EVENTS: New York Diary
A Midsummer Night’s Free Indian Feast at Lincoln Center
A free trip to India – without boarding a plane!
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]eet Padma Lakshmi! Watch the best Indian-American stand-up comics! Experience Garba Night and learn how to do the Garba! And did I mention DJ Rekha and Silent Discos, GRAMMY-nominated singer Priya Darshini with her all-star band at Jazz Underground, and the blockbuster RRR under the stars?
Two of my favorite places are coming together – India and Lincoln Center and in my favorite season – summer! So get yourself to to Lincoln Center for the fabulous India Week which is going to bring the art music and dances to Damrosch Park. And the good news is it’s all free and you get to see the best and also be with family and friends and be outdoors on a summer evening.
It’s a big Indian feast of arts, culture and music – and it’s free. First come, first served! This year’s festival will immerse audiences in a range of festivities that highlight the depth of India’s cultural landscape from July 10-14, showcasing the country’s music, dance, art, cuisine, and much more!
The programming has all the names you love, from Padma Lakshmi to DJ Rekha to Aasif Mandvi and some of the best dance and music companies. You may just be tempted to camp out for the full week.
Some highlights of the week include:
- Comedy from Aasif Mandvi, Hari Kondabolu, Nimesh Patel, Aparna Nancherla, and Kiran Deol.
- The U.S. premiere of Samsara presented by the Aakash Odedra Company, an epic, mythological dance piece based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.
- Ragamala Dance Company’s Avimukta: Where the Seeker Meets the Sacred featuring mother/daughter soloists Ranee Ramaswamy, Aparna Ramaswamy, and Ashwini Ramaswamy
- Five nights of Silent Discos and dancing led by a roster of world-renowned South Asian DJs curated by DJ Rekha, including, Ashu Rai, Offering Rain, Rajuju, and DJ Raat Ki Rani.
- A conversation presented in partnership with PEN America featuring distinguished NYC-based writers and creators of Indian descent.
- A concert production by Obie Award-winning writer/director Shayok Misha Chowdhury, whose recent play, Public Obscenities was singled out as one of the best theater works of 2023.
- GRAMMY-nominated singer Priya Darshini with her all-star band at Jazz Underground.
- A morning of mindfulness practices, breathwork, and gentle stretches led by dancer and yogi, Minila Shah.
- The 1920-set action blockbuster film “RRR,” starring N.T. Rama Rao, Jr. and Ram Charan, with the showstopping dance number “Naatu Naatu,” for which composer M.M. Keeravani became the first Indian artist to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Avimukta: Where the Seeker Meets the Sacred
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Damrosch Park
Celebrating the beauty and vibrancy of Indian culture with an extravaganza of events that highlight the depth of India’s cultural landscape, India Week kicks off with the acclaimed Ragamala Dance Company’s Avimukta: Where the Seeker Meets the Sacred. In the work, seven dancers undertake rituals of sacred contemplation that become an ecstatic prayer celebrating the inevitable dissolution of life. The evening features mother/daughter soloists Ranee Ramaswamy, Aparna Ramaswamy, and Ashwini Ramaswamy as they honor the memories of their ancestors in a production that’s both “rapturous and profound” (The New York Times). Run time: 1 hour
Rajuju
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 9:00 pm
The Dance Floor
India Week continues with silent discos curated by DJ Rekha! Dance to the rhythms and sounds spun by renowned DJ and New York-based artist Rajuju Brown. Rajuju gained recognition from his music duo Grumby and his staple DJ residencies across NYC. In 2017, Rajuju was selected by NBC as one of the top emerging artists in the Asian American community. He has an uncanny ability to move crowds through music which has taken him around the world, and now he joins us at Lincoln Center for the first time. Don’t miss this amazing night of music and dance under the stars!
Garba360 Featuring Ujjval Vyas Musicals
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 6:30 pm
The Dance Floor
Celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of Indian culture and folk dance traditions with Garba360 as part of India Week, featuring Ujjval Vyas Musicals, dance instruction by Heena Patel, and produced by MELA Arts Connect. An essential component of wedding celebrations and the nine-day fall Hindu festival Navratri, garba is an intoxicating, high-energy folk dance style from northwestern India marked by hand claps and twirls. Danced in a circle (reflecting the cyclical Hindu conception of time), garba steps can be anything from a simple two-step to intricate movements. At Garba360, you’ll learn garba, sanedo, and other Gujarati folk dances with the instructors, and dance (or just listen) to live music!
Sonny Singh
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 7:30 pm
David Rubenstein Atrium
Celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of Punjabi and Sikh culture with Sonny Singh! Simultaneously spiritual and rebellious, Sonny Singh’s music is a reminder that hope, love, and devotion are crucial to our struggles and our collective survival. An original member and trumpeter/singer in bhangra brass band Red Baraat, Sonny released his first solo album 2022 entitled Chardi Kala, the Sikh concept of revolutionary eternal optimism. As Live Mint says, “Singh has done that rarest of rare things as a musician—he has actually charted new ground, pushing the idea of South Asian fusion music down a new, previously unexplored.
Samsara
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 7:30 pm & Friday, July 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Rose Theater
India Week continues as Aakash Odedra Company presents the U.S. premiere of Samsara (inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West), a dance piece that traces the steps we take, both forward and backward, in search of our higher selves. Drawing from the heart of Buddhist philosophy, Samsara explores some of the 81 obstacles and 6 states of mind that can hold us back. Epic mythological storytelling merges with personal experience and anecdotes from two globally opposite perspectives, in a highly visual landscape. Join us for a remarkable offering from a dance company that strives to create a society that is happier and healthier through dance.
RRR
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 8:30 pm
Damrosch Park
S.S. Rajamouli, 2022, India, 187m
English and Telugu with English subtitles
In the summer of 2022, Telugu-language cinema was thrust into the American pop-cultural limelight thanks to the unprecedented box office success of RRR, S.S. Rajamouli’s 1920-set action blockbuster, which charts an imaginary friendship between real-life anti-colonial revolutionaries Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao, Jr.), a leader of India’s marginalized Gond tribe, and A. Rama Raju (Ram Charan), an officer of the Indian Imperial Police with mysterious personal objectives. Described in Film Comment as “preposterously entertaining,” the film toggles between registers, alternating the good-humored buoyancy and warmth of a classic buddy comedy with the earnest emotional and metaphorical intensity of mythically inflected melodrama. Rajamouli expertly deploys these tonal dynamics in service of an extraordinary cinematic spectacle, which dazzles on the big screen thanks to its sweeping, inventively choreographed and masterfully edited action sequences—plus the showstopping dance number “Naatu Naatu,” for which composer M.M. Keeravani became the first Indian artist to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Offering Rain
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 10:00 pm
The Dance Floor
India Week continues with silent discos curated by DJ Rekha! Free your mind and feel the beat with global music spun by DJ Offering Rain. Offering Rain (b. Melika Davé, 1996) is a NYC born and based multi-hyphenate artist and DJ of Gujarati & Ecuadorian heritage. Their DJing style is an ode to the ‘remix’ and their multicultural upbringing in NYC. They aim to express a wholesome diaspora fusion that draws from India, Ecuador and beyond, all in the name of dance and celebration. As a DJ, they have worked in collaboration with HBO Max, Instagram, NTS Radio, South Asian Youth Action and more. Be sure to check out this multi-talented artist in action!
PEN presents: A Celebration of Literature From the Indian Diaspora
Friday, July 12, 2024 at 6:00 pm
The Garden at Damrosch Park
In partnership with Lincoln Center, PEN America brings together a group of distinguished NYC-based writers and creators of Indian descent for a discussion on what inspires their artistic practice, how their heritage has influenced their work, and the traditions that have had the greatest impact on their creative process. Featuring author and television host Padma Lakshmi (Love, Loss, and What We Ate), Priya Krishna (Indian-Ish), Yashica Dutt (Coming Out as Dalit), and moderator Salil Tripathi (Offense: The Hindu Case), the conversation will also examine the ways in which the Indian-American diasporic community has responded to recent waves of anti-Asian violence. PEN America champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Learn more at pen.org.
Run time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, followed by book signing.
Parapara and SAZ featuring Sumitra Das Goswami
Friday, July 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Damrosch Park
In this enthralling double bill, Rajasthani folk group SAZ featuring Sumitra Das Goswami kicks off the evening with RANG-E-THAR, a journey through the myriad flavors of traditional music from the deserts of western Rajasthan in a unique narrative performance. Next, led by the legendary percussionist Vidwan T. H. Vinayakram, the Vinayakram family present Parampara, a percussive and yet, highly meditative and trance-like Carnatic music set. Ghatam or the clay pot, one of the most ancient percussion instruments of India, takes center stage as “Vikku ji” performs with his sons and grandchildren, exemplifying the remarkable, continuing legacy of masterful musicianship.
Ashu Rai
Friday, July 12, 2024 at 9:00 pm
The Dance Floor
India Week continues with silent discos curated by DJ Rekha! Follow your bliss, feel the beat and beat the heat with music spun by DJ Ashu Rai! The co-founder and resident DJ of Sholay Events’ long-running South Asian LGBTQIA+ dance party “Desilicious,” Ashu has performed at many of the premiere venues in NYC, including Limelight, Pacha, Club Shelter, Pyramid, the Highline Ballroom, and B.B. King’s. She has also taken the Desilicious party and her signature mix of Bollywood-House music to Amsterdam’s legendary Paradiso for the India Festival. Don’t miss this fiery, Desilicious event!
Minila Shah
Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 10:00 am & 11:30 am
Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall
Join dancer and yogi Minila Shah (Ajna Dance Company) and musicians Jay Gandhi (bansuri flute) and Ehren Hanson (tabla) for mindfulness practices, breathwork, and gentle stretches. Designed to improve flexibility and release tension, the program will guide you inwards through mindfulness techniques, help you focus on the present moment, and quiet the mind. This experience is perfect for anyone seeking to unwind, de-stress, and reconnect with their inner selves.
Kiran Ahluwalia
Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm
LeFrak Lobby, David Geffen Hall
Two-time JUNO winner (Canada’s GRAMMY) Kiran Ahluwalia’s open-hearted vocals have established her as one of global music’s most compelling cross-pollinators, bringing together the traditions of Indian music, West African blues, and jazz. At this family-friendly concert, part of Lincoln Center’s India Week, Kiran will be performing new music from her long-awaited album, Comfort Food, with her five-piece band. Run time: approximately 1 hour
Comedy Night with: Aasif Mandvi, Hari Kondabolu, Nimesh Patel, Aparna Nancherla, and Kiran Deol
Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Damrosch Park
Get ready for a night of humor intertwined with cultural exploration all brought to you by a powerhouse lineup of comedians whose Indian heritage infuses into their comedic brilliance. The evening features the dynamic and multifaceted Aasif Mandvi, currently starring in the Paramount Plus hit EVIL. A Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, comedian, humanitarian and producer, Mandvi is widely known for his iconic work as a correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. He’s joined by insightful comedian Hari Kondabolu, a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me and creator of the controversial documentary The Problem with Apu, is used in school curriculums across the country; Emmy-nominated writer and comedian Nimesh Patel, who has toured with Chris Rock and written for some of television’s most high-profile shows; and Aparna Nancherla, named one of “The 50 Funniest People Right Now” by Rolling Stone. Hosted by the also Emmy-nominated hilarious Kiran Deol, you won’t want to miss this enriching fall-out-of-your-chair event!
DJ Rekha
Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 9:00 pm
The Dance Floor
The iconic DJ Rekha transmits their groovy sounds to your ear at Lincoln Center’s Silent Disco this summer under the stars! DJ Rekha (born Rekha Malhotra) is a producer, curator, educator, and founder of “Basement Bhangra,” one of NYC’s longest-running club nights. They’ve performed in festivals, clubs, and community spaces worldwide. Their dynamic DJ sets incorporate South Asian Diasporic dance music with ears to a global sound that builds inclusive environments of joy. They have been featured on Broadway, NPR, Taste the Nation, Celebrate Brooklyn, and Central Park SummerStage. Join us for an unforgettable night on The Dance Floor!
SAZ Sunrise Concert
Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 5:00 am
Hearst Plaza
Welcome the day with music by Rajasthani folk group SAZ during India Week! Sunrise is an auspicious time in Indian culture—a symbol of divinity, energy and positivity—and the masterful artists of this celebrated group are sure to start your morning in an unforgettable way. SAZ’s work has pulled Rajasthani folk music into the present world by fusing the modern with the traditional. Welcome the sun’s warmth and radiance into your day with an early-morning outdoor concert by this award-winning trio!
RHEOLOGY: In Concert
Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Hearst Plaza
Obie Award-winning writer/director Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s recent play, Public Obscenities, was singled out as one of the best theater works of 2023 by The New Yorker. His newest work is a performance memoir created with his mother, the physicist Bulbul Chakraborty. Chakraborty’s specialty is the titular science of rheology, the laws governing the malleability and movement of matter under force. Another of her loves is the poetic songs of Bengali composer Rabindranath Tagore. These songs paint glorious pictures about the drama of nature: monsoons produce drum-like thunder claps, rivers let loose their long hair into waterfalls, music flows through generations. Chakraborty learned these songs from her foremothers, then passed them on to Misha. In this concert production of reimagined Tagore compositions, an artist son studies his physicist mother while she studies the strange behavior of sand. Together, they try to understand the science and the story of how things flow.
Run time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
Priya Darshini
Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 6:00 pm
The Underground at Jaffe Drive
GRAMMY-nominated singer Priya Darshini joins forces with her all-star band at Jazz Underground at Jaffe Drive, blending Indian classical, electronica, ambient, and jazz into an intimate and captivating experience. Priya Darshini’s debut at Lincoln Center showcases a blend of diverse musical traditions, virtuosic performance, and unique instrumentation skillfully intertwined creating her own distinctive sound.
Roshni Samlal (aka DJ Raat Ki Rani)
Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 6:00 pm
The Dance Floor
India Week continues with silent discos curated by DJ Rekha! Wine your body to music spun by Roshni Samlal (aka DJ Raat Ki Rani), influenced by her Indo-Caribbean diaspora heritage, experiences as a working-class, brown immigrant during the ’90s, focusing on Asian Underground music, global club, soca, and chutney. A multidisciplinary beatmaker of Indian classical, electronic and chamber sounds, Samlal is a New York-based Trinidadian tabla player who has studied within the Farrukhabad, Benares, and Punjab schools of classical percussion. She is the lead curator and producer of the Rāginī Festival, highlighting South Asian traditional folk and innovative artists. Join us for a feast for your ears!
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