Crraft Of Art Celebrates 16 Years of Monument-Led Art with Water Festival at Adalaj Ni Vav
Ustad Fazal Qureshi Curates a Seamless Symphony of Music and Monument at Crraft Of Art’s Water Festival
Birwa Qureshi Marks 16 Years of Heritage Revival as Water Festival Returns to Adalaj Ni Vav
Water Festival 2025 to Illuminate Adalaj Ni Vav, Honouring Birwa Qureshi’s 16-Year Cultural Mission
Adalaj Ni Vav Set for a Cultural Showcase as Crraft Of Art’s Water Festival Enters its 16th Year
Sixteen Years Strong: Birwa Qureshi’s Water Festival Brings India’s Finest Artists to Adalaj Ni Vav
Crraft Of Art’s Water Festival at Adalaj Ni Vav Set to Celebrate 16 Years of Birwa Qureshi’s Monument Revival Movement
Bilkul Online | By Rafat Quadri
Ahmedabad | 16 Nov 2025
Crraft Of Art, the pioneering initiative known for reintroducing India’s architectural treasures to contemporary audiences, returns with its much-awaited Water Festival at Adalaj Ni Vav on November 23. Now in its 16th year, the festival stands as a testament not only to artistic excellence but also to founder Birwa Qureshi’s unwavering commitment to preserving heritage—even through the most challenging years, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Bharatanatyam and folk dancer, Birwa Qureshi has spent over a decade and a half building a cultural movement that reconnects people—especially younger audiences—to historic monuments. Her vision has transformed forgotten or overlooked spaces into vibrant stages where music, architecture, and memory converge. Even during the Covid years, when public events faced severe restrictions, Qureshi continued innovating through digital outreach, intimate performances, and heritage storytelling formats that kept Crraft Of Art’s mission alive.
“Completing 16 years is a deeply meaningful milestone for us,” said Birwa Qureshi, Founder and Artistic Director of Crraft Of Art. “Water Festival remains a tribute to India’s extraordinary architectural heritage, and Adalaj Ni Vav continues to inspire us year after year. Our endeavour has always been to bring monuments alive through soulful performances, allowing history to be experienced, not just observed. We look forward to creating yet another evening where architecture, music and memory resonate together.”
This year, the Water Festival 2025 will captivate audiences with a stellar line-up of globally acclaimed artists, including Ustad Fazal Qureshi (tabla), Ambi Subramaniam (violin), Stephen Devassy (keyboard), Mir Mukhtiyar Ali (Kabir Vani), Giridhar Udupa (ghatam), Arun Kumar (drums), Navin Sharma (dholak), Prithvi Samuel (bass) and Ilyas Khan (sarangi). The festival will also showcase a special performance by the Kathakali School from Kerala, adding another layer of classical depth to the evening. Well-known actor, presenter and performer Suchitra Pillai will host the event.
Beyond the performances, the festival will transform Adalaj Ni Vav with imaginative lighting design, accentuating its intricate stonework and historic grandeur. The event is supported by Gujarat Tourism, with Adani Group as co-sponsor. My FM joins as the Radio Partner, while Selvel Media supports as the Outdoor Partner.
As part of World Heritage Week, Crraft Of Art will also curate three special experiences with support from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation—the Dotara-accompanied guided walk “Whispers of the Walls”, the heritage-cum-culinary walk “Ras Rivāj”, and the sketching trail “Otlo: Stories in Line”—all designed to spark deeper conversations around India’s intangible heritage.
The organisation is also set to host the Golconda Fort Festival in Hyderabad on December 12, marking another milestone in its expanding national presence. “This event reflects Crraft Of Art’s commitment to bringing heritage-led artistic experiences to audiences across the country,” Qureshi added.
With the continued support and guidance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Crraft Of Art has, over the past 16 years, delivered more than 36 heritage festivals across Gujarat and Maharashtra, keeping India’s architectural legacy relevant, accessible, and artistically alive. The Water Festival 2025 carries forward this mission—honouring the past, inspiring the present, and nurturing appreciation for heritage among future generations.
Entry is free with prior registration on a first-come, first-served basis at bookmyshow.com.
Kindly Like the shared links and Subscribe our channel for such valuable inputs. https://youtube.com/shorts/jyPPF11xwcg?feature=share https://youtu.be/3CyM9YP7nUI
