Society of Poetry and Indian Music
News & Events (Upcoming & Current)
A Saudha Celebration of Ritwik Ghatak's birth-centenary through a seminar and music performance
From Jan 15, 2026 to Jan 26, 2026 in The Language Resource Centre of Cornell University in USA (G04 Stimson Hall, 204 Feeney Wy, Ithaca, NY 14850)..
Thursday 15 January 2026 at 10am (USA Ttime/New York Time)
The Language Resource Centre, Cornell University (G04 Stimson Hall, 204 Feeney Wy, Ithaca, NY 14850), USA.
This is a unique Saudha celebration of the birth-centenary of legendary filmmaker from Bengal Ritwik Ghatak in collaboration with the Language Resource Centre of Cornell University in USA (G04 Stimson Hall, 204 Feeney Wy, Ithaca, NY 14850).
The celebration entails a seminar called EXILE MEMORY AND THE LAST REFUGE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT : A STUDY OF RITIWIK GHATAK AND THEO ANGELOPOULOS featuring Dr Ahmed Shamim of Cornell University as facilitator, recipient of Bangla Academy Award, fictionist Salma Bani as well as poet T M Ahmed Kaysher as discussants and Professor Shamim Reza of Jahangirnagar University as the main speaker.
The session ends with music session called Remembering Ritwik Through a haunting recital of Raag Hansadhwani by a leading interpreter of Indian classical music in the West Chandra Chakraborty.
Free registration:
A Saudha Celebration of South Asian Arts & Global Languages at Leeds City Museum
From Feb 21, 2026 to Feb 21, 2026 in Leeds City Museum, Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 8BH.
Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 8BH
Saturday 21 February 2026 at 1pm
This is a unique celebration of South Asian music, story-telling, theatre and poetry from different languages of the globe as part of marking International Mother Language Day at the Brodrick Hall of Leeds City Museum.
The event features a critically acclaimed Kalakar production of Indian classical music, classical dance, story-telling in a haunting theatrical setting UMRAOJAN scripted and directed by a leading interpreter of Indian classical music here Chandra Chakraborty.
The celebration is also brining an exotic and powerful art form from Bengal JatraPala (Bengali Opera / Village Theatre), a very popular folk ballad called Madhumala Madankumar - a unique way of story-telling ( English Narration) combining dance, Bengali folk music in a stunning theatrical setting, scripted and directed by T M Ahmed Kaysher.
In addition, the event will present a brief session of multi-lingual poetry with English Translation.
Free registration:
A Few Drops of Dews & Ditties
From Jan 24, 2026 to Dec 24, 2026 in Council Chamber | Bradford City Hall.
Saturday 24 January 2026 at 4:30pm
City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford BD1 1HY, UK
A celebration of winter dusk with moving winter verses, compelling winter music & dance at the Council chamber of Bradford City Hall.
Come and warm yourself up with searing verses of poetry, flaming music and sizzling dance by the best interpreters of each genre.
This unique session is hosted by Saudha (www.saudha.org) a leading platform of predominately South Asian classical arts, global music, poetry and other art forms.
Free reservation:
RadhaRaman Folk Festival 2025
Bringing the finest and colourful presentations of Bengali folk music and dance for global audiences.
The International RadhaRaman Folk Festival, an ecstasy of Bengali as well as global folk music and dance returning for the 15th year in Leeds and Bradford.
The festival as a whole features haunting sessions of Folk music from other traditions, fusion of Flamenco with Bengali folk dance and essentially the visceral Bengali folk, Baul and Vaishnav music, dazzling Dhamail dance along with poetry in the wood as well as endless networking fun in the forest, lake, lyrical landscape around the North of England.
RadhaRaman Folk Festival | Book Launch Session
Leeds Civic Hall, Committee Room 1-2, Calverley St, Leeds LS1 1UR
Thursday 27 November at 5pm
The session of the festival in Civic Hall features book launch of a short-story book The Tapestry of Truth by a talented fictionist Shantanu Goswami and a poetry book Maidens in Heaven by an acclaimed Columbian poet Johanna Carvajal .
Free Registration:
RadhaRaman Folk Festival | Moortown Methodist Church
Alderton Rise, Leeds LS17 5LH
The session of the festival will feature some haunting presentations of Bengali Folk in fusion with Raag Sangeet of Indian classical and other semi-classical music e.g. Thumri Tagore, Dadra etc by a leading Indian classical vocalist Chandra Chakraborty, Gouri Choudhury, Laboni Barua and more.
Free Registration:
RadhaRaman Folk Festival | Henry Barron Centre
Hanry Barron Centre, 14 Amberton Grove, Leeds LS8 3JL
Sunday 30 November 2025 at 3:30pm
The session of the festival, in collaboration with Hamwattan Centre at Henry Barron Centre is bringing the best of RadhaRaman Datta's compositions as well as South Asian Folk Music & Folk Dance by the best interpreters of different genres from all across the UK and aboard.
Free Registration:
RadhaRaman Folk Festival | Ballads of Winter
The Reginald Centre | 263 Chapeltown Rd, Leeds LS7 3EX
Friday 5 December at 5pm
The session of the festival, in collaboration with Chapeltown Library at the Reginald Centre is bringing poetry, music and dance that will surely warm you up in cold winter evening presented by leading performers of different genres.
The session also celebrates a book-launch for Bangladeshis in Bradford by Dr Shaukat Ahmed MBE.
Free Registration:
RadhaRaman Folk Festival | Christmas and New Year Celebration
Carlisle Centre, 60 Carlisle Rd, Manningham, Bradford BD8 8BD
Saturday, 27 December 2025 at 5pm
The session of the festival, in collaboration with Carlisle Centre in Bradford is bringing the best of South Asian Folk Music & Dance by the best interpreters of different genres from all across the UK and aboard to celebrate Christmas and new Year.
Free registration:
Venue: From Nov 27, 2025 to Dec 27, 2025 in Leeds and Bradford