What happens when a woman’s destiny is written for her—without her consent?
Can a goddess be born not out of power, but out of pain?

Artist Showcase – Featuring Archana Raja (From Bay Area, California)
Presenting Yellamma – Birth of a Goddess

In Yellamma – Birth of a Goddess, California-based artist Archana Raja invites you into the haunting and powerful journey of Renuka—a princess whose transformation into the goddess Yellamma is shaped not by choice, but by circumstance.

Told through Kuchipudi, a vibrant and expressive form of Indian classical dance, this one-woman performance weaves together story, rhythm, and emotion to explore deep questions about gender, agency, and the silent forces that shape our identities.

Archana, originally trained in Bharatanatyam, found a renewed calling in Kuchipudi in her late twenties. Since then, she has committed herself to bringing fresh, relevant voices to this ancient art form. Yellamma is her debut full-length solo work—raw, lyrical, and unafraid to ask difficult questions.

Who gets to tell a woman’s story? And what happens when she tells it herself—through her body, her breath, and her truth?

Don’t miss this powerful performance, which brings forgotten stories to light and invites us to listen more closely.