DESI DIARY
WHAT’S ON IN APRIL
April 27: Toronto Tabla Ensemble (TTE) presents classical Indian art forms and their contemporary arrangement in an ensemble format. Original compositions by artistic director Ritesh Das from their recent album Bhumika as well as new works. They will be joined by guest Kathak dancer Labonee Mohanta and Odissi dancer Anindita Nanda. California-based mridangam player Sekhar Sarukkai will also join TTE. At Harbourfront Centre. Tickets: $25-$35. Visit torontotabla.com or call 416-973-4000.
April 26: Gardish Mein Taare. A theatrical tribute to that dazzling era of 1950s’ Hindi cinema when love was effortlessly simple... or was it? Inspired by the turbulent times of Guru Dutt and Geeta Dutt. Written by Summana Ahmed and directed by Saif Hyder Hasan. Starring Sonali Kulkarni and Arif Zakaria with music by Parivesh Singh and Kumar Sanu. 8 pm at Living Arts Centre, Mississauga. For tickets, visit www.livingartscentre.ca or call 905-360-6000 or call Anu Srivastava at 416-523-3935.
May 24-25: To celebrate its 41st anniversary, Janak Khendry Dance Company presents Princess Meera Dancing, the divine love of Krishna danced through her devotional songs; and Chandrakauns, the Moon, his wife Moonlight and their children, Moonrays. 8 pm at Robert Gill Theatre. Tickets: $32; seniors/students, $22. E-mail dance@jkdanceco.org or call 416-783-5718.
Until Sept. 2: The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) brings visitors an exhibition of rarely-seen royal treasures from Marwar, Jodhpur, one of the largest former princely states in India. The ROM will be the final North American destination and the exclusive Canadian venue for Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India. Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with Mehrangarh Museum Trust, India, the exhibition features nearly 250 artworks and objects from the kingdom of Marwar located in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. The exhibition traces the kingdom’s cultural history as it was continually reshaped by cross-cultural encounters. Lavishly-made ceremonial objects, opulent jewellery, textiles and tapestries, palace furnishings, architectural treasures, and a monumental 17th-century court tent showcase the history of the Rathore dynasty that ruled the region for more than 700 years. Drawn primarily from the collections of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust and the private collections of the royal family of Jodhpur, the exhibition marks the first time that most of these treasures have been seen beyond the palace walls. Treasures of a Desert Kingdom is a separately ticketed exhibition. For ticket information, visit www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/rajasthan.
Ongoing: A new AGO exhibition shows Impressionism unlike you’ve seen it before. Viewers may see parallels between today’s Toronto and an industrializing Paris in the 1800s in this groundbreaking exhibition. Beloved for their lush landscapes and sea vistas, the masterpieces of Impressionism are some of the world’s most recognizable artworks. The distinctive styles of Monet, Degas, Pissarro and others are seen on the walls of the most monumental museums, but are also present in our daily lives through countless reproductions on posters, notecards and calendars. Tickets: $16.50, $21.50, $25 at www.ago.ca.
Until end-July: The Second City's 82nd mainstage revue, Walking On Bombshells. An explosive, fast-paced take on the minefield we’re all currently living in. From toxic masculinity to turtle murder, this show turns our universal internal monologues into uproarious reflections, leaving you questioning everything (especially where you sit on public transportation). Directed by Second City veteran Chris Earle and starrings Nadine Djoury, Stacey McGunnigle, Sharjil Rasool, Allana Reoch and Chris Wilson and the newest Mainstage cast member: the Juno Award-nominated frontman of funk ensemble God Made Me Funky, PHATT al. Tickets start at $27. Visit www.secondcity.com.
Free Desi Diary listings. List your event for free in Desi News and e-desinews.com. E-mail: desinews@rogers.com. Deadline for May listings: April 20, 2019.