Fort, the Premabhai Hall precinct and Bhadra Plaza. The evening will end with a concert at Teen Darwaza at 7.15 pm.
The programme includes Nagara performances by Nathulal Solanki and his troupe, Ravanhatta by Vijanand Turi and his troupe, and Sidi Dhamal by the Sidi Goma Dance Group. Incredible Mallakhamb from Maharashtra will present Mallakhamb, while Nisarg Trivedi and his ensemble will perform Natya Sangeet.
Theatre and storytelling will feature a giant puppet parade by Dadi Pudumjee’s Ishara Puppet Theatre. Dastan-e-Darwaza, a Dastangoi performance, and Bhadrakhyan, a traditional Gujarati narrative, will also form part of the programme.
Three exhibitions will examine different aspects of Bhadra’s history and cultural life. History of Bhadra, an archival photographic exhibition, will be held at Bhadra Fort. RANG SMRUTI, The Living Archives of Gujarati Theatre, curated by Manvita Baradi, will be displayed in the foyer of Premabhai Hall. Photographer Vinay Panjwani’s Bhadra Unposed will be an outdoor installation.
Visitors will also see projection mapping on Bhadra Fort, a contemporary kinetic art installation and a visual presentation inspired by Mata ni Pachedi on the façade of Premabhai Hall.
The concert at Teen Darwaza will feature Ustad Fazal Qureshi on tabla with George Brooks on saxophone, Sheldon D’Silva on bass, Arun Kumar on drums and Rahul Wadhwani on keyboards. Ustad Shujaat Khan will then perform on sitar, accompanied by Amit Choubey and Sapan Anjaria on tabla. Manav Gohil will host the evening.
Birwa Qureshi, Founder and Artistic Director of Crraft of Art, said: “Returning to Bhadra after twelve years is very special for us. We wanted to bring together the many layers of this historic precinct, its architecture, theatre, music, traditions and everyday life, and invite people to rediscover spaces they have known for years, but perhaps never experienced quite this way.”
The Bhadra Festival was first held in 2014. Its earlier edition brought classical music, folk performances and other arts to historic sites in Ahmedabad. The return this month marks another attempt to use public spaces and monuments as venues for cultural events.
The Water Heritage Series on 25 November will take the programme beyond Bhadra, with performances at three stepwells. These structures were built to store water and provide access to it, with their stepped designs allowing people to reach the water as its level changed. Many also feature detailed stonework and architectural designs.
The series will begin at Jethabhai Ni Vav at 6.30 am with a Hindustani classical vocal recital by Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi.
At 11 am, Amrutvarshini Vav will host Vaav Varta, a poetry programme featuring Soumya Joshi and Anil Chavda. Bharatanatyam dancer Prachi Saathi will present a special movement performance.
The final event, Vaav Tarang, will take place at Dada Harir Ni Vav at 7 pm. Ustad Fazal Qureshi will lead the musical performance, joined by Dilshad Khan on sarangi, Saskia Rao on cello, Dera Khan on kamaicha, and Khete Khan and Zakir Khan on khartal. Himali Vyas Naik will appear as a special guest vocalist.
The Bhadra Festival is free to attend. Prior registration through BookMyShow is mandatory for entry to Bhadra Fort and the Teen Darwaza concert. Other festival areas can be visited without registration, and a few seats will be reserved.
The Water Heritage Series is also free, with prior registration required. Seating at all three stepwells will be limited.
For Ahmedabad, the events offer a chance to see performances in places that have long formed part of the city’s history. Their success will depend in part on how well visitors can access the sites, enjoy the programmes and understand the heritage around them.