At the top of the Museum hill lies nestled a most beautiful Open Air Amphitheatre, that for 3 evenings, became the venue for a brilliant display of the folk and tribal forms of our country.

Designed by architects Raj and Arundhaty Nayar, the stage has received appreciation from none other than Smt Leela Samson for its size, proportions and viewing angle. It has seen numerous classical and contemporary artists perform at the Museum’s own annual flagship event Museum Fest.

The Chenda team of Kalamandalam Ratheesh Bhas and Group from Shoranur opened the Deśaj Festival at the feet of the statue of Parasurama in front of the History Museum

The month of December was a special one at the Kerala Museum.

The Deśaj Festival in its 18th edition at Kochi, organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and its constituent unit Kutiyattam Kendra Thiruvananthapuram, hosted 7 folk performances on each day, the 20th, 21st and 22nd of December 2018.

A rare opportunity to experience the energy of the folk performers, with their resounding drums, live music and feats of bravery, the amphitheatre was packed to the brim every evening with Kochiites showing up in good numbers to enjoy the show.

Curated and executed with perfection, the elegant and minimal stage and set were designed by award winning lighting designer Sreekanth Nair whose work is par excellence.

The show was presented by RJ Karthik.

For more on each dance form and to watch clips of the performances showcased at Deśaj Kochi 2018 check out our Instagram feed @keralamuseum