Dance Unbound - Celebrating 75 years of the legend, Chitra Visweswaran

Dance Unbound - Celebrating 75 years of the legend, Chitra Visweswaran

Presenting a magnum opus production – Panchali for Smt. Chitra Visweswaran on her 75th birthday.

Panchali is a dance-theatre production wherein classical Indian dance draws from theatre, through the musical presentation of the thought-provoking lyrics of Subramania Bharati’s Panchali Sabadam, a treatise on the Mahabharata.

It follows the fateful dice game between the Pandavas and Kauravas, built on the Kauravas’ hatred — a pivotal turning point in the Mahabharata, setting into motion events that would shape the destiny of kingdoms and generations to come.

Chitra Visweswaran’s engagement with Bharatanatyam was first nurtured by her first acharya, the renowned devadasi T.A. Rajalakshmi of the Thanjavur bani, who instilled in her an appreciation for the art’s devotion, rhythm, and spirit. She later trained under the legendary Guru Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, mastering the refined technique and lyrical grace of the Vazhuvoor style, solidifying her place in a distinguished tradition. The production reflects Chitra Visweswaran’s signature blend of narrative depth, aesthetic precision, and emotive intensity, hallmarks of her celebrated choreographic journey.