India’s going to be a hot topic this month – and we don’t mean just the weather.
Election results come in tomorrow Tuesday 4 June, and we’re gearing up to see it covered on every major media platform perhaps for the rest of the week. And a bit after. The world’s largest democracy having its say on who should lead it for the next five years, is attention-grabbing for a whole host of reasons.
Meanwhile, there’s a good variety of events within the community at which the very same topic will be discussed at length, and vociferously no doubt.
Pick your event(s) from our list below.
Check out our What’s On listings for details of these and other events this month.
Oh, and if we’ve missed your event, drop us a line on editor@indianlink.com.au – we’ll be happy to add it here.
Big Ticket Events
We’re kicking off the month with Sonu Nigam, the versatile vocalist who has enchanted Bollywood with his soulful renditions. This month, he’s set to mesmerise audiences in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide (talk about a down-under tour). His evergreen songs such as Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Suraj Hua Maddham, Sandese Aate Hain, Main Agar Kahoon are sure to touch your hearts and become a memorable night.
Next up, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the qawwal who has taken his Sufi mysticism successfully to Bollywood. He’s bringing his particular magic to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide this month where we know he will pack out the arenas. Sing along, or dance along, to Tere mast mast do nain, Aafreen Aafreen, Jiya Dhadak Dhadak, Tere Bin, O Re Piya.
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Musician duo Sachin-Jigar are making their way down under too this month. With hits like Tere Vaaste, Apna Bana Le, Shaam Gulabi, Mileya Mileya and more, the pair has kept their listeners ‘Uljha’ in their songs, and are all set to re-create their version of Bollywood magic on stage.
Punjabi readers will be looking forward to another big ticket event: singer-actor-director Gurnam Bhullar, live on stage.
Arty Farty Indian-Australian events in June
The award-winning Counting and Cracking has created quite the buzz in Melbourne this month. Sydneysiders will get another chance to see it soon after the Melbourne season ends, and before it jets off overseas. Wonderful to see the rise and rise of this South Asian production.
Meanwhile the three-month season of the international Biennale of Sydney comes to a close very shortly – your last chance this weekend to see some stunning works by Indian-origin artists.
India in the mainstream
Besides the arts, there are other events where you will get to see fellow desis in the mainstream this month.
Banker-turned-environmentalist Satyajit Das of Sydney is drawing attention with his latest book Wild Quests, which offers unique insights on ecotourism and tells truths about humanity’s failure as guardians of the world. Having just spoken about the book at a Vivid event, he will be presenting now at Writers at Stanton on 11 June and Roaring Stories on 27 June.
A UNSW event will see Indian dyer and weaver Abishek Ganesh Jayashree talk about his work. The Bengaluru-based artist, who practices under the name Kaimurai, is the recipient of the Irene Davies International Residency Scholarship, and the Hancock Fellowship supported by the Tapestry Foundation of Australia.
Meanwhile at Monash Uni, join Daya Thussu, professor on international communication at Hong Kong Baptist University, as he delivers a talk entitled “The Rising Soft Power of India.”
If however, you’d prefer something more lighthearted, you might like Suhani Shah, mentalist – er, that means ‘mind reader’. She’ll pull you out of the audience, and with a prop or two, will tell you exactly what you’re thinking.
Community Scene
In community theatre, a brilliant production is upcoming in Sydney: The Peripheral by Natak Mandali, written by first-time writer Meena Mahanty Kumar and directed by theatre stalwart Dinsha Palkhivala.
Also, a chance to check out Jyotsna Jyoti’s An Artful Evening in Sydney; and in dance, a special felicitation of dancer Tara Rajkumar in Melbourne at InConcert’s Winter Festival.
As well, in Sydney, the dance film Sita by Raja Ravi Verma, featuring vocals by Bombay Jayshri.
If something more folksy is your thing, check out the Punjabi community in your city getting together for Teeyan Da Mela.
YOGA
It’s International Day of Yoga this month, the tenth year this ancient Indian well-being practice is being marked worldwide. Whatever type of yoga you prefer, there’s bound to be an event near you. Check out your local Indian Consulate, or Art of Living centre, or a branch of ASMY (Australian School of Meditation and Yoga), or Vasudeva Kriya Yoga in Melbourne or Spirit of India in Sydney.
If these Indian-Australian events in June don’t seem like your cup of chai, head to our What’s On section to see what tickles your fancy.
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