Ahmedabad is buzzing with Classical melodies, Bollywood beats, theatre, art and culture this weekend! Here is a list of events happening in Ahmedabad on Saturday and Sunday!

Saptak school’s sangeet spardha and samaroh

On the birth anniversary of Pt Nandan Yashodhar Mehta, legendary tabla maestro of the Banaras Gharana and founder of the Saptak School of Music, the school, in association with the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy, is set to host the annual Pt Nandan Mehta Shastriya Taal-Vadya Spardha and Samaroh, the All India Level Tabla-Pakhawaj competition. 

Shastriya Taal-Vadya Spardha

When: February 22 (10 am) 

Where: Lions Hall, Mithakhali Six Roads, Ellisbridge

Shastriya Sangeet Samaroh

When: February 23 (8.30 pm)

Where: Dinesh Hall, Tera Panth Road, Navrangpura 

Concerts: Nikhil D’Souza, Shaan Mukherji, Mohit Chauhan

Nikhil D’Souza, singer of Vaaste and Mere Bina, Shaan, the voice behind classics like Chand Sifarish and Mohit Chauhan, known for Tum Se Hi and Sadda Haq, will take the stage at Synapse 25 at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT) on February 21, 22 and 23.

When: Feb 21, 22 & Feb 23

Where: DAIICT Campus, Gandhinagar

Classical music by Ustad Waseem Khan

Ustad Waseem Khan is regarded as the torchbearer of one of the oldest Gharana of music in India ‘AGRA GHARANA’. He started his Talim at the tender age of 6 under his Legendary Grandfather Late

Ustad Ata Hussain Khan Sahab. He has been awarded ‘RISING SUN OF MUSIC’ award from Kerala government.

Other artistes: Pt Sanjoy Adhikary and Akul Panchal 

When: Feb 22 (6.30 pm)

Where: Arthshila, 2-G, opp AMA, Ambawadi

Kyrgyz Kaleidoscope

It is a photo exhibition that captures Kyrgyzstan’s  stunning landscapes, rich traditions, and nomadic culture.

When: Until Feb 23 (4 to 8 pm)

Where: Amdavad Ni Gufa, Gujarat University Road

Lolita, a play 

Set in a lively atmosphere of evergreen school days Lolita is a fresh take on perception and how it plays across in society. A curious bunch of highschool boys - old enough to know better - seem to know something about a girl. A girl who is a bit more mature compared to her age, a bit more bold & outgoing and a bit more frank… What happens when one of the boys finally decides to talk to her and get to know her is what the play is all about!

When: Feb 22 & 23 (9 pm, 8.30 pm)

Where: Prayogshala, Ashram Road

Exhibition: Colours in motion by Payal Lulla

When: Feb 22 & 23 (4 pm to 8pm)

Where: Urmila Art Gallery, Kanoria Centre for Arts

Storytelling: Shadow puppet play of Kerala- Tholpavakooth

Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum in collaboration with IGNCA Regional Centre Vadodara is presenting ‘Storytelling through the shadow puppet play of Kerala, Tholpavakoothu’ with Padmashri Awardee Sri Ramachandra Pulavar troupe.

What is Tholpavakooth?

Tholpavakoothu, meaning ‘leather puppet play’, is a ritualistic shadow puppetry art dedicated to Bhagavati, the Mother Goddess of Kerala. 

Believed to have originated in the 9th century AD, it is based on the Kamba Ramayana (the Tamil version of the epic). Also known as Pavakoothu (puppet play) or Nizhalattam (shadow play), it is performed at night in temple courtyards on a special stage called Koothumadam.

When: Feb 26 (7.45pm)

Where: Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology campus

Workshops 

• Textile art and block printing

Ciceroni at the Ciceroni Edit Vol 8 at Kanoria Art Centre includes three workshops in textile art and block printing:

Workshop 1: Type & Cyanotype 

Workshop 2: Stitching Stories

Workshop 3: Sodagari Block Print: Sacred Threads of Time

When: Feb 22 (11.30am to 8pm)

Where: Kanoria Centre for Arts, CEPT University

• ‘Cities in Fiction’ for writers by Divya Ravindranath

In this workshop participants will be engaged to think of ‘fiction as a method’ with short stories to reflect on the complexities of urban life, exploring how cityscapes have been used to examine a broad range of themes in the past and the present.

Divya Ravindranath is a Senior Researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements.

When: Feb 23 (11.30 am to 1.30 pm)

Where: Arthshila, 2-G, opp AMA, Ambawad

• Film appreciation workshop with Eshan Sharma

The workshop will feature film screenings and engaging discussions, providing a platform for participants to explore Indian cinema in depth. It also offers a chance to connect with like-minded individuals and interact with experts in the field.

Highlights of the workshop: • Exploring the emergence and evolution of Indian cinema.• Examining gender representation, themes, and shifting perspectives.• Analysing the rise of Indian New Wave cinema. • Understanding the portrayal of urban landscapes in Indian cinema.

When: Feb 25, 26 (10.30am to 5pm)

Where:  Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum, Gujarat University Clock Tower