About this Event
GANGA TO KAVERI - A Monumental Indian Classical Dance Production
What stories do India's sacred rivers hold? What legends have shaped them, what civilisations have flourished along their banks, and what timeless memories have they carried across the ages?
The Tagore Centre, Berlin, presents a rare opportunity to experience this monumental production, one of the most extensively toured Indian classical dance productions of recent years, which has captivated audiences across India, the United States, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Conceived and produced by Churchill Pandian, acclaimed cultural curator and founder of Utsav Music, the production brings to life four of India's most revered rivers — the Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada and Kaveri. Bringing together the rich visual language of Bharatanatyam and the rhythmic elegance of Kathak, with inspirations from Kuchipudi and delicate influences of regional folk traditions, each river unfolds through its own distinctive movement vocabulary and musical landscape, reflecting the cultures and spiritual traditions nurtured along its banks.
The production brings alive the defining legends of these sacred rivers: the descent of Ganga from the heavens through Lord Shiva's matted locks; Yamuna, immortalised in Krishna's divine love and his legendary dance upon the hoods of the venomous serpent Kaliya (Kalinga Narthanam); Narmada's divine emergence from Lord Shiva's perspiration; and Kaveri's selfless choice to become a river and nourish the earth, flowing past the sacred island abode of Lord Ranganatha.
More than a classical dance presentation, Ganga to Kaveri invites Berlin’s discerning audiences to experience India’s living heritage, portraying its sacred rivers as divine feminine presences — mothers and nurturers, silent witnesses to civilisations through the ages, and keepers of timeless myths, faith and cultural memory.
The Artists
Sri Lavanya Subramaniam is a Berlin-based artist, choreographer, curator, and educator with over 25 years of experience across performance, production, and cultural leadership in Indian classical dance. Having performed across Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia, her work pushes the boundaries of classical tradition — exploring identity, migration, feminism, and queer narratives through Bharatanatyam and interdisciplinary performance. Founder of Sri Lavanya Dance Berlin and curator of Berlin Baithak, she has produced and presented work with organisations including Navatman New York and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, with projects supported by Berlin Senate programming and residencies including Ausland Berlin.
Janani Raghunathan brings over 28 years of solo and ensemble performance experience, having worked in productions by eminent exponents including Kalaimamani Shri M.V. Narasimhachari, Kalaimamani Shri Madurai R. Muralidharan, and Guru L. Narendra Kumar, and is known for her lead roles — notably Devayani in Mritha Sanjeevini, Goddess Parvati in Ayigiri Nandini, and the title role in Penmai, among others. A recipient of the Padma Subramaniam Award, she has toured Europe with the Vibha Dance Ensemble and was featured in The Times of India's International Dance Day showcase in 2025.
Apoorva Mohan is a Berlin-based artist, choreographer, and founder of Apoorva Nrityalaya, with over 26 years of performance experience across prestigious festivals worldwide. An ICCR-empanelled and Doordarshan-graded artist and recipient of the Sahitya Kala Parishad scholarship, she has directed several major productions and continues to nurture the next generation of dancers through her institution.
Madhulika is a Berlin-based Indian classical dancer with over 30 years of experience in Bharatanatyam and Kathak, bringing a lifetime of training, discipline, and stage experience to her performances. Beginning her journey at the age of four, she has trained intensively with some of the most respected masters of both forms representing a strong continuity of classical tradition. Her work has been presented across India and Germany at festivals, productions, and cultural events, making Indian classical dance accessible to diverse audiences. She holds senior diplomas in Bharatanatyam and Kathak bringing a rare dual classical sensibility to her performances.
📅 Date: 1 December 2026
🕒 Time: 18:00 hrs, doors open at 17:20 hrs. Please arrive early to secure your seats.
🏛️ Venue: Embassy of India, Tiergartenstraße 17, 10785 Berlin
Entry regulations:
- Entry to events at the Embassy of India, Berlin is only by registration. We reserve the right to refuse admission to any person at our discretion.
- Please do ensure that all details entered in the registration form are made correctly.
- Please ensure that each participant has registered separately with individual name! Multiple registrations with the same name will not be accepted.
- Valid ID cards/passports having German stay permits. EU citizens may carry copies of their local registration certificate.
- Entry for children above 6 years is permitted.
- No bags are permitted inside the premises due to security reasons.
- By attending the event, you grant us the right to take photographs and videos for purposes of marketing, publicity, internal documentation and social media.
Note: Children under 6 years are not permitted.
Einlassbestimmungen:
- Der Zutritt zu Veranstaltungen in der Indischen Botschaft in Berlin ist nur nach Anmeldung möglich. Wir behalten uns das Recht vor, Personen nach eigenem Ermessen den Zutritt zu verweigern.
- Bitte stellen Sie sicher, dass alle im Anmeldeformular eingegebenen Angaben korrekt sind.
- Bitte stellen Sie sicher, dass sich jede/r Teilnehmer/in einzeln mit individuellem Namen registriert! Mehrfachanmeldungen mit demselben Namen werden nicht akzeptiert.
- Gültiger Personalausweis/Reisepass mit Aufenthaltstitel für Deutschland. EU-Bürger können eine Kopie ihrer Meldebescheinigung mitbringen.
- Kinder ab 6 Jahren haben Zutritt.
- Aus Sicherheitsgründen ist das Mitführen von Taschen auf dem Gelände nicht gestattet.
- Mit der Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung erteilen Sie uns das Recht, Foto- und Videoaufnahmen für Marketing- und Werbezwecke, interne Dokumentation und soziale Medien zu machen.
Hinweis: Kinder unter 6 Jahren haben keinen Zutritt.
Event venue & nearby stays
Embassy of India, Tiergartenstraße 17, Berlin, Germany
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