States » SouthPosted at: Oct 14 2026 7:15AM


Draupadi’s Mahabharata to be staged at 49th Soorya Festival on Oct 17

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (UNI) Renowned Odissi dancer and choreographer Madhulita Mohapatra and her Bengaluru-based Nrityantar Dance Ensemble will present Draupadi’s Mahabharata … the epic that began with her, an Odissi dance production that retells the Indian epic from Draupadi’s perspective, at the 49th Soorya Festival here on October 17.
The performance is scheduled for 6.45 pm at Ganesham, Thycaud, bringing to the stage the story of Draupadi as a woman, queen and moral voice of the Mahabharata, tracing her journey through love, humiliation, courage, suffering and the quest for justice.
Drawing inspiration from Maharishi Vyasa’s Mahabharata, the production explores significant episodes, from Draupadi’s extraordinary birth from fire and swayamvara to the fateful game of dice, her humiliation in the Kuru court and the devastating Kurukshetra war.
Through the expressive power of Odissi, the presentation examines enduring questions of dignity, dharma and justice, while highlighting the immense human cost of war and the suffering, loss and destruction it leaves behind.
The production features Sanskrit poetic contributions by Ashtavadhani Balachandra Bhat and Odia verses by poet Kedar Mishra. Rupak Kumar Parida has composed the music, while Guru Dhaneswar Swain has handled the rhythmic composition. Mohapatra has choreographed and directed the work.
The 49th edition of the Soorya Festival assumes special significance following the death of its founder, Soorya Krishnamoorthy, on September 23. A prominent cultural organiser and theatre director, he founded the Soorya Stage and Film Society in 1977 and spent nearly five decades promoting Indian classical arts and bringing artistes and audiences together.
The festival continues as a tribute to his enduring contribution to the cultural landscape of Kerala and the country.
Mohapatra, a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Devi Award 2024, the IIW She Inspires Award 2024 presented at the UK Parliament and the Kempegowda Award, is a Top Grade artiste of Doordarshan and an Indian Council for Cultural Relations-empanelled performer.
Through her Bengaluru-based institution Nrityantar, she has been promoting Odissi through training, performances, workshops and other cultural initiatives. The ensemble has performed at prestigious festivals in India and abroad.
The October 17 performance offers audiences in Kerala an opportunity to experience the expressive richness of Odissi through a powerful retelling of the Mahabharata, while celebrating the artistic legacy of Krishnamoorthy.
UNI DS
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