Category: Events in Goa

Events in Goa

Poland Brings Sculpture, Jazz and Theatre to Serendipity Arts Festival 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

As the Serendipity Arts Festival marks its landmark 10th anniversary edition in 2025, the Polish Institute in New Delhi joins the celebrations, signalling an important moment for deepening cultural dialogue between Poland and India. This participation opens pathways for long-term collaboration at both institutional and artistic levels, strengthening ties across contemporary art practices.

The presence of the Polish Institute at the festival represents a significant step towards establishing sustained Polish engagement with one of South Asia’s fastest-growing multidisciplinary arts festivals. By presenting Polish artists across sculpture, music and theatre, the initiative creates opportunities for future residencies, joint productions, curatorial exchanges and collaborative projects between the two countries.

Renowned Polish sculptor Tomasz Koclęga presents Suspensio Spiritualis (Spiritual Suspension) at the Art Park from 14 to 21 December 2025. A leading figure in contemporary figurative sculpture and Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Koclęga is known for his expressive monumental works that explore the human body as a site of emotional and spiritual tension. At the festival, he showcases three striking white sculptures, each standing between two and three metres tall and crafted in polyester resin. The works depict human figures interacting with oversized heads, symbolising intellect, consciousness and spirituality, creating a powerful visual and contemplative presence amid the greenery of the Art Park. The exhibition is presented with the support of the Polish Institute in New Delhi.

Polish improvised music takes centre stage with a live jazz concert by Warsaw-based quartet LIGHT STAR GUIDING on 15 December 2025 at the Art Park. Active since 2018, the ensemble blends electro, trance, folk and free jazz, drawing inspiration from the raw energy of the 1970s while shaping a contemporary soundscape. The line-up includes Ray Dickaty on tenor saxophone and flute, Mikołaj Poncyljusz on electric guitar, Michał Załęski on keyboards, Moog and bass, and Dominik Mokrzewski on drums. The performance forms part of the “Jazz Po Polsku – Around the World / Asia Stop” tour, co-funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland and carried out by the JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation, with support from the Polish Institute in New Delhi. The Panjim concert marks the conclusion of the band’s India tour.

Adding a strong theatrical and technological dimension, acclaimed Polish theatre director and multimedia artist Krzysztof Garbaczewski participates in the SEA – Serendipity Exchange for the Arts on 19 and 20 December 2025 at the Old GMC Complex. Known for his experimental approach and integration of theatre with video, virtual reality and immersive technologies, Garbaczewski brings a critical international perspective to the exchange. SEA runs parallel to the festival as a delegate programme connecting artists, curators, producers and arts managers from across Asia and beyond. His participation opens discussions on new technologies and immersive art practices, laying the groundwork for future Polish–Indian collaborations, including performance projects that explore artificial intelligence and digital tools.

Together, these presentations underline Poland’s dynamic contribution to Serendipity Arts Festival 2025, celebrating artistic excellence while building a foundation for enduring cultural collaboration between Poland and India.

Events in Goa

Four Friends, One Table: A New Book Chronicles Delhi’s Culinary Legacy

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

A Table for Four: Delhi’s Dining Legacy was launched on December 14, 2025, at Club de Palma, Bambolim, Goa, during an intimate dinner gathering that brought together voices from India’s culinary and cultural circles. The evening opened with the unveiling of the book by noted author and food critic Vir Sanghvi, followed by reflections from Sunil Kant Munjal, Ajay Shriram, and Nitan Kapoor. A thoughtfully curated dinner hosted by Club de Palma concluded the evening, echoing the warmth, reflection, and shared experience that defines the book.

The anthology traces 16 years of Delhi’s dining evolution through the perspective of four friends connected by the Doon School Old Boys’ Society — Sunil Kant Munjal, Ajay Shriram, Nitan Kapoor, and the late Deepak Nirula. What began as a simple ritual of regular lunches gradually transformed into an extraordinary documentation of the city’s restaurants, culinary trends, and changing tastes. The book captures not just what was eaten, but how food became a medium for conversation, continuity, and connection.

Blending restaurant reviews with personal anecdotes, culinary history, and food-centric observations, the narrative celebrates both Delhi’s dynamic food landscape and the enduring camaraderie behind the table. The book is dedicated to Deepak Nirula, a visionary who played a pioneering role in shaping India’s fast-food and restaurant culture through landmark innovations during the 1980s and 1990s. His passing in 2022 marked the loss of a towering figure in India’s culinary journey, and the book stands as a tribute to his passion and influence.

Featuring 27 restaurant reviews across European, Indian, Asian, fusion, multi-cuisine, and Latin American food, the anthology also includes select recipes, conversations, essays, and reflections from leading chefs, restaurateurs, industry experts, and food writers. Their voices enrich the personal narrative, creating a layered and engaging portrait of a city constantly reinventing how it eats.

Interspersed throughout are food factoids and cultural insights, touching on subjects such as Daulat ki Chaat, Mughal-era qahwa khanas, the culinary impact of Partition, Kwality’s ice cream legacy, the innovations behind Nirula’s, the rise of butter chicken, the growth of Bikanervala, and Delhi’s club culture. Together, these stories form a living archive of Delhi’s dining legacy — told not as a formal history, but as a shared journey of taste, memory, and friendship.

Events in Goa

Manohar Rai Sardessai’s Poetry Brings Goan Soul to Christmas Concert at Museum of Goa

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Words from iconic Goan poet Manohar Rai Sardessai lent a rich regional and literary depth to the Concerto De Natal, a Christmas concert held at the Museum of Goa that celebrated the state’s multicultural identity while honouring its indigenous roots. The evening brought together poetry, music and tradition in a format that reflected both reverence and renewal.

The concert featured the release of newly composed Christmas carols set to Sardessai’s poetry by international opera singer and composer Oscar Castellino, created in collaboration with the poet’s son, Umesh. The compositions offered fresh musical interpretations while retaining the emotional and cultural resonance of the original verses.

Among the poems performed were Ball Jesus Zolmolo, Mari Matek Ballok Zala and Jinnen Mhaka Sogle Dile, alongside Ailim Natalam penned by Umesh Sardessai. These were presented after blending Konkani and Portuguese musical traditions with familiar English and French carols, creating a seamless and immersive concert experience.

According to curator Nilankur Das, reimagining Sardessai’s poetry through music brought a deeply Goan sensibility to the evening. The programme also featured original Konkani compositions for violin and ghumot, as well as traditional carols in Portuguese, English, French and German, grounding the concert in cultural diversity while honouring literary legacy.

The Concerto De Natal featured a distinguished ensemble of musicians including Oscar Castellino, vocalist Chelsea D’Silva, pianist and arranger Jason Quadros, ghumot percussionist Nahil Flores, and violinist Senon de Souza. Together, they performed compositions inspired by Sardessai’s work, alongside pieces by Micael Martins, Gabriel Pais, Castellino and classical composer Adolphe Adam, making the evening a celebration of Goa’s enduring artistic spirit.

Events in Goa

IPRS Sets the Stage for Artistic Excellence and Creator Empowerment at Serendipity Arts Festival 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) is set to play a defining role in shaping conversations around artistic excellence and creator empowerment at the 10th edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025 in Goa. From December 15 to 20 at Azad Maidan, Panaji, the IPRS Stage will once again become a vibrant platform celebrating India’s musical diversity, evolving soundscape, and the creators who drive it.

The IPRS Stage offers a rare space where regional, folk, traditional, and emerging artists from across the country come together to connect with wider audiences beyond their local geographies. The platform not only celebrates performance but also reinforces the importance of access, recognition, and opportunity for music creators in an ever-changing industry.

The stage opened on December 15 with the Vayali Bamboo Band, whose handcrafted bamboo instruments and ecologically rooted soundscapes set the tone for a programme rooted in creativity and cultural consciousness. On December 17, audiences will witness Gulabi Vinyl, a collaboration between vocalist Vidhya Gopal and poet Alok Ranjan Srivastava, blending thumri, dadra, ghazal and classic Hindi melodies with contemporary expression. The musical journey continues on December 18 with Beintehaan: A Musical Harvest, curated by songwriter and filmmaker Mayur Puri, weaving together Kajri, dohas, Sufi kalaams, indie-folk sensibilities and original compositions.

On December 19, Shahbaaz Hussain Khan of the centuries-old Gwalior Gharana will lead Rooh-e-Qawwali, bringing the spiritual energy of Sufi devotion and collective expression to the stage. The showcase culminates on December 20 with Dashugs, a dynamic Ladakhi band whose powerful, community-driven sound reflects the emerging creative voices from the Himalayan region.

Sharing IPRS’ broader vision, CEO Rakesh Nigam highlighted that the IPRS Stage at Serendipity Arts Festival marks an important milestone in celebrating India’s creative spirit while building an inclusive music ecosystem. As IPRS deepens its engagement with the artistic community in Goa this December, the initiative underscores a future where creators are not only celebrated on stage but also empowered beyond it, ensuring that India’s cultural legacy continues to evolve with purpose and pride.

Events in Goa

ART STORIES: An Exhibition Where Art, Healing and Inclusion Come Together

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

ART STORIES is an evocative exhibition of paintings that brings together creativity, healing and inclusion through art. The exhibition showcases artworks by persons with disabilities and participants of the course Art as a Healing Tool, offering unique visual expressions inspired by everyday thoughts, emotions and experiences. Rooted in the belief that “every person is an artist” and echoing Joseph Beuys’ idea that art can reshape society for the better, ART STORIES presents art as both personal expression and social engagement.

The exhibition is a collaborative effort between artists with intellectual disabilities from Divya Sadan, a project of Caritas Goa in Porvorim, and St Francis Xavier Vocational Centre, an education and vocation centre for children with disabilities in Old Goa, along with participants of the Art as a Healing Tool course organised by Caritas Goa in Panjim. All the artists were guided by artist and art facilitator Ms Lioba Knepple, whose approach focuses on creativity as a therapeutic and empowering process.

Curated by Samira Sheth, ART STORIES opens at 12 noon on Sunday, December 14, and will remain on view until December 21, 2025, outside the rehearsal room at Kala Academy. The exhibition is organised under the banner of the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025 and is open to the public with free entry, although prior registration is required.

Beyond the exhibition itself, ART STORIES carries a deeper purpose. Proceeds from the sale of paintings and other products will go towards supporting initiatives for persons with disabilities. Through this exhibition, Caritas Goa continues its commitment to working with the needy, the marginalised and the oppressed, using art as a powerful medium for healing, dignity and social change.