The South Asian Cultural Guide for New York City

We don’t list everything. That’s the point.

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Every issue,
in one place.

A record of what was happening in South Asian New York, week by week. Click any issue to read it in full.

20
July 16, 2026 Issue 020

Twenty issues. This Saturday in Queens. And a week that starts tonight.

  • Editor's Pick DJ Rekha's Basement Bhangra Beyond -- Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (July 18, Free)
  • Sharam Nahi! Comedy and South Asian Bites -- Cheeni, Bed-Stuy (July 18, $15)
  • Kahat Kabir: BRM Concert and Jam -- Barzakh Cafe, Brooklyn (July 23)
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19
July 10, 2026 Issue 019

Today, Being Okay in NYC opens. Tomorrow, Sufi songs in a noodle shop in Gramercy. July keeps delivering.

  • Editor's Pick Fatimah Asghar and Chani Nicholas, ft. Angel Nafis and Safiya Sinclair: Judson Memorial Church (July 24)
  • Umer Piracha: From Zayton to New York Vol.14: Beef Up Noodle, Gramercy (July 11)
  • Sharam Nahi! An Evening of Comedy and South Asian Bites: Cheeni, Brooklyn (July 18, $15)
  • Being Okay in NYC launches today
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18
July 2, 2026 Issue 018

Three South Asian nights in one week. July 15, 18, and 19. This is what the summer looks like.

  • Editor's Pick Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Naqaab, Adams Playhouse, Hofstra (July 19)
  • Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour: Flagstar at Westbury (July 15)
  • DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Beyond: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (July 18, Free) + Barzakh Mehfil at the Church, West Village (July 18, 7pm)
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17
June 25, 2026 Issue 017

Today, Bollywood.NYC publishes its first essay. It’s about arriving in this city alone. Read it. Then come back to the events.

  • Editor's Pick Dr. Satinder Sartaaj: Heritage Tour: NJPAC, Newark (July 10)
  • DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Beyond: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (July 18, Free)
  • June 26: GHAR/BA / Brown Noise Comedy at Grove 34 / Main Ghazal Hoon / When the Sun Rises / Vishal Mishra Atlantic City
  • Stories & Features launch, “Alone in NYC” at bollywood.nyc/features
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16
June 18, 2026 Issue 016

Billie Holiday and Mehdi Hasan never shared a stage. Thursday night in Brooklyn, they finally do.

  • Editor's Pick The Jazz Ghazal Project: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn (June 25)
  • Zarna Garg: Million Dollar Excuses: NJPAC, Newark (June 20)
  • Guru Shishya Parampara: Camila Celin & Sougata Roy Choudhury: BVB USA (June 19)
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15
June 11, 2026 Issue 015

Fifty years of chanting on Fifth Avenue. July 15 in Westbury. Same city. Different rooms.

  • Editor's Pick Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour: Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, NY
  • NYC Ratha Yatra 50th Anniversary: Washington Square Park (Free)
  • Remembering Legends: Tribute to Asha Bhosle & Ustad Sultan Khan: BVB USA
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14
June 4, 2026 Issue 014

They rented the theater. They produced it themselves. When the Sun Rises opens June 26 at Alvin Ailey.

  • Editor's Pick Baila Society x Navatman: When the Sun Rises: Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater
  • Sound of Light: Radhika Vekaria: Secret church venue, Upper Manhattan
  • The Barman Brothers: Tabla & Srikhol: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan USA
  • Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa: Paradise Gothic: Joe’s Pub (Special Preview, Jun 25)
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13
May 28, 2026 Issue 013

Tonight in Brooklyn. This Saturday, Barzakh. June 20, Newark. All of it is worth your time.

  • Editor's Pick Zarna Garg: Million Dollar Excuses: NJPAC, Prudential Hall, Newark
  • Abhik Mukherjee & Ravi Venugopalan: The Green Room PLG, Brooklyn
  • Minaxi: Mehfil-e-Barzakh: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
  • Sound of Light: Radhika Vekaria: Secret church venue, Upper Manhattan
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12
May 21, 2026 Issue 012

On Thursday, a 4K restoration of Sholay opens at NYIFF. Plan your week around that.

  • Editor's Pick New York Indian Film Festival 2026: May 28–31, multiple venues
  • AAPI Festival of Tea: Smorgasburg Williamsburg & Prospect Park (Free)
  • Quadrature: City Winery NYC, Pier 57
  • Abhik Mukherjee & Ravi Venugopalan: The Green Room PLG, Brooklyn
  • Brown Noise Comedy: Grove 34, Astoria (May 29)
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11
May 14, 2026 Issue 011

Tonight in Queens. Friday in Brooklyn. Sunday in Chelsea. None of it is far.

  • Editor's Pick Russell Peters: Relax World Tour: NJPAC, Prudential Hall, Newark
  • Let’s Vibe: A Sunday Afternoon Garba by &Āvartan: New York Live Arts, Chelsea
  • Kareebkhana with Kavish Seth: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
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10
May 7, 2026 Issue 010

Two rooms. Sixty seats and twenty thousand. Same idea.

  • Editor's Pick Diljit Dosanjh: Aura World Tour: Madison Square Garden, May 24 & 25
  • Brown Noise Comedy Round 4: Fear City Comedy Club, Lower East Side
  • Mehfil e Sama: Saint John's in the Village, West Village
  • Sham-e-Ghazal: Tribute to Mehdi Hassan: Edison, NJ (Worth the Trip)
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09
April 30, 2026 Issue 009

Tonight: sarod at Symphony Space. Tuesday: Anuv Jain at Town Hall. This is the week.

  • Editor's Pick Anuv Jain: Dastakhat World Tour: The Town Hall, Midtown West
  • Amjad Ali Khan: Strings for Peace: Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, Symphony Space
  • Echoes of a Legend: A Tribute to Pt. Ravi Shankar: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan USA
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08
April 23, 2026 Issue 008

The parade doesn’t need us. Go anyway.

  • Editor's Pick Nimesh Patel: With All Due Disrespect: Beacon Theatre, Upper West Side
  • Sikh Day Parade NYC: Madison Ave, Midtown to Madison Square Park
  • Indian Classical Concert: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
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07
April 16, 2026 Issue 007

Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Three nights that don't happen by accident.

  • Editor's Pick Akaash Singh: Radio City Music Hall, Midtown
  • Night of Qawwali with Ali Zaman Taji: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
  • Zakir Khan: Radio City Music Hall, Midtown
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06
April 9, 2026 Issue 006

This week is quieter. Next Friday is not.

  • Editor's Pick Zakir Khan: Radio City Music Hall, Midtown
  • Samarth Nagarkar Khyal Ensemble: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
  • Boishakh Mela: PYO Chai, Astoria
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05
April 2, 2026 Issue 005

Brooklyn Museum this Saturday. Free.

  • Editor's Pick Arjun Shah: Brooklyn Museum First Saturday, Brooklyn
  • Anirudh Varma Collective: The Sultan Room, Williamsburg
  • Desi SNL, wild project, East Village
  • Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan: Miller Theatre, Columbia University
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04
March 26, 2026 Issue 004

Three rooms. Three nights. The filter holding.

  • Editor's Pick Laughing Lassi: Broadway Comedy Club, Midtown
  • Carnatic Vocal Concert: Barzakh Café, Brooklyn
  • Rāginī Festival: Rhythm & Space: Reforesters Lab, Williamsburg
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03
March 19, 2026 Issue 003

Four nights. Four rooms. The full breadth of what this city is.

  • Editor's Pick Ravi Shankar Ensemble: The Town Hall, Midtown
  • Kahat Kabir (Rāginī Festival), Drom, East Village
  • Malikah NYC Eid Festival & Market: Steinway Street, Queens
  • Desi Comedy Fest NYC Closing Night: The Bell House, Gowanus
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02
March 12, 2026 Issue 002

One room in Crown Heights. Twenty-six generations of lineage. Two nights.

  • Editor's Pick The Saami Brothers: Ramadan Qawwali Night at Barzakh Café
  • Bengal to Brooklyn (Teentara), Barzakh Café
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01
March 5, 2026 Issue 001

The first issue. South Asian New York, curated.

  • Editor's Pick Holi at The Seaport: Pier 17 Rooftop
  • Brooklyn Holi Open Air: Prospect Park
  • Desi Comedy Fest: The Bell House
  • Arjun Live: Brooklyn Steel
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