2025
Samskriti is a heartfelt journey that unites people through the power of art.
It blends tradition and relevance to foster connection and belonging.
Supported By
Sponsor
Festival Highlights
Eeram
Eeram is a Bharatanatyam dance-theatre work that reimagines womanhood through powerful imagery and poetry, blending tradition with a call for gender equality and transformation.
Eeram
Eeram is a Bharatanatyam dance-theatre work that reimagines womanhood through powerful imagery and poetry, blending tradition with a call for gender equality and transformation.
Eeram
Eeram is a Bharatanatyam dance-theatre work that reimagines womanhood through powerful imagery and poetry, blending tradition with a call for gender equality and transformation.
Madurai Veeran Koothu
Inheritance is a powerful Kudiyattam performance by Kapila Venu that reimagines the Tamil legend of Madurai Veeran, blending sacred tradition with emotional depth to explore love, sacrifice, and legacy.
Madurai Veeran Koothu
Inheritance is a powerful Kudiyattam performance by Kapila Venu that reimagines the Tamil legend of Madurai Veeran, blending sacred tradition with emotional depth to explore love, sacrifice, and legacy.
Madurai Veeran Koothu
Inheritance is a powerful Kudiyattam performance by Kapila Venu that reimagines the Tamil legend of Madurai Veeran, blending sacred tradition with emotional depth to explore love, sacrifice, and legacy.
Star Trek
Influence is a moving reflection on the visionary lives of M.S. Subbulakshmi and Rukmini Devi Arundale, celebrating how their artistry and ideals redefined tradition and empowered generations of women.
Star Trek
Influence is a moving reflection on the visionary lives of M.S. Subbulakshmi and Rukmini Devi Arundale, celebrating how their artistry and ideals redefined tradition and empowered generations of women.
Star Trek
Influence is a moving reflection on the visionary lives of M.S. Subbulakshmi and Rukmini Devi Arundale, celebrating how their artistry and ideals redefined tradition and empowered generations of women.
What's Samskriti
About Samskriti
Samskriti is more than a celebration of the arts—it’s a heartfelt journey that unites people through the transformative power of artistic expression. Blending tradition with contemporary relevance,
it fosters connection, cultural memory, and a shared sense of belonging. It is a heartfelt endeavour to foster connection, nurture cultural memory, and cultivate a shared sense of belonging through the timeless language of the arts.
Samskriti is more than a celebration of the arts—it’s a heartfelt journey that unites people through the transformative power of artistic expression. Blending tradition with contemporary relevance,
it fosters connection, cultural memory, and a shared sense of belonging. It is a heartfelt endeavour to foster connection, nurture cultural memory, and cultivate a shared sense of belonging through the timeless language of the arts.
Directors note
Samskriti is more than a festival—it is a space where tradition and innovation meet, where artists and audiences come together in a shared spirit of celebration, reflection, and renewal.
Curating this platform is both a responsibility and a joy, as we strive to honour the richness of Indian classical arts while engaging with the evolving cultural fabric of Singapore. Each edition deepens our commitment to dialogue, diversity, and excellence, and I’m grateful for the community that keeps this vision alive.”
Samskriti is more than a festival—it is a space where tradition and innovation meet, where artists and audiences come together in a shared spirit of celebration, reflection, and renewal.
Curating this platform is both a responsibility and a joy, as we strive to honour the richness of Indian classical arts while engaging with the evolving cultural fabric of Singapore. Each edition deepens our commitment to dialogue, diversity, and excellence, and I’m grateful for the community that keeps this vision alive.”
Ticket Link
Samskriti Festival Pass
Samskriti Festival Pass
One Ticket. Three Shows. One Cultural Journey.
One Ticket. Three Shows. One Cultural Journey.
Celebrate the spirit of Samskriti – Festival of Arts 2025 with our exclusive Festival Pass!
Enjoy access to three iconic headline performances.
Eeram: A dance - theatre production celebrating womanhood
Star Trek: A storytelling experience
Madurai Veeran Koothu: A rare Tamil adaptation of a legendary story, presented in the Kudiyattam tradition
This is your all-in-one ticket to immerse in dance, drama, and storytelling that reflect tradition, innovation, and cultural depth.
Celebrate the spirit of Samskriti – Festival of Arts 2025 with our exclusive Festival Pass!
Enjoy access to three iconic headline performances.
Eeram: A dance - theatre production celebrating womanhood
Star Trek: A storytelling experience
Madurai Veeran Koothu: A rare Tamil adaptation of a legendary story, presented in the Kudiyattam tradition
This is your all-in-one ticket to immerse in dance, drama, and storytelling that reflect tradition, innovation, and cultural depth.
Eeram
Eeram
Bharatanatyam Dance-Theatre | Theme: Identity
Bharatanatyam Dance-Theatre | Theme: Identity
Identity is not a fixed definition, but an evolving inquiry.
Identity is not a fixed definition, but an evolving inquiry.
Eeram—a Tamil word evoking moisture or gentle dampness—becomes a powerful metaphor for the quiet strength and compassion at the heart of womanhood. This Bharatanatyam dance-theatre production is not a linear narrative, but a provocation. It invites reflection: Who are we? What do we carry forward? How do we transform?
Inspired by the radical poems of Subramanya Bharathi, Eeram unfolds in four evocative acts that examine urgent questions around gender, freedom, and equality. Through scenes on women’s education, male dominance, and resilience, the performance challenges static definitions of femininity and envisions a future shaped by solidarity and strength. At a time when the discourse around feminism is both vital and complex, Eeram offers an artistic lens into the elemental, emotional, and societal dimensions of womanhood today. Tradition here is not frozen—it breathes, stirs, and provokes change.
This powerful production is presented by a professional ensemble from Singapore, blending classical technique with contemporary expression. The music traverses folk, classical, and contemporary genres, underscoring the emotional spectrum of the piece.
Eeram—a Tamil word evoking moisture or gentle dampness—becomes a powerful metaphor for the quiet strength and compassion at the heart of womanhood. This Bharatanatyam dance-theatre production is not a linear narrative, but a provocation. It invites reflection: Who are we? What do we carry forward? How do we transform?
Inspired by the radical poems of Subramanya Bharathi, Eeram unfolds in four evocative acts that examine urgent questions around gender, freedom, and equality. Through scenes on women’s education, male dominance, and resilience, the performance challenges static definitions of femininity and envisions a future shaped by solidarity and strength. At a time when the discourse around feminism is both vital and complex, Eeram offers an artistic lens into the elemental, emotional, and societal dimensions of womanhood today. Tradition here is not frozen—it breathes, stirs, and provokes change.
This powerful production is presented by a professional ensemble from Singapore, blending classical technique with contemporary expression. The music traverses folk, classical, and contemporary genres, underscoring the emotional spectrum of the piece.
Supported by
Concept & Choreography:
Shyamjith Kiran
Music:
Subiksha Rangarajan & Kalyani Nair
Original Script:
Prof. Raghuraman and Sharada Vijay
Script & Dialog:
Meera Balasubramanian
Costumes:
C A Joy & Kwochai
Lighting Design:
Nambu Kumar
Recorded ,mixed & mastered:
Biju James
Madurai Veeran Koothu
Madurai Veeran Koothu
Kudiyattam Performance | Theme: Inheritance
Kudiyattam Performance | Theme: Inheritance
Inheritance honours the sacred transmission of art, memory, and ritual through lineage. In a rare Singapore appearance, acclaimed artist Kapila Venu reimagines the Tamil folk legend of Madurai Veeran through the ancient Sanskrit theatre tradition of Kudiyattam.
Blending Tamil emotional depth with the refined vocabulary of Kudiyattam, this powerful performance explores themes of love, longing, sacrifice, and deification. Inspired by the Inbathuppal chapter of the Thirukkural, it traces Veeran’s rise from humble origins to revered protector—through his tragic romance with Vellaiyammal, unjust punishment, and ultimate self-offering.
Every gesture in Madurai Veeran Koothu carries centuries of devotion and cultural memory, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness a living, sacred tradition that bridges Tamil folklore and classical Sanskrit theatre.
Inheritance honours the sacred transmission of art, memory, and ritual through lineage. In a rare Singapore appearance, acclaimed artist Kapila Venu reimagines the Tamil folk legend of Madurai Veeran through the ancient Sanskrit theatre tradition of Kudiyattam.
Blending Tamil emotional depth with the refined vocabulary of Kudiyattam, this powerful performance explores themes of love, longing, sacrifice, and deification. Inspired by the Inbathuppal chapter of the Thirukkural, it traces Veeran’s rise from humble origins to revered protector—through his tragic romance with Vellaiyammal, unjust punishment, and ultimate self-offering.
Every gesture in Madurai Veeran Koothu carries centuries of devotion and cultural memory, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness a living, sacred tradition that bridges Tamil folklore and classical Sanskrit theatre.
Performance & Choreography:
Kapila Venu
Mizhavu:
Kalamandalam Rajeev, Kalamandalam Hariharan
Idakka
Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan
Mentor:
Guru G Venu
Star Trek
Star Trek
Curated Talk | Theme: Influence
Curated Talk | Theme: Influence
Influence honours women whose vision transformed the cultural fabric of their time. In Star Trek, writer and theatre-maker Gowri Ramnarayan traces the extraordinary journeys of M.S. Subbulakshmi and Rukmini Devi Arundale—two pioneering artists who reshaped Indian classical music and dance as powerful forces for social and spiritual change.
Rooted in tradition yet boldly forward-looking, both women embodied compassion, truth, and harmony across boundaries. Drawing from personal experience—as Subbulakshmi’s grand-niece and long-time accompanist, and a lifelong associate of Kalakshetra—Gowri offers rare insights into their ideals, artistry, and influence.
More than a tribute, Star Trek is a compelling reflection on feminine leadership and legacy—how these two icons carved space for women in the arts, and in doing so, transformed society itself.
Influence honours women whose vision transformed the cultural fabric of their time. In Star Trek, writer and theatre-maker Gowri Ramnarayan traces the extraordinary journeys of M.S. Subbulakshmi and Rukmini Devi Arundale—two pioneering artists who reshaped Indian classical music and dance as powerful forces for social and spiritual change.
Rooted in tradition yet boldly forward-looking, both women embodied compassion, truth, and harmony across boundaries. Drawing from personal experience—as Subbulakshmi’s grand-niece and long-time accompanist, and a lifelong associate of Kalakshetra—Gowri offers rare insights into their ideals, artistry, and influence.
More than a tribute, Star Trek is a compelling reflection on feminine leadership and legacy—how these two icons carved space for women in the arts, and in doing so, transformed society itself.
Concept/Script/Presented:
Gowri Ramnarayan
