October is the busiest month of the year at the Indian Link office – and no doubt it is for you too. Having just put Ganesh away (or to water!), we’re now dusting off those dandiya sticks and airing out the chaniya cholis for Garba, starting to think about Diwali, and RSVP-ing to those pre-wedding gala events before the Big Fat Indian Wedding season kicks off in November.
As if your October weekends are not full already, there’s this huge list of cultural events that you are aching to get to. Wondering how to fit it all in, in this Jashn-e-bahaar (celebration of spring?) Join the gang…  And say Hi to AR Rahman!
Pick your event(s) from our list below, and check out our What’s On listings for more.
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
So you’ve got your tickets to the AR Rahman concert. Oh, couldn’t get them for Melbourne? Of course you’re going to the Sydney show then. Or vice versa. The mood is not exactly Taylor Swift… but close, you get the drift.
And on the very same date as ARR in Sydney, why, it’s Adnan Sami!
Wonder if the two will give shoutouts to each other during the night. indian australian eventsÂ
ARR of course stays on in Sydney for SXSW Sydney (for which Adnan is not a bad fit himself, if only the organisers knew).
Joining Rahman at SXSW Sydney, an arts festival at the intersection of the interactive, film, television and music industries, is an impressive line-up of performers from India, in a showcase of sorts, titled +91 Calling. Look out for hip-hop, pop, R&B, club, and indie, from artistes like KRSNA, KAVYA, Yung Raja, Mali, Renao, Manara and Chor Bazaar.
If you’re not into the new music blazing out of India atm, you might prefer Abhijeet Bhattacharya – he of Tumhe jo maine dekha fame.
If it’s contemporary Bollywood that’s on your playlist, then you’ll probably be off to Karan Aujla – the Indian-Canadian singer currently riding the waves with his massive hit Husn tera tauba tauba tauba.
That’s one action-packed month for lovers of Indian music.
Home grown acts
Melbourne Fringe has just kicked off, and there’s plenty of Indian / South Asian links: a contemporary dance solo presentation by Joshinder Chaggar (of Studio J Dance); Kathak by Aishwarya and Sharvari in ‘Echoes of Her’; ‘Durga Shakti’, a Mahishasura Mardini presentation by Nepalese theatre initiative Breakthrough Theatre, and a Bharatanatyam inspired contemporary production ‘Temple of Desire’ by Govind Pillai and Raina Petersen of Karma Dance which blurs the lines between kama and moksha. Plus of course an impressive list of South Asian stand-up comics.
In the Sydney community, it’s theatre that’s causing the buzz. Currently staging is Nautanki Theatre’s Ten Years To Home by Sonal Moore. Up next will be Adakar Theatre’s Pali Hill Ki Ek Raat by Saba Zaidi Abdi, and Vipul Vyas’ Gujarati comedy The Perfect Husband. More to come in November.
Meanwhile from Perth, our pick of community events is from Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya, where the youthful tabla virtuoso Siva Kumar presents a solo recital entitled ‘Taal Sadhana’ – he’s definitely one to watch in coming years.
Health and good livingÂ
If you’re into inner awareness, consciousness and personal growth, no doubt you’re looking forward to Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who comes Down Under after a substantial gap.
Also visiting us is another modern-day mystic, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, founder of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur.
Both spiritual leaders are expected to fill out their venues. indian australian events
Large scale festival events
Navratri or Nine Nights Festival which kicks off today, is typically marked with communal gatherings to dance the Garba in giant circles. This weekend and next will see the chaniya cholis swirling and the Gujarati dancers twirling in community halls in western suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. Check out our listings to find one near you.
Durga Puja at the end of it is always the event of the year for Bengalis. Again, check our listings.
Diwali may be on 1 Nov this year, but like every year, expect the Festival of Lights to extend over an entire month. The Hindu Council of Australia takes the lead yet again in organising its Diwali fairs across the nation, but there’s bound to be another large/medium/small-scale Diwali celebration around wherever you live.
(Our pick: non profit organisation Pratham Australia’s Diwali in Sydney – a fundraiser for its Second Chance program which provides continuing education to girls in India.)
India in the mainstream
Historian and writer William Dalrymple will be visiting our shores this month, to talk about his latest book How Ancient Indian Transformed The World. It’s been receiving rave reviews the world over and given the great story teller he is, expect him to wow the crowds at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth over the next few weeks.
Over at Perth, the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA24) is in the last month of its three-month run: it includes some wonderful Indian artists working with paper, weave, textile and embroidery.
The National Gallery of Victoria is organising its second ‘Indian Community Day’ after the success of its inaugural event last year, the first of its kind in the nation. On the agenda are cultural workshops, panel discussions, music and dance, and delicious Indian cuisine.
Meanwhile, the Indian Festival of Melbourne organised by Foodie Trails is back again – this celebration of India at the iconic Queen Vic Markets has become a mainstay in Melbourne’s vibrant multicultural calendar.
If these Indian Australian events this October don’t seem like your cup of chai, there’s plenty more happening around you next month!
READ ALSO: ARR returns to Aus
