Muditha Arts Festival 2026 captivated the eyes and ears of art enthusiasts. Hundreds of people gathered to enjoy a variety of performances held between July 24 and 26 at the PGP Hall.
The festival kicked off on July 24th at 7 pm with “Earth and Strings,” presented by the all-female ensemble “Stree Taal Tarang.” The performance primarily focused on the rhythm (Laya) and melody (Raaga) of Indian music.
Led by Sukanya Ramgopal, India’s first female Ghatam maestro, the show highlighted the beauty and prominence of percussion instruments, which are typically used as accompaniment in Carnatic music. The Ghatams were complemented by the violin, flute, mridangam, morsing, and konnakol, offering audiences a complete musical experience.
The second program, “Kabir Vani – Pearls of Wisdom,” took place on July 25th at 5pm. Local artist Seema Ovalekar curated and sang a selection of works by Kabir Das, the 15th-century philosopher-poet and saint.
Beyond religion and rituals, Saint Kabir’s writings centred on everyday life and self-realisation. The show presented Kabir’s choicest dohas (couplets) and Nirguni (Universal) bhajans, each reflecting a core idea from his philosophy: love without fear, devotion without form, wisdom without dogma.
At 7 pm the same evening, “Entwined Twins – A Vocal Jugalbandi” was featured. A jugalbandi is a performance that features a duet of two solo musicians, and the word literally means “entwined twins”.
This vocal duet brought together two young, acclaimed artists from different musical traditions: Vignesh Ishwar (Carnatic) and Koustuv Kanti Ganguli (Hindustani). They were accompanied by the violin, mridangam, tabla, and harmonium.
The final day began at 10 am with “Unison-Samagama.” This Carnatic music presentation featured five vocalists, along with the violin, viola, and konnakol.
Designed as an integrated Carnatic music experience focusing on ensemble unity and storytelling through music, the concert featured traditional Carnatic compositions alongside rehearsed manodharma. Specially created for this festival, the piece explored the connection between traditional Carnatic music and ensemble expression. It was performed jointly by the Singapore Indian Orchestra & Choir (SIOC) and renowned American musician Sanjay Subramanian.
Next, at 11:30 AM, “Seasons Within” showcased the convergence of Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam. Renowned Indian musician Sudha Raghuraman illustrated the beauty of the seasons based on the works of ancient poets, while leading Singaporean dancer Meera Balasubramanian elegantly expressed the emotional states of those seasons through Bharatanatyam. The work explored how the cycle of seasons reflects a woman’s journey through love and spirituality.
Following that, a panel discussion titled “What Say You?” took place from 4 pm to 5.30 pm. Moderated by Tamil Murasu editor T. Rajasegar, the panel included academics Dr Nidya Shanthini Manokara and Nora Samosir from LASALLE College of the Arts, UAS.
They were joined by Osman Abdul Hamid from ERA Dance Theatre, Dr Chua Soo Pong from the Opera Academy, Meenakshy Bhaskar from Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, and Shantha Ratii from Shantha Ratii Initiatives. The discussion covered the opportunities and challenges facing traditional Indian arts in a multicultural society, as well as ways to foster youth interest in these art forms.
The grand finale, “Krishna – The Blue Magic,” took place at 6.30 pm. Acclaimed speaker Dushyanth Sridhar presented a musical discourse on the life of Lord Krishna, alongside the vocal sisters duo of Anahita and Apoorva. Laughter and applause filled the packed hall, adding to the vibrant atmosphere.
While performances took place on the second floor of the PGP Hall, the first floor hosted an exhibition of handicrafts and artwork organised by Vijaya Mohan, featuring creations by mental health patients and children with special needs.
Ms. Soundarya Sugumar Iyer, head of the festival’s organising committee, stated that the festival will strive to serve a multicultural audience in the years to come.
