Rap, Lavani, Carnatic Music and More Mark Women’s History Month in Bengaluru

Every weekend in March has brought a host of talent to the Indian Music Experience (IME) in Bengaluru, as part of the second edition of their Women’s History Month festival.

From film screenings to punchy sets by the likes of Mumbai hip-hop collective Wild Wild Women (on Mar. 15, 2025)  and a production covering the history of Maharashtrian folk dance and music form Lavani (Mar. 22, 2025), IME’s performance theater has provided a stage for diverse artists.

On Mar. 23, 2025, fusion artist and Carnatic vocalist-flautist Varijashree Venugopal will conduct a masterclass called CarnaTechnique, which goes into “applying Indian music systems in global music genres.” While that’s a daytime masterclass, the Grammy-nominated artist will lead a Carnatic concert at 7 pm the same evening.

IME’s director Preema John says the masterclass is an extension of their monthly series at the museum. “For this festival we felt Varijashree would be a perfect fit as a pathbreaking classically trained musician who is creating new kinds of music and music techniques, like Carnatic Scatting while staying true to her traditional training. Her mastery over several instruments and her technical prowess make her nothing short of a virtuoso in her craft.”

The closing weekend of Women’s History Month includes a women’s special open mic on Mar. 28, 2025, plus a film screening on Mar. 29, 2025, of documentary film 6-A Akash Gang, which follows the life and times of the late surbahar artist Annapurna Devi, directed by filmmaker Nirmal Chander Dandriyal. The evening program on Mar. 29 includes a tabla recital by artist Rimpa Siva. On Mar. 30, seasoned mridangam artist Dandamudi Sumathi will close proceedings at the festival.

John adds, “For this year’s festival our focus was on presenting a cross section of genres, women artists and also women community singers who have ably harnessed the power of music to gain control over their narratives and how they’re presented and perceived.” While funding a festival remains a challenge, the director adds that they do have an eye on sustainability.

This time around, IME is also leaning on their Youth Advisory Board to create a treasure hunt. John adds, “[It’s something] visitors can do to explore the histories of significant women artists and their careers who are not part of the festival lineup but are represented in the museum’s collection.”

Get details on IME’s Women’s History Month festival Bengaluru here.