About The Event
Experience the Mumbai premiere of Nritarutya Dance Company's evocative dance-theatre production, bringing the timeless voices of India's mystic saints and poets to life through a contemporary movement language inspired by the country's diverse dance traditions.
Across centuries and regions, India’s visionary poets, philosophers and spiritual seekers found a universal search for oneness, compassion, and self-realisation in devotion. Drawing from the verses and lived experiences of 13 such figures, from Soyarabai and Meera to Kabir and Lal Ded, Mayuri Upadhya and Nritarutya Dance Company present ‘Bhakti: A Shared Longing’, inviting audiences into a deeply personal exploration of reflection and inner awakening.
Developed through months of intensive research into their philosophies, historical contexts and transformative moments, the showcase brings these voices together in a continuous arc, from longing to surrender, inner turbulence to grace, and human struggle to transcendence. Visual poetry and rhythmic intensity unfold through evocative movement that blends contemporary, classical and folk forms, accompanied by a powerful live soundscape created by vocalists and musicians.
Choregraphed by founders of Nritarutya Dance Company, Mayuri and Madhuri Upadhya, the production features works by Purandara Dasa, Adi Shankaracharya, Annamacharya, Lal Ded, Kabir, Meerabai, Sadasiva Brahmendra, Soyrabai, Narsing Mehta, Fakir Lalon Shah, Bulleh Shah and Amir Khusrow, alongside the Oppari tradition. Holding a mirror to the complexities of our times, this devotional evening reflects on the enduring relevance of their wisdom and encourages audiences to look inward, recognise their interconnectedness, and rediscover the consciousness that binds us all.
This performance is supported by Reliance Foundation.
