At dusk, the Ellora Caves shift from monument to moment. Against the rock-hewn immensity of the Kailasa Temple, a dance unfolds in an open, amphitheatre-like court. Blending Bharatanatyam and Odissi with contemporary movement, the performance moves in quiet dialogue with stone: feet strike, bodies arc, pauses breathe. As a crescent moon lifts over the Deccan sky, gesture and shadow slip into the temple’s Shaivite core, where creation and dissolution circle endlessly—dance briefly awakening what devotion carved in rock.
Curated by Delhi heritage organisation Sopaan, the evening follows a musical composition that builds into a thunderous, voice-of-God narration. Dancers enter from behind the audience, bearing fire-lit torches, culminating in Omkara. The show took place during AIKYAM, a festival celebrating Indian cultural heritage in collaboration with UNESCO and the Department of Tourism, Maharashtra.
Positioning heritage monuments as living, breathing spaces rather than static relics, Sopaan has been creating cultural journeys across historic sites in India. It has formerly organised its signature cultural events at the Jaisalmer Fort, Gwalior Fort, and at Delhi’s Purana Qila. Along with cultural programmes, their journeys feature heritage walks and storytelling sessions, making art, history, and spirituality converge, and making the event a holistic experience.
Founder Monika Kapil Mohta says, “India’s heritage is not meant to be passively observed, but is meant to be felt, lived, and absorbed. We focus on offering this holistic experience as they create an emotional imprint that lasts longer in one’s heart. Such experiences encourage people to pause, reflect, and internalise what they encounter, and further forge conversations on the global level.” She adds that this strengthens India’s soft power and global cultural influence.
However, the conservation of heritage sites is of utmost importance to the curator. Mohta says, “Every aspect of planning—from lighting and sound to guest flow—follows sustainability guidelines and heritage-safe practices. We avoid any physical intervention with the monument surface and stage all performances in the open instead of the fragile structures inside.”
Sopaan aims to expand its approach and blend heritage, storytelling, and performance to create impactful cultural engagement and spark dialogue around India’s contributions to world.