Children participate in the ‘Nagara Natya Sankirtana’ – a devotional dance gathering held at Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.. | Photo credit: V. RAJU
A unique cultural and spiritual initiative ‘Nagara Natya Sankeertana’ – a celebration of Indian classical dance and music – was held at Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Sunday morning.
Organized by Nataraj Music and Dance Academy in collaboration with ‘The Dance India Magazine’, the event brought together over 200 classical dancers, musicians and devotees in a devotional procession. The rally started at the Ramakrishna Beach Kalimatha Temple and proceeded along the beach to the Annamacharya statue. The participants performed a soulful ‘sankeertana’ and performed traditional dances all along the route.
Classical dancers trained in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Andhra Natyam along with senior dance teachers paid tribute to the great saint poets and the rich heritage of Indian classical art. The procession drew wide acclaim from the public and ‘rasikas’ lining the route.
The event served as a prelude to the upcoming International Traditional Dance Congress (ITDC-2026) to be held from January 2-4, 2026 at Kalabharathi AC Auditorium, Visakhapatnam.
Focused on the preservation and promotion of Indian classical dance and music traditions, with a special focus on the devotional compositions of saint-poets, ITDC-2026 will offer performances, seminars and workshops.
Vikram Kumar BR, founder and chairman of ITDC said that ‘Nagara Natya Sankeertana’ was conceived as a spiritual and artistic expression for ITDC-2026.
At the end of the assembly, all the participating children were presented with certificates signed by the Padma Shri awardees in recognition of their artistic commitment and encouragement to pursue classical dance and music with commitment and dedication.
The organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to the cultural institutions, dance schools, parents and art lovers of Visakhapatnam for their overwhelming support and urged them to come together to make ITDC-2026 a memorable, spiritually uplifting and culturally enriching event for the city.
Published – 21 Dec 2025 19:52 IST
