Kastoori by Shinjini Kulkarni

Kathak exponent Shinjini Kulkarni joins poetry and live music in an evocative journey of longing, reflection, and inner discovery.

In a Mumbai premiere, Kathak exponent Shinjini Kulkarni weaves dance, poetry, and live music into a moving exploration of longing and self-discovery. In Kastoori, Kulkarni brings this metaphor to life through an evocative blend of movement, poetry, and live music.  

The piece unfolds as an intimate dialogue between rhythm and reflection, tracing the human pursuit of joy, peace, and belonging, and the quiet realisation that what we seek is often already within us. Premiering in Mumbai, the work presents Kathak as a language of yearning, while poetry gives voice to unspoken truths. Through its delicate interplay of movement and meaning, the evening invites audiences to pause, listen, and turn inward.

A ninth-generation artist of the Kalka-Bindadin lineage, Shinjini trained under her grandfather, the legendary Pt. Birju Maharaj. She has performed worldwide, including collaborations with Ustad Zakir Hussain, and now leads this production alongside vocalist Sami Ullah Khan and her ensemble, crafting a layered experience where classical tradition meets intimate storytelling.

This performance is supported by Reliance Foundation.  

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