Anant Samagam 1.0

Cultural Practices

Across exhibitions, performance traditions, fashion showcases and dialogue, the inaugural chapter of Anant
Samagam brought together practitioners from Kerala and the North Eastern states, presenting culture as a living
ecosystem of artistic practice and exchange.

Visual Art & Photography

Frames of Culture

Works by Pankaj Bawdekar, Aditya Arya, Manoj Arora and Briana Blasko explore culture through painting and photography. The section also features emerging artists presented in collaboration with Artscape Gallery

Visual practices within the chapter revealed how image-making continues to shape cultural memory and artistic dialogue.

Fashion & Textile

Couture Chronicles

The runway at Anant Samagam unfolded as Couture Chronicle - a two-day fashion showcase bringing together designers Bambi, Sonam Dubal, Shalini James (Mantra), Daniel Syiem, Jahnabi Phookan (Lahe Looms), Tara Bhuyan, Sreejith Jeevan (Rouka) and Aratrik Dev Varman (Tilla).

Reflecting the festival's confluence of Kerala and the North-Eastern states, the collections interpreted regional textiles and weaving traditions through contemporary fashion, presented on the runway under the direction of Fashion Director Liza Varma.

At Anant Samagam, fashion emerged as a living expression of textile heritage - where craftsmanship, identity and contemporary design met on the runway.

Music & Performance

Rhythms of Unity

The concert stage at Anant Samagam brought together powerful contemporary sounds from Kerala and the North Eastern region of India. The Malayali rock fusion of Avial and the evocative musical presence of Sreenath Bhasi met the blues-soul energy of Rudy and the Kool Kats and the alternative rock spirit of Sound From The Hills from the North East.

Adding another layer to the evening’s musical dialogue, Aoora’s multilingual performance moved fluidly across languages and styles, with Assamese and Malayalam songs resonating with the audience.

Together, the performances created a vibrant exchange where regional musical traditions, modern experimentation, and live concert energy came together on a shared stage.

Music transformed the gathering into a living dialogue of sound — where Kerala and the North East met through rhythm, language, and contemporary expression

Handicrafts & Textiles

Craft Traditions

The craft pavilion at Anant Samagam brought together artisans and exhibitors representing the rich handmade traditions of Kerala and the North Eastern states. From intricate weaving and textile practices to handcrafted objects shaped by generations of skill, the displays revealed the depth of knowledge embedded in regional craft cultures.

Placed together in a shared space, these works created a dialogue between distinct craft traditions reflecting both the diversity and the cultural connections across regions.

Together, the craft presentations highlighted how handmade traditions continue to evolve while remaining rooted in community knowledge and cultural identity.

Dialogues

Exploring ideas that connect culture, identity and practice.