It’s back, bigger and spicier

How else does one celebrate the culture of a land of countless songs, festivals and people, if not by a carnival as vibrant as the land itself, writes GAURAV PANDEY

It swept many off their feet last year and stamped mainstream approval on a culture that, with readjusted expectations, is comfortably present in the vibrant city of Parramatta. This year Parramasala returns with a promise of going more than a notch better; Parramasala is no ordinary fest, for it not only acknowledges but celebrates – with rare abandon – the tireless South Asian community in Australia.

This year’s program, launched recently by the Lord Mayor of Parramatta John Chedid and NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, promises to be another eight-day joyride in some of the oh-so-typical South Asian flavours: streets lined with vendors, live music, dance and enduring bonhomie.

From 30 October to 6 November the Riverside Theatres will host an incredible assortment of artists from across the world who’ll be bringing more than just their colourful selves to the party.

“Following the festival’s success in its inaugural year, we once again look forward to hosting this wonderful event and showcasing many facets of South Asian culture and with an expanded eight-day program, we can expect even more visitors,” Cr Chedid said.

“Parramasala also allows us to recognise the important contribution South Asian cultures make to our City and for our residents and visitors to celebrate as one.”

Expectations are high from this year’s event, which according to the festival’s Artistic Director, Philip Rolfe, is set to continue to “surprise and delight audiences” with its grandeur and glee.

Undoubtedly the event’s promise of uniqueness lends a touch of sophistication to it. This will be, to quote Mr Rolfe, “a one-off, never to be repeated event” with some of the world’s most renowned artists presenting a number of Australian exclusives.

The Church Street Mall will reverberate with music and dance; the street market could well rival in flavour and rush Delhi’s Paranthevali Gali or, for that matter, Lahore’s, not-so-imaginatively-named Food Street.

Movie buffs will have a special opportunity to experience the rich and prolific South Asian cinema – the anything-but-wooden superset of this world’s Bollywoods, Kollywoods, Tollywoods, Lollywoods and their ilk.

Parramatta Artists Studios and other public spaces in the area will have a free-for-all exhibit of modern art. For those interested in action, The Other Journey – an experimental theatre presentation which includes, among other things, a boat tour and large-scale outdoor video art. This could prove to be well worth a journey to Parramatta River, the site of the event.

Last year, Sydneysiders were treated to an experience that showed South Asia at its diverse best: the thundering earthiness of Indian folk singer Kailash Kher’s voice; techno musicians who came from some of the most progressive and modern territories in the world; mesmerising classical dance performances tailored for the modern eye; and, not the least, the rural folk of the Indian subcontinent who’ve kept afloat their generations-old traditions and craft. The festival offered a welcome reminder to many who had lost touch, consciously or otherwise, with their roots living in a far-off country.

This year’s event, with two central entertainment areas, will give an opportunity for many to renew their bond with a region synonymous with warmth, largesse and hospitality.

There is every chance that the experience will live up to the expectations of the wide-ranging audience expected to turn up to taste a slice of South Asian life and culture.

Parramasala, a joint initiative between Events New South Wales and Parramatta City Council, is an effort to highlight the cultural diversity of the city of Parramatta.

The week-long festival is one of world’s most extraordinary international arts events. It may be dominated by India and its culture, but it is a festival for everyone.

This year’s event will have both free and ‘accessibly priced’ ticketed events. More information on the programme is available at www.parramasala.com