How a Connecticut University Became a Haven for Carnatic Music
TL;DR
- Wesleyan University hosts the oldest Carnatic festival outside of India, celebrating its 50th year.
- The Navaratri Festival grew from informal Friday music gatherings held in a local farmhouse kitchen in the late 1950s and 1960s.
- The event connects to the legacy of the Dhanammal family, whose artists faced limited performance opportunities in India at the time.
- American ethnomusicologist Robert Brown helped bring members of the Dhanammal family to the United States.
For fifty years, Wesleyan University in Connecticut has hosted the Navaratri Festival, recognized as the oldest celebration of Carnatic music and dance outside India. The event features South Indian classical arts through performances, teaching, and academic research.
The festival traces its roots back to informal Friday gatherings known as curry concerts in a farmhouse kitchen near the campus during the late 1950s. These meetings brought together ethnomusicologists, music enthusiasts, and performers, including Carnatic vocalist Jon Higgins.
The institution's connection to Indian classical arts deepened as members of Veena Dhanammal's family relocated to the United States. Following encouragement from American ethnomusicologist Robert Brown, artists such as T Viswanathan and T Ranganathan found academic homes in the US after facing marginalized performance opportunities in India.
Why It Matters
The Navaratri Festival at Wesleyan University illustrates the historical migration and academic preservation of South Indian classical arts in North America. By providing a platform for legendary practitioners and contemporary artists alike, the institution has played a significant role in fostering cross-cultural understanding and keeping traditional Carnatic music and dance alive for the Indian diaspora and global audiences.
Oct 31, 2026 · Updated 10/31/2026, 7:21:14 AM · Reported with: Scroll.in
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