Ramayana Kalpavrksam 2025 A Grand Celebration of Art and Culture
Hyderabad, 3rd February 2025: Hyderabad witnessed a spectacular cultural resurgence with Ramayana Kalpavrksam 2025, a three-day festival dedicated to celebrating the timeless epic, the Ramayana, through music, dance, storytelling, and scholarship. The festival, which has now become a much-anticipated annual event, brought together artists, scholars, and audiences from across the country for an immersive and enriching experience.
Day 1: A Grand Inauguration & Captivating Performances
The festival was inaugurated by Honorable Member of the Parliament, Sri Tejasvi Surya ji. Addressing an enthusiastic audience, he eloquently spoke about the relevance of the Ramayana in today’s world, emphasizing the importance of engaging with our rich arts and culture. Sharing anecdotes from his own life, he beautifully connected the eternal wisdom of the Ramayana to contemporary challenges, inspiring everyone to delve deeper into our heritage.
The inaugural ceremony began with a heartfelt musical presentation by the children of Swarnam School of Music, led by Smt. Preethi Gopalan Deshmukh, leaving the audience spellbound.
This was followed by a visually stunning dance presentation, Takkuvemi Manaku, by Shankarananda Kalakshetra. Choreographed by Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant, the performance depicted the Dashavatara of Maha Vishnu, set to the poetry of the Telugu poet Bhakta Ramadas.
The night culminated in a spellbinding Harikatha performance by Vishaka Hari ji on Ramayana, the Eternal Life-Giving Tree. Through eight different versions of the Ramayana spanning various cultures and languages— from Kamba Ramayanam (Tamil) and Molla Ramayanam (Telugu), to versions from Thailand and Laos—Vishaka Hari ji transported the audience across time and space, illustrating the universality of Lord Rama’s virtues.
Day 2: Knowledge, Art, and a Classic Dance Masterpiece
The second day commenced with an engaging Sanskrit workshop, Kathasvadanam – Story Defining Shlokas of the Valmiki Ramayana, where over 40 participants immersed themselves in reciting powerful Sanskrit verses making the space reverberate with energy.
The festival then hosted three insightful talks:
- Yashodeep Deodhar elaborated on the eternal nature of Valmiki Ramayana, emphasizing how it is both Adi (the first) and Ananta (endless).
- DK Hari and DK Hema presented a fascinating session on the engineering marvel of Rama Setu, blending historical and scientific perspectives.
- Anupama Kylash concluded the session with a mesmerizing dance demonstration on select verses from Ramayana Kalpavrksam by Sri Vishwanatha Satyanarayana, after which the festival is named.
The afternoon featured a hands-on Cheriyal Painting Workshop by traditional artist Madhu Merugoju, attended by over 40 participants from various age groups, eager to explore this ancient art form.
As the sun set, Hyderabad witnessed an unforgettable dance performance by the legendary Kalakshetra Foundation – ‘Sabari Moksham’. Originally choreographed by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1965, the production, set to the verses of Valmiki Ramayana, left the audience spellbound with its rich characterization, intricate storytelling, and the sheer brilliance of the ensemble’s performance. The packed auditorium bore testimony to the enduring magic of this classic production, leaving Hyderabad’s art lovers yearning for more. The evening was presented in collaboration with Kalakshetra Foundation, and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
Day 3: Ecological, Philosophical, and Musical Explorations
The final day of Ramayana Kalpavrksam 2025 began with the second session of the Sanskrit workshop, followed by a series of illuminating talks:
- Vikram Sridhar, the storyteller, explored the Ecological Dimensions of the Ramayana, from Krauncha to Ashoka Vana, through an interactive and engaging presentation.
- Amritanshu Pandey spoke on Rajadharma of the Ishvakus, shedding light on governance and leadership principles drawn from the epic.
- Ami Ganatra, a bestselling author, delivered a compelling talk on Dharma and Dharma Sankata – Lessons from the Ramayana, drawing parallels to modern ethical dilemmas.
The afternoon saw an engaging Fabric Painting Workshop (Vastra Varnam) by Anusha Namburi, a student of Shankarananda Kalakshetra, attracting over 50 keen participants.
The festival concluded on a high note with two grand performances:
- JN Manipuri Dance Academy from Imphal presented a mesmerizing Manipuri Raas, marking a historic first-of-its-kind performance in Hyderabad.
- The grand finale was delivered by the stellar musical duo, Ranjani and Gayatri, with their exclusive presentation RAMA by RaGa, leaving the audience enthralled.
Special Features of Ramayana Kalpavrksam 2025
This year’s festival also featured unique cultural showcases:
- An exhibition-cum-sale of vintage lithographs, a rare collection from Pratima Sagar and MC Mohan, with proceeds dedicated to animal welfare.
- A traditional Bommala Koluvu (doll exhibition) curated by Kavitha Nimmalagadda, from Sri Vishwanatha Satyanarayana garu’s family.
- Kala Grama – an artisan bazaar, featuring local artists and brands, offering visitors a chance to take home handcrafted treasures.
KFC’s India Sahyog program pledges support to 100 businesses in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, 24th September 2024: After successfully supporting 800 local restaurants across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata, KFC’s India Sahyog program is back for the second time in Hyderabad.
As part of the program, having trained 100 restaurants in Hyderabad in 2021, KFC will now work with 100 more local restaurants & food joints in the city, helping them in business growth through training modules in food safety & hygiene, customer service, profitability and more. KFC’s India Sahyog program was launched in 2020; and is conducted in association with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and the Food Safety and Training Certification (FoSTaC) program of FSSAI; and aims to support 1000 restaurants across India by the end of 2024.
Speaking about the continued effort to augment the growth of the food industry in India, Moksh Chopra, General Manager, KFC India & Partner Countries, said, “The food industry has been going through a dynamic change, and it’s important for food businesses to keep pace with the changing trends, customer preferences, and demands. As part of our India Sahyog program, we have been working with FSSAI & NRAI over the last few years, to support 1000 independent restaurants across the country by 2024. This chapter in Hyderabad is another step in that direction, where we will be training and sharing knowhow with 100 local restaurants in the city.”
Appreciating the efforts of the brand, Sh. R V Karnan, I.A.S, Commissioner of Food Safety Telangana said, “Food consumption patterns have evolved significantly in the past few years. Food safety and hygiene have now become the top priorities for consumers. As local restaurants play a crucial role in the urban economy, it is their responsibility to ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene. And it is good to see these training modules that have been tailored in a way to reduce the risk of unsafe food consumption and contribute to a healthier, safer dining experience across the state.”
Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) President, Suresh Singhal also addressed the attendees, offering valuable insights into the broader industry perspective and emphasizing FTCCI’s commitment to supporting various sectors, particularly the retail and food service industries. He underscored the chamber’s dedication to driving excellence and ensuring that businesses are well-prepared to meet the stringent demands of food safety compliance.
The program was further enriched by the presence of key industry association leaders, Sh. Gautam Jain, Director of Legal Compliances at the Retailers Association of India. Their involvement highlighted the importance of a unified approach to elevating food safety practices across the sector.
KFC has been continually making efforts to grow the local food industry in the country. In the past, KFC India and FSSAI have pioneered a street food vendor, training over 1500 street food vendors across 4 states on food safety parameters. Additionally, the brand also undertook a Food Safety Officers capability enhancement program along with the State Food Safety Authorities.
Baasira Mata ki Jai makes audience sing
Hyderabad, 12th August 2024: This family drama by ROADWAYZ Theatre group, staged the show today at Lamakaan and the audience not just cheered but were also singing the songs along with the artists.
The story revolves around a typical middle-class, close-knit family of four. Sharma ji, his wife Shrimati ji and his two younger Siblings. Sonu and Monu. The couple have devoted their lives to bring up Sonu and Monu. They love them as their own children. Shrimati ji loves cooking for her family and keeps trying to make new dishes out of leftover food. All three brothers bring a lot of humour by planning how to get rid of those experimental dishes of Shrimati ji, without hurting her feelings.
The play touches on the issue of Food Wastage. The serious topic is conveyed well with layers of family humour and forgotten songs of 40s & 50s.
The play is written & Directed by Capt Ahmed who has been doing consistent work in the field of Hindi Theatre & language. He is a Theater Actor, Director and is soon coming out with his collection of Plays in a book form. He has donned many roles earlier and had been a devoted theatre actor for over a decade now. Seema Khan as Mrs Sharma did a splendid job and both lead actors looked very natural on stage. There were two debutants also Lokesh & Zoya as the younger brother & sister. Their sibling chemistry and stage presence was well received. Col Ramesh as Chiraunji la and Sonali as Rama the maid, added on to the humour with their characters. A unique experiment was done by the director and that was to have a well woven script for the MC. Mohsin with his charming personality did the job very well.
Poonam Gulecha, another theatre actor who attended the show at Lamakaan said that, “the show surpassed the expectations. Very well written & interplay of old songs was impeccable.”
Nargis another spectator says, “the paly reflected ghar ghar ki kahani.”
Ritu says, it reminded me of my Nani (grandmother), how she used to mix & match the leftovers), Col Reyaz was impressed by the impactful usage of the Sutradhar & the use of Songs.”
Ramechandra from Saket Pranaam was overwhelmed by the response from all the senior citizens staying there and asked ROADWAYZ to bring the next show as soon as possible.