About the institutions
Sarfojiraje Bhosale B. N. T. & R. Centre
(Estb. 1993) is an NGO that has been established by Dr. Sandhya Purecha to perpetuate the memory of one of the greatest exponents of the classical art of dance and music, Sarfojiraje Bhosale, the former ruler of the Thanjavur State in Tamil Nadu.
As a part of its Socio-Cultural Philanthropy, the Centre extends its cultural services to the economically backward and municipal school students by providing them free cultural education, scholarships, freeships and performance opportunities – a humble endeavour to give back to society the joy and peace one attains through dance.
Dr. Sandhya Purecha’s vision to preserve, promote and propagate Indian classical art manifested into SOCH – Save Our Cultural Heritage, a campaign to spread Indian art and culture by organizing year-round festivals. The festivals organised are:
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Sanskriti Mahotsav – Classical Dance Festival for Senior Artists,
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Kinkini Festival – Classical Dance International Youth Festival,
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Kala Avishkar – Classical Dance Children's Festival,
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Pancham Festival – Reviving the classical dance temple-tradition of India,
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Gati Festival – Bharata College of Fine Arts and Culture Annual Festival,
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Smrutikusumanjali & Adaranjali - Commemorating the birth and death anniversaries of Late Guru Acharya Parvatikumar,
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Acharya Parvatikumar Vyakhyanmala Series,
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Paper Presentation by Young Dance Researchers.
The centre is actively engaged in cultural-pedagogical-social initiatives in training and dissemination of Indian classical dance and music. Guru-Shishya parampara, the old tradition of delivering knowledge through the generations, is embedded in the very roots and the centre is committed in preserving and perpetuating the sanctity and authenticity of the traditional styles.
As a training and research centre, the research productions, traditional and contemporary dance ballets pioneered by Dr Sandhya Purecha are holistic in essence, aesthetic in presentation and novel in concept.
The centre conducts dance training through its two main dance centres –
Kala Paricchaya for beginners and school students and Bharata College of Fine Arts & Culture for artists seeking higher education in dance and further knowledge.
Bharata College of Fine Arts & Culture, Mumbai
(Management by Sarfojiraje Bhosale B. N. T. & R. Centre affiliated to Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Nagpur established by the Government of Maharashtra and recognized by the UGC and AIU, New Delhi) was inaugurated in the year 2005 as a pioneering venture in the field of dance established by Dr. Sandhya Purecha.
A pioneering college of Indian classical dance as a performing and pedagogical art form, we aim to create consummate artists, insightful researchers and sensitive choreographers. It was the first ever college established with a view to provide an alternative field for students interested in pursuing dance as a full-time career.
Our Motto: An innovatory college providing lucrative opportunities for growth in this field, we endeavour to create a generations of artists that will take this tradition forward as preservers, researchers, innovators, performers, teachers, writers etc. putting into practice their extensive dance repertoires, deftness in music and tala and firm academic base in the Vedas-Upavedas, Puranas, Mahakavyas, Shastras, Sanskrit treatises like Abhinaya Darpanam, Natyashastra, Nritya Ratna Kosha, Sangeet Ratnakara, Sangeet Darapan, Natya Darpan, Dasharupaka and vivid Tamil and Sanskrit literature. ‘Bharata’: The college is named after the great sage Bharata, the author of the Natyashastra, a Sanskrit treatise on Indian dance and dramaturgy written over two millenniums ago. The word ‘Bharata’ is a union of three elements – Bha (bhava, the feeling) + Ra (raga, the melody) + Ta (tala, the rhythm).
Certified Courses Offered in Bharatanatyam & Kathak:
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Pre-Degree Diploma – 2 years
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Bachelor of Arts (Dance) – 3 years
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w Master of Arts (Dance) – 2 years
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Ph.D. Studies in Dance
Kala Paricchaya
Founded in 1981 by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Kala Paricchaya has in a cultural journey spanning over four decades, produced dynamic generations of artists that have been engaged in performance, teaching, choreography, dance journalism and critical appreciation, arts management, dance photography, dance therapy and other fields. Kala Paricchaya students emerge as performers mastering the classical dance technique along with learning dance notations, comprehensive theories, and sense of tala, music and choreography attributed to the logical teaching methodology and performance wing training. The centre has established a serene environment for integrated learning in classroom sessions, through performances and study tours.
(Courses for school students)
Government Recognised Certified Courses Offered in Bharatanatyam & Kathak:
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Prathama (Level I) – 2 years
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Dvitiya (Level II) – 2 years
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Madhyama (Level II) – 2 years
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Vidvath (Level IV) – 2 years
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Visharad (Level V) – 2 years