SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth), in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, is set to present the three days SPIC MACAY Folk and Tribal Arts and Crafts Festival from November 21st to 23rd, 2025 at the Sunder Nursery Amphitheatre, New Delhi.
Supported by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the Department of Art, Culture and Language, Sudha Sangini and Doordarshan, the festival will showcase the diverse folk and tribal traditions of India through performances, workshops and artist interactions.
The festival seeks to engage young audiences with India’s traditional knowledge systems and artistic heritage. Through live presentations and interactive sessions, it aims to strengthen cultural preservation and uphold the organisation’s purpose of enabling every child to experience the inspiration and mysticism of Indian and world heritage, while reinforcing SPIC MACAY’s commitment to the guru shishya parampara and traditional practitioners.
Each evening, the amphitheatre will resonate with music and dance traditions from across the country. The performance line-up includes the auspicious Mangala Isai Nadaswaram from Tamil Nadu, the energetic Purulia Chhau from West Bengal, the Saraikela Chhau from Jharkhand and Ottanthullal from Kerala. Subsequent evenings will present the spiritual Baul Sangeet from West Bengal, Tripura’s Hojagiri, Manipur’s Thougal Jagoi, the Ghussadi dance from Telangana, Meghalaya’s Wangala Dance and a concluding presentation of Qawwali from Uttar Pradesh.
During the daytime sessions, Sunder Nursery will transform into a vibrant craft village where award winning artisans will conduct interactive workshops in Madhubani Painting, Warli Painting Gond Painting and Bhil painting, terracotta Craft, bamboo craft, calligraphy, sikki grass weaving, calligraphy – Wood Carving and papermachie Craft. Visitors will be able to engage directly with these master artisans, observe traditional processes and gain a deeper understanding of India’s diverse artistic legacy.
Suman Doonga, Convenor of the Folk and Tribal Arts and Crafts Festival, stated, “Through this festival, we aim to inspire young minds, support the preservation of our cultural heritage, and foster the guru shishya parampara. It is an invitation for everyone to experience the enduring spirit of India’s diverse artistic expressions.”
PROGRAMME DETAILS: Craft Workshops will begin at 11:30 am onwards in the morning, while the Folk Performances will take place from 6 pm onwards in the evening.
Day 1 – Friday, November 21st, 2025 at 6.30pm onwards
The inaugural evening will commence with Mangala Isai Nadaswaram by Shri S Kandaswamy and Group from Tamil Nadu. This will be followed by Purulia Chhau by Shri Tarapada Rajak and Group from West Bengal, Seraikela Chhau by Shri Biswanath Kumbhakar and Group from Jharkhand and Ottanthullal by Kalamandalam Mohanakrishnan and Group from Kerala.
Day 2 – Saturday, November 22nd, 2025 at 6.30pm onwards
The second evening will feature Baul Sangeet by Shri Lakshman Das and Group from West Bengal, the dynamic Hojagiri by Shri Debasis Reang and Group from Tripura, and Thougal Jagoi presented by Dr Nganbi Chanu and Group from Manipur.
Day 3 – Sunday, November 23rd, 2025 at 6.30pm onwards
The concluding evening will showcase Ghussadi performed by Shri Kanaka Sudarshan and Group from Telangana, the Wangala Dance by the Meghalaya troupe, and a concluding performance of Qawwali by the Warsi Brothers from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
Craft Workshops (November 21st to 23rd, 2025) at 11.30am onwards
Daytime sessions will offer workshops conducted by senior artisans representing significant craft traditions. Participants may engage with Sikki Grass Weaving by Rubi Devi (Bihar), Papermachie by Anubha Karn (Bihar), Calligraphy by Mushtaq Ahmed (Delhi), Wood Carving Calligraphy by Mohd Ameen Farooqi (Delhi), Madhubani Painting by Manoj K Choudhary (Bihar), Terracotta by Manoj Kumar (Delhi), Bhil Painting by Gangu Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Gond Painting by Sambhav Shyam (Madhya Pradesh), Warli Painting by Chandrakant Mahala (Dadra and Nagar Haveli), and Bamboo Craft by Subrata Chakraborty (Tripura).
These sessions provide the public with a rare opportunity to learn directly from custodians of longstanding artistic lineages.
The SPIC MACAY Folk and Tribal Arts and Crafts Festival promises to offer an enriching, inclusive and deeply engaging cultural experience. Through its programming, it reaffirms the organisation’s commitment to cultural preservation, youth engagement and the transmission of India’s artistic heritage. The event is open to all.
