Swathi Thirunal Festival is organized during the month of September / October, in Charlotte, NC.

You can participate by registering for the event.  Registrations are accepted/announced during the month of September / October.

Please check the 'Registration Guidelines' under 'Events -> Festival' from the menu bar,  for additional information before registering.

Anyone with interest in Indian classical music can participate. Participation is based on the application(s) submitted.  Applications/registration are accepted during the month of September.

We have four categories for participants.

• Vocal
• Instrumental
• Bharatnatyam
• Kuchupudi
• Mohiniyattam

These categories are subject to change or additional categories could be introduced based on requests received and approved by the committee members.

Each participant can submit one individual/solo entry in each category.

If additional individual/solo submissions are required, they can send an email and we will place your request in wait list. Based on the number of registrations received we will, on a first come first serve basis make our selection and inform you.

Please review the guidelines before submitting entries/registration.

Participants will pay a nominal entry fee of $20.00 irrespective of the number of categories he/she wishes to perform.

There is no entry fee for attendees.  However, we encourage donations to help support our incidental expenses.

We encourage participants to sing Swathi Thirunal compositions.   Maharaja Swathi Thirunal has composed over 400 krithis in major Indian languages. 

A list of krithis, their lyrics and meaning can be found on our website by selecting 'Swathi Thirunal' from the menu bar.

We currently do not have any age limits for children. However, it is suggested that children with a few years of classical music training participate.

In the vocal and instrument categories, children can submit entries of maximum 8 minutes duration and adults can submit entries of maximum 10 minutes duration.  In the dance category entries should not exceed 10 minutes.

This is not a competition. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was a prolific composer and one of the most influential figures in the history of Indian classical music. A platform for both children and adults to perform his compositions is a fantastic way to preserve and promote this rich cultural heritage.

Creating an avenue for people to showcase their appreciation for Indian classical art forms through performances can help foster a deeper connection to the music and culture. It can also encourage more individuals to explore and learn about Swathi Thirunal's compositions, thereby contributing to the broader understanding of Indian classical music.

All participants will receive a participation certificate for their performance.  

Maharaja Swathi Thirunal composed over 400 krithis between the ages of 19 and 32. These krithis are in various languages which include Hindi, Sanskrit, Malayalam, Telugu, Portuguese and Spanish.

The purpose of this festival is to provide an opportunity for music enthusiasts to come together and share their talent and common love of Sri Swati Thirunal’s compositions.