T
he Nandikeshwara Festival is an annual celebration of Carnatic music and Indian classical arts held in Melbourne, Australia. It typically runs alongside the Melbourne Trinity Heritage Festival, spotlighting both established masters and the next generation of classical musicians and dancers.
The epicentre of activity is the Peacock Hall at the Hindu Society of Victoria (HSV) / Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs.
The festival features congregational renditions of classical masterpieces, grand concerts by leading Australia-based Carnatic musicians including vocalists, veena, violin, flute, and percussion artists as well as ensemble performances by students.
Young musicians and dancers from premier academies carry forward the classical tradition through dedicated recitals.
The event is highly inclusive and serves as a congregational offering of devotion to classical composers, supported by academies such as the Academy of Indian Music Australia.
The driving force behind Melbourne’s Nandikeshwara Festival is Ravi M. Ravichandhira (OAM). Alongside his wife, Narmatha Ravichandhira, he serves as the Artistic Director of the festival, which has become a major annual celebration of Carnatic classical music and dance.
Ravi Ravichandhira is a highly decorated Carnatic percussionist, an initiated disciple of the legendary mridangam maestro Kaaraikkudi R. Mani, and the founder of the Academy of Indian Music & Cultural Studies in Australia.
On May 23, 2026, as part of this year’s featured offerings, the festival hosted the eminent violinist-vocalist from India, Delhi P. Sunderrajan.
Sunderrajan needs no introduction in Carnatic music circles. Parasuraman Sunderrajan is popularly known as Delhi P. Sunderrajan, having lived in Delhi for a considerable period of time. He is a disciple of Sangeetha Bhushanam V. Janakiraman.
Delhi P. Sunderrajan was recognised as a child prodigy. A violin virtuoso, he has accompanied musical stalwarts of every hue. He has the rare distinction of winning the prestigious Madras Music Academy award for Best Accompanying Violinist for three consecutive years.
He is also a vocalist of considerable stature. He belongs to that rare breed of versatile artists who excel both as a vocalist (gayaka) and as a violin virtuoso. This combination is uncommon in the world of Carnatic classical music.
What further enriches his repertoire is his vast stage experience, gained through accompanying at least a dozen maestros representing vastly different styles (banis). His flawless renditions are the result of this immense exposure and experience.
A master craftsman deeply versed in both the technical and aesthetic dimensions of various kritis, he possesses the ability to reveal musical genius to every discerning rasika when on stage.
Another lesser-known fact about this stalwart is that he is pursuing his PhD dissertation on the art of violin at Annamalai University.
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