Kathakali performance opens 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul

Artists from the Kathakali troupe led by Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram perform at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall during the opening of the 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The 11th edition of Sarang: The Festival of India in Korea opened on Tuesday evening with a dazzling Kathakali performance at Ewha Womans University's Samsung Hall in Seoul. Around 300 people from South Korea, India, and other countries filled the hall, their attention drawn to the vibrant rhythms and colorful movement unfolding on stage.

 Artists from the Kathakali troupe led by Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram perform at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall during the opening of the 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
The air was alive with music as the deep beat of drums, the clash of cymbals, and the resonant chanting of singers created a soundscape that carried the audience into another world. Dancers, dressed in ornate costumes with intricate face paint and towering headpieces, moved with precision and grace. Each gesture and expression told part of an age-old story, weaving emotion and mythology into a single flow.

 Artists from the Kathakali troupe led by Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram perform at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall during the opening of the 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
The performance was led by the renowned artist Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram and his troupe, invited by the Embassy of India in Seoul to mark the start of this year's Sarang Festival. In his opening remarks, Chargé d'Affaires Shri Nishi Kant Singh described Sarang as "a celebration of mankind's love for life and a reflection of the diversity that the world represents." He also spoke about the enduring cultural ties between India and South Korea, tracing back to the legend of Queen Heo Hwang-ok of Ayodhya and the historical Buddhist exchanges that followed.

 Artists from the Kathakali troupe led by Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram perform at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall during the opening of the 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
Kathakali, which emerged in the southern Indian state of Kerala in the 17th century, is one of India's most distinctive classical dance traditions. The art form combines dance, drama, music, and mime, using elaborate gestures and facial expressions instead of spoken dialogue. The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata—and are performed through stylized movements accompanied by live percussion and song.

 Artists from the Kathakali troupe led by Sreenathan Sreenatha Mandiram perform at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall during the opening of the 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
Following the Seoul performance, the troupe will continue its tour with shows in Kunsan, Nami Island, Busan, and Miryang, as well as workshops for local dance students. The Sarang Festival, organized annually by the Embassy of India in collaboration with Korean partners, will feature a range of cultural events across South Korea throughout the season.
 
Park Sae-jin Reporter swatchsjp@ajunews.com