Feb 23 2026 to Feb 23 2026 7 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

A dark body draped in yellow. Flower garland, peacock feather. You know the image.

When Lord Krishna plays his flute, everything bends toward that sound. The cow freezes mid-graze, standing on one leg. The gopi stops mid-task. The lotus pauses mid-bloom. For centuries, Indian artists have followed that call.

Pichwai comes from Rajasthan’s temple havelis, worship made visible on cloth. Kuchipudi from Andhra’s villages, stories told through the body. Opposite ends of India, both Vaishnavite traditions holding the same images sacred.

Together on stage is an unlikely trio: Pichwai painter Shan Bhatnagar, Kuchipudi dancer Amrita Lahiri, flautist Hrishikesh Majumdar. Each devoted to their form, each form devoted to Krishna. Bhatnagar walks you through his paintings between dance pieces. Lahiri responds, those frozen moments coming alive through movement. Majumdar’s flute ties it together, the sound that makes devotion inevitable.

North and South. Stillness and motion. The call and the answer.

Part of Pravāha 2026, The Body As Space: A Journey Through The Senses. This year’s festival is built around what we hear, smell, touch, taste, and see. Eight days of multisensory experiences through classical music, contemporary dance, installations, and conversations.

Presented by:

Performers

Amrita Lahiri
Kuchipudi Dancer
Amrita Lahiri is one of India’s leading Kuchipudi dancers, known for her crystalline technique, nuanced abhinaya, and lyrical storytelling. Trained under distinguished gurus and widely performed across India and internationally, her practice remains deeply rooted in tradition while embracing interdisciplinary collaboration. In Call of the Flute, Amrita translates the visual and emotional worlds of Pichwai painting into movement, allowing dance to become a living extension of the image. Her performance draws on the narrative strength of Kuchipudi to embody themes of devotion, music, and divine presence, responding sensitively to both the projected artworks and the live flute.

Shan Bhatnagar
Artist
Shan Bhatnagar is a contemporary Indian painter whose work reimagines the traditional temple art of Pichwai through a modern lens. Working primarily with oil on canvas rather than natural dyes on cloth, Shan draws from his personal experiences of darshan at the Shrinathji temple in Nathdwara to create luminous, emotionally resonant works. His paintings frequently depict Lord Krishna, Nandis, lotuses, and parrots, rendered in vivid palettes inspired by the cultural life of Jaipur, where he lives and works. By occasionally incorporating Rajasthani embroidery and jewellery into his canvases, Shan bridges devotion, craftsmanship, and contemporary visual art.

Hrishikesh Majumdar
Flautist
Hrishikesh Majumdar is a highly accomplished young flute virtuoso, widely regarded as a prodigy in Indian classical music. He began his musical training at the age of six under the guidance of his father and guru, the legendary bansuri maestro Pt. Ronu Majumdar. His early grounding in vocal music under his mother, Mrs. Anandi Bula Majumdar, and later training with Pandit Vikas Kashalkar, have shaped his deeply melodic and expressive approach.

A Master’s degree holder in Music from Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Hrishikesh represents the Maihar Gharana’s Binkaari style. His performances span the Dhrupad-inspired alaap, jod–jhaala, and ghatkari, alongside lighter forms such as thumri, dadra, and folk melodies. A national-level awardee of the Swar Sadhana Samiti for instrumental music, he has performed widely, including a memorable jugalbandi with his father at Goa Fest 2019.