How to survive Ragas Live, ‘NYC’s stable and simple’ Burning Man

by MISSISSIPPI DIGITAL MAGAZINE



The classical sounds of South Asia will fill the air in Red Hook this weekend as Ragas Live Festival returns to the newly renovated Pioneer Works on October 19 with 24 uninterrupted hours of music.

What began as a radio show on Columbia University’s WKCR in 2012 has evolved into an in-person festival that brings musicians from not only India, but Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries to perform and celebrate the music.

“Certain modes are only played at specific times of the day,” says Ragas founder David Ellenbogen. “So the music matches with the feeling of the sunrise or the sunset or dark of night.”

For the newbies, a raga is a melodic framework in Indian classical music — a collection of pitches, not unlike a scale or mode in Western music — in which musicians can vamp and improvise. The resulting sounds are said to have the ability to “color the mind” of the listener.

This year, the festival will feature more traveling musicians and a diverse lineup, including 2024 Grammy-winning violin maestro Ganesh Rajagopalan, “the world’s greatest slide guitarist” Debashish Bhattacharya, electric mandolin phenom U. Rajesh and others. Around a thousand people are expected to spend Saturday into Sunday shuffling around the Pioneer Works space for an experience that past attendees say prioritizes community and connection.

“Think of it as New York City’s stable and simple version of Burning Man,” says Bhaskar Ghosh, whose nonprofit, Society for Arts and Culture of South Asia, is an event sponsor. “There is a sense of being in a sacred temple-like place with a lot of other people for a long time.”

Ellenbogen admits that he knows the festival doesn’t make sense from a “perspective of a spreadsheet,” but he says that won’t stop the festival from happening.

“It’s more of a spiritual thing,” he says. “And I think that’s what attracts people to it, because there’s nothing like it. It’s an experience you can only have there and in person.”

Pioneer Works itself is the perfect environment, he says, especially with its expansive outdoor garden where “you can watch the sunrise or watch the sunset and hear the music, which is going softly over the speakers. So there’s people hanging out, there’s campfires going in the back, so it’s kind of like a group social experience.”

Attendees don’t have to stay for the entire 24 hours, but if you decide to go all in, you should come prepared — just like any other festival.

Here are a few tips from the pros.

Bring money
Ellenbogen says one thing people shouldn’t leave the house without is money for the food trucks that’ll be onsite at the festival. This year people can enjoy delights from the perennially popular Brooklyn Curry Project, Pakistani restaurant Karachi Kabab Boiz, and smash burger chain 7th Street Burger.

BYOChai
Depending on the kind of day and night you’re trying to have, Ellenbogen and Ghosh recommend bringing your own lite beverages such as chai tea to either give you a boost or energy or to add to the calming ambience of the festival.

“This will power you through and it goes so well with the music,” says Ellenbogen. Attendees are also able to buy all the beer and wine they want on premises.

Make your own art
Don’t feel like you only have to stand in the crowd and lock eyes with the musicians during their set. Meera Dugal, a Brooklyn-based artist and curator, suggests bringing something to keep your hands busy like a coloring book or knitting.

“My husband brought his watercolors and paint set last time, and so he painted some really beautiful pictures of the artists for me last year,” she says. “If you’re a creative person, bring your wares and you’ll have a lot of inspiration.”

“We have invited a lot of college kids from our network, from NYU, Columbia and we have seen them bring their homework even,” says Ghosh.

You’ll probably want a blanket or sleeping bag
Dugal says bringing something cozy is essential for both comfort and enhancing the overall experience, allowing you to settle in comfortably for long listening sessions and have a space to relax, lie down, or even take short naps without missing a beat. Given the meditative and soothing nature of the event, having a sleeping bag can make it easier to fully relax and recharge, so you can enjoy the entire event and stay close to the music.

Don’t forget a toothbrush
“It’s common courtesy for sure, bring your toothbrush. Everybody will appreciate your gift,” Dugal says. “Maybe also just bring a little mouthwash.”

Bundle up
It is fall, after all, so prepare for cooler temps and bring a jacket to stay warm outside.

“It’s wonderful to go into the garden and listen to the music under the stars, but even with the campfires, it can get chilly,” Ellenbogen says.

Share and share alike
“People are sharing and snacks are being passed around and, and so it’s very collegial,” says Dugal, who herself hosted a snack stand with her husband last year.

“We thought it would be cute to bring some nostalgic Indian kids snacks. And so we had chips and cookies that many Indian kids would have grown up eating. We enjoyed sharing that with people.”

Open your mind
One of the reasons the festival exists is to introduce newcomers to the music of South Asia, so being curious is essential.

“This is a good way to get exposed to a lot of different traditions; classical and sacred,” says Ghosh. “So probably the biggest thing people should bring in is curiosity about the world and about all these musicians who are coming together in rapid succession.”

Dugal adds being open minded is a way to meet new people, too.

“It’s really cute to see people taking naps or people having deep conversations with new strangers by the fire pits outside,” she says.

Bring Mom
Not into meeting new people? Enjoy the vibe with your tribe.

“You’ll get cool points as a New Yorker to bring someone into this experience,” says Dugal, who has brought her mom in the past. “For any diaspora kids out there this is going to be the place where you and your parents have something in common.”

Ragas Live Festival kicks off at 7 p.m. on October 19 at Pioneer Works in Red Hook and runs for 24 straight hours. Tickets range from $58.88 to $200. 159 Pioneer Street.

The post How to survive Ragas Live, ‘NYC’s stable and simple’ Burning Man appeared first on Brooklyn Magazine.





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