There’s no better way to start the new year than with somewhere to be and something to see every week! While we may not see many starry nights this month, there are many dazzling community gems that will be sure to catch your eye. From celebrating the harvest season above the equator to stage sensations that will soothe the soul, expect to have a lighter wallet this January.
January has no shortage of opportunities for you to have some summer fun with the Indian Australian community so grab your calendar and pen in these events. Take a look at our What’s On listings to find out more about these and other Indian-Australian events taking place in the month of January.
In case we’ve missed your event, drop us a line at editor@indianlink.com.au and we’ll gladly include it here.
INDIA’S REPUBLIC DAY
On the same Friday that Aussies will be enjoying a day off, India will be commemorating the day its constitution was cemented in history. If this is a date that makes you feel a bit homesick, fear not, for the Australian Indian community has some events in store to celebrate in unity. Of course you’ll head out to the Indian Consulate in your city to hear the President’s message and then see the tiranga unfurled, but there are other events too.
A couple of exciting events await the Indian community in Sydney with the United Indian Associations (UIA) hosting its Republic Day Cup badminton tournament as well as a gala Republic Day Dinner to follow. Folks in the Gold Coast have GOPIO’s India Republic Day 2024 event at Robina Town Centre that is promising cultural stalls, classic Indian dishes, and colourful dances galore. Heading south, Indians in Tasmania better add the Republic Day Celebrations being hosted in Hobart to their calendars.
Even if your local hubs may not be going all out for the occasion, dedicate the date to celebrating India with your friends and family on 26 Jan.
UDI, UDI JAYE
Kites at the ready! Celebrate Makar Sankranti with your community as local kite festivals are spread like confetti across the country this month. Kite flying events to keep your eye on are being held in Wembley in Western Australia, Mount Gravatt in Queensland, Berwick in Victoria, Castle Hill in Sydney and Semaphore Park in South Australia.
LO AA GAYI LOHRI VE
Alongside colourful kites, bonfires will burn bright to mark the North Indian harvest celebration of Lohri. Lohri is mainly celebrated by the Punjabi, Haryanvi, Himachali and Dogra communities the day before Makar Sankrati. Considering how Lohri is a festival fuelled by unity, it is no surprise there are an array of celebrations inviting locals to join in the festivities.
Around the country, Lohri is being celebrated in Modbury North in South Australia, Strathpine in Queensland, Windsor in Sydney and in Rowville in Victoria. Be sure to look out for more, or even host your own Lohri at home with those who celebrate!
A PROSPEROUS PONGAL
The harvest season in India means many things to different communities and with this comes many amazing celebrations unique to one another. Australia’s Tamil community is gearing up for one of the most revered occasions of the solar calendar, Pongal. Pongal coincides with Makar Sankranti but is recognised with different traditions unique to the Tamil community.
Pongal festivals are popping up everywhere this month! If you’re in Murphy Creek in Queensland, South Brisbane in Queensland, Camberwell in Victoria, Melton in Victoria, Merrylands in Sydney and in Light’s Square in Adelaide, you’re in luck because Pongal is being celebrated locally to you.
DESIS DOWN UNDER
It seems the new year hangover may be a month long for the big names in Bollywood. While we have more desi diamonds heading down under next month, there a few familiar faces who could make a night out more interesting this January.
Sydney Festival is already well underway but if there is one act we would sell a kidney to see, it is Sitar queen Anoushka Shankar. With nine Grammy nominations to her name, the magic of her music runs through her veins as she also carries the legacy of her father Ravi Shankar. While an intimate studio session with the Sitar sensation is already sold out, be quick to join the waitlist to see her perform at the Sydney Opera House.
For those seeking something rooted more in spiritualty, Sadhguru will be in Sydney this month for an inaugural experiential event like no other. Achieve divine bliss this month with the day-long program of meditations and wisdom sharing guided by Sadhguru at the International Convention Centre.
If you’re truly missing the filmy evenings spent with legends of Indian cinema, Crime Master Gogo is on his way! A Bollywood Gala Night with Shakti Kapoor is being hosted in Granville, Sydney, so don’t miss the chance to meet the comic villain himself.
LOCAL GEMS
After December 2023 saw most mics drop and the stage lights dim before the new year, it looks like things are still a bit quiet across Australian community halls. While local groups are still getting into the groove of the new year, it might be worth ticking off these two events in the meantime.
Kiara Rodrigues has been working her way up in Australian country music, having had toes tapping to her tunes ever since she was 9. Make sure to catch her at her premier headline show at the Tamworth Country Music Festival later this month.
If you added something along the lines of ‘to get fit’ or ‘to not have two left feet’ to your new year’s resolution, we might have the perfect program for you. Sydney Bollywood’s Dance Detox is welcoming all dancers to have their taste of 10 different South Asian dance styles over one-week. Find your best leggings and get your feet going this January with some thumkas to desi beats!
If these Indian Australian events this January don’t seem like your cup of chai, there’s plenty more happening around you next month!
To find out where, head to our What’s On section.
