Dashavatar

This is what it's all about.

Dashavatar – A Contemporary Kathak Magnum Opus

Saturday, 22 August 2026 | 6:00–7:30 PM Aula Kantonsschule Wetzikon, Bühlstrasse 36, 8620 Wetzikon, Zurich

I am bringing Dashavatar, an extraordinary Kathak dance production by internationally acclaimed Guru Dr. Pali Chandra and her ensemble, to audiences in Switzerland.

As President of the Swiss Indian Fine Arts Association, I am passionate about creating opportunities for people in Switzerland to experience the depth, beauty and diversity of Indian classical arts. I started working on this project because I believe these traditions should not remain distant stories from the past. They can still speak to us, inspire us and bring communities together today.

Why Dashavatar?

Dashavatar tells the story of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Each avatar appears at a moment when the world needs protection, courage, healing, balance or renewal.

Through this production, Guru Dr. Pali Chandra asks a question that feels especially relevant today:

What qualities does our world need, and how can each of us help restore balance?

The performance is rooted in Kathak but presented in a fresh and contemporary way. Classical dance is combined with elements of yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, contemporary movement and powerful theatrical storytelling. The result is a visually striking production that can be enjoyed by audiences from every cultural background—even those experiencing Kathak for the first time.

Why I need your support

Bringing an international ensemble and a production of this scale to Switzerland involves significant costs, including travel, accommodation, venue hire, technical production and promotion.

With your support, we can present this work at the artistic standard it deserves, make it accessible to a wider audience and continue creating meaningful cultural experiences in Switzerland.

For me, Dashavatar is more than a performance. It is a way to preserve our cultural heritage, share it with the next generation and build bridges between communities through art.

I would be deeply grateful to have you join us on this journey.

My project is special because ...

I believe Dashavatar is special because it makes an ancient story feel alive, relevant and accessible to people today.

Through Kathak, internationally acclaimed artist Guru Dr. Pali Chandra and her ensemble bring the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu to the stage—from Matsya, the fish, to Kalki, the future avatar. Each incarnation represents qualities that our world still needs: courage, compassion, wisdom, protection and the restoration of balance.

What excites me most is the way the production respects classical Kathak while presenting it in a fresh and imaginative form. Pali Chandra combines expressive storytelling, music and traditional movement with elements of yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts and contemporary theatre. Each avatar therefore has its own distinctive energy—from the fluidity of Matsya and the strength of Varaha to the intensity of Narasimha and the grace of Krishna.

For me, this is more than bringing a beautiful performance to Switzerland. I want children, young people and audiences from different cultural backgrounds to discover Indian heritage through an experience that is engaging, understandable and emotionally powerful.

With your support, we can bring this ambitious production to the Swiss stage and make a high-quality cultural experience accessible to a diverse audience.

This is what I need backing for.

I need your support to bring Guru Dr. Pali Chandra and her international ensemble to Switzerland for Dashavatar on 22 August 2026 at Aula Kantonsschule Wetzikon.

Dashavatar is the result of decades of Pali Ji’s artistic work, research and dedication. She has drawn inspiration from Kathak, mythology, music, philosophy and movement traditions from around the world to create a production that is both deeply classical and strikingly contemporary.

Bringing a production of this scale to Switzerland involves considerable costs. Your contribution will help us cover:

• travel and accommodation for the artists and musicians
• venue hire, lighting, sound and technical production
• costumes, staging and production logistics
• promotion and outreach to children, students and diverse communities

For me, this project is not only about organising one performance. I want to give audiences in Switzerland the opportunity to experience world-class Indian classical art and help younger generations connect with these stories in a meaningful and inspiring way.

Your backing will help us preserve and share the heritage of Kathak, support the artists who have dedicated their lives to it, and build a cultural bridge between India and Switzerland.

Every contribution, large or small, brings us one step closer to welcoming the artists to Switzerland and bringing Dashavatar to life on stage.