Junoon is an organization proposed with the awareness and diffusion of Classical Art – primarily Classical Dance.
The Artistic Residency offers artists a chance to explore their creative practice in a new environment while growing alongside our village. With the freedom to engage with local culture and the enthusiasm of students, artists can openly express their work and experience genuine appreciation for their craft. Immersed in the warmth of the villagers, the laughter of children, the strength of women, and the peaceful, green surroundings, artists often find their perspective—and their art—transformed. This residency is not just about creating; it’s about connecting, evolving, and seeing the world through the heart.
At Junoon, we’ve spent years working with children, dancers, and communities, holding space for learning, listening, and transformation. Over time, we began to feel the need for a similar space for artists. A space without demands or deadlines. A space to pause, observe, and be moved.
The Artistic Residency was born from this need, to offer artists the same depth of care and presence we offer our students. Not to create more, but to create more honestly. To sit with what’s already there.
This artistic residency is designed not only to support artists but also to contribute meaningfully to the development of the village. During their stay, the artists will engage with various community groups—including the girls of Junoon, aspiring women entrepreneurs, responsible men of the village, and students at the local high school. There will also be ample opportunity for informal interactions and conversations with villagers.
Throughout these engagements, the artist is encouraged to share their craft with children and showcase their work to the women of the village. This exchange promises a mutually enriching experience: children and women gain exposure to new forms of creative expression, while the artist finds a unique platform to share their passion and inspire others.
Note: In case you’re an instrumentalist or use equipment of any kind, you will have to carry your own practice instruments/equipment.
There is a road that leads into Dhasa.
It isn’t marked by milestones or grand gateways, but by a quiet shift.
The noise begins to fall away. The air changes. The earth feels closer.
And when you enter, it’s as if the place is waiting, not for attention, but for presence.
Dhasa teaches you to slow down.
To listen with your feet. To speak with your eyes.
It doesn’t ask for performance. It offers stillness.
And it is in this stillness that Junoon has grown its roots.
For years, we’ve built a relationship with this village through movement, stories, silences, and shared afternoons under neem trees. And now, we feel ready to open this space to artists, not just to witness, but to feel, reflect, and be shaped by what this place so generously offers.
The Junoon Artistic Residency is our invitation.
Not to escape the world, but to meet it more honestly.
To be moved not by noise, but by what is often overlooked.
We begin this journey with a heart full of learning, and we hope, over time, many others will come to Dhasa and find what they didn’t know they were looking for.
Location: Gujarat, Dhasa—a proper village with cattle strolling like VIPs and traditional women cooking food so delicious that your taste buds will thank you.
By plane: Nearest Airport: Rajkot City Airport (on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway). Dhasa is a 3.5 hour drive from the Rajkot airport.
By train: The city of Rajkot has a train station that has trains coming in from nearly every major and minor city in the country. The drive from Rajkot city’s station to Dhasa is about 3 hours.
We would be happy to provide traveling services from Rajkot to Dhasa at reasonable prices.
Considering the weather conditions and other factors of the village, here are the best months to visit and camp at our vidhyalaya:
Throughout the month of September
December to March
The beauty of the village awaits you.
Room for two—beds, bedsheets, pillows, table, chairs, and washroom
24-hour wifi (subject to weather conditions)
Beautiful courtyard with grass and trees, perfect for working with a peaceful mind
3 meals a day—home-cooked Gujarati meals
Village tour with the girls of Junoon
We recommend visiting for a period of a fortnight at least at a cost of Rs. 18000 and 10000 for one week.
You must know that this enables the monthly artistic education of a Junoon student at The Junoon Academy in Dhasa.
All artists with a vision to teach their art ahead and with a proper outcome from the visit.
Email us with your purpose for the visit at bangaruhemadevika@gmail.com
Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you!
Hema Devika,
Business Development and Social Impact Strategist,
Team Junoon,
India.