About
Welcome Bharathakshetra
“Art & artists are for the wellbeing of our nation.”
Founder of Bharathakshetra School of Dance and Music in India, Shri Jayan is an accomplished musician, dancer, choreographer and an inspiring teacher of Indian dance and music. Alongside his full-time dedication to the academy, he has worked on special commissions for television, theatre and cultural performances. Since 2005 he has served as a resident musician, guest choreographer, dancer and martial artist with Dance Ihayami, UK, while conducting masterclasses across the world in classical dance, music and martial arts.
Bharatham
Bharatham is Bharathakshetra’s own resident dance group in Thiruvananthapuram. Formed in 2011, the group works closely with teachers from various art forms in training and choreography, and has performed across India and appeared on television. It gives young dancers from every discipline — folk, classical, cinematic, western — the chance to sharpen their skills, collaborate across art forms, and explore new creative directions.
Kathakali ‘N’ Club
A Kathakali club organised for performance and discussion. Anyone with an interest in the art form is invited to this monthly gathering, hosted at the Bharathakshetra premises.
Our Story
Bharathakshetra is a renowned cultural centre of Thiruvananthapuram carrying a legacy of 38 years. Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra, the prime disciple of Padmasree Guru Gopinath, laid the foundation of this esteemed organisation. In the beginning it had a modest strength of two students; from 23rd April 1982 to today, Bharathakshetra has grown into a socially responsible cultural centre with a student strength of more than 500 and over 20 teachers across various sections.
Bharathakshetra provides classes in classical dance forms including Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Keralanadanam, Ottan Thullal and Kathakali. It also extends learning opportunities in Mridangam, Keyboard, Thabala, Veena, Chenda, Guitar, Drums, Classical Music, Violin (both Western and Classical), Flute, Drawing, Painting and Kalaripayattu. All classes are conducted directly under the guidance of Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra, by experienced and talented teachers from all over Kerala.
Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra has proved himself a great dancer and choreographer through his many choreographies. He has invented new ideas and styles across his work, and productions such as “Kalachakram”, “Kunchan Nambiar” and “Aadikavya Natyanjali” parade his talent. Classes are scheduled to suit the convenience of all age groups — Bharathakshetra always encourages and supports those interested in learning the arts.
Bharathakshetra's annual programmes are truly momentous. We celebrate a four-day anniversary connected with Vijayadasami at Vayllopalli Samskriti Bhavan, showcasing the talents of our students in the presence of esteemed guests from the social, cultural and political world. The encouragement and support of dedicated teachers, along with the deep backing of parents, make the event a historic one every year.
In spite of the monetary demands, Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra continues to extend his role in the field of art. To date we have never accepted financial support from the government or any other organisation — in an age shaped so heavily by social media, we alone remain responsible for protecting our traditional art forms.
It is high time we realise the importance of conserving Kerala’s historical and ancestral art forms.
It is high time we realise and accept the importance of conserving Kerala's historical and ancestral art forms. An institute like Bharathakshetra matters only if we are as concerned about acquiring knowledge of our own traditions as a foreigner might be. After acquiring detailed knowledge of different art forms, Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra took the initiative to uplift them — he holds many unique ideologies, of which he has been able to fulfil only a few in these 38 years.
Kathakali, the traditional art form of Kerala, is steadily losing its viewers. Bharathakshetra initiated the “Bharathakshetra Kathakali Club” to encourage Kathakali learners and give them the chance to perform and view Kathakali alongside detailed demonstration. The club also extends the chance to meet and perform with maestros of the art.
Bharathakshetra also encourages the reading habit among children. A monthly programme called “Kavya Poojayum Sahithya Charchayum” is arranged for kids under the leadership of poets and writers, who guide participants in writing poems, with appreciable work awarded prizes. Bharathakshetra also serves as a venue for Bhagavad Gita chanting by ladies, helping them build friendly relationships and boost their wellbeing.
Worth noting: Bharathakshetra does not charge any fee for conducting these events — they remain among the few goals Sri Jayan Bharathakshetra has quietly achieved. We also offer free education in the arts to talented children from different schools, and Bharathakshetra can fairly be considered a charitable institution, extending fee concessions to students who are financially constrained.
After witnessing the noticeable functioning of Bharathakshetra, Sri Kummanam Rajasekharan, the former Governor of Mizoram, found time to visit and offer valuable suggestions. Smt. Sobha Surendran's visit was also a notable one, and Sri Rajasenan, the renowned Malayalam film director, frequently visits the institution and evaluates its growth.
The dream of Bharathakshetra is a world shaped by a happy way of life, grounded in the knowledge of our traditional values and art. We have a great support system of more than 500 students aged 3 to 70, and an active team of 20 talented teachers working to sustain that dream. We also hope for the continued support of like-minded people, and we arrange a system of “Dakshina” for needy artists, which we hope to expand. We consider this our vision.
