By Eshita Bhargava
July 2025 Event Calendar: If you thought July was just about braving the monsoon, think again. Across India, July 2025 is brimming with vibrant cultural happenings — the kind that are as likely to delight your senses as they are to broaden your mind. Whether you’re a classical music buff, an art aficionado, or simply someone looking to trade Netflix binges for something a bit more soul-stirring, there’s something in this month’s cultural mix for you. From immersive journeys into Vincent van Gogh’s painted worlds to family-friendly operatic encounters with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Grammy legends gracing Mumbai to Himachal’s most colourful maize harvest celebration, the stage is set for an unforgettable July. Here’s your curated guide to what’s hot, happening and not-to-be-missed this month. The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience Where: Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru When: All of July 2025 Think Van Gogh, and you probably picture swirls of blue and gold, sunflower petals ablaze with emotion, or the melancholy wheat fields stretching under a turbulent sky. But what if you could step inside those paintings? That’s exactly what this immersive exhibition in Bengaluru promises — and delivers — using 22,000-lumens projection technology to bring the Dutch master’s brushstrokes to life. Curated entirely by Indian visual artists Hemali Vadalia and Naveen Boktapa from Motionvan Studios, the exhibition spans four uniquely themed rooms that feel less like a gallery and more like a lucid dream. You’ll see ‘Starry Night’, ‘Sunflowers’, ‘Wheatfield with Crows’, ‘Irises’ and more animated across vast digital canvases, with gentle music scoring the mood. There’s also an art café where your latte might arrive with a swirl of ‘Starry Night’ foam, and a gift shop filled with quirky Van Gogh merch — think ‘Sunflower’ tote bags and ‘Wheatfield’ notebooks that even the art-phobic might covet. Fun fact: Unlike many Van Gogh experiences, this version is not imported from Europe or the US — it’s wholly produced by an Indian team. NCPA Legends: Randy Brecker & Peter Erskine Where: NCPA, Mumbai When: July 3, 2025 One night. Two legends. Multiple Grammy wins. If you know your bebop from your swing, you’ll want to grab a seat for this one. Trumpeter Randy Brecker (with seven Grammy wins and counting) teams up with jazz drumming royalty Peter Erskine for a one-night-only performance that promises fireworks — of the musical kind. Joining them on stage will be an all-star lineup: saxophonist Yaacov Mayman, pianist Otmaro Ruiz, and Richie Goods, the youngest inductee into the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame. Expect a heady blend of improvisation, rhythm and soul that only musicians of this calibre can deliver. Jazz trivia: Erskine has played with Weather Report and Steely Dan, while Brecker has lent his trumpet to everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Frank Sinatra. Meeting Mozart Where: NCPA, Mumbai When: July 19–20, 2025 What happens when one of history’s greatest composers becomes your musical tour guide? Directed by Eva Di Cesare and presented by the iconic Sydney Opera House, Meeting Mozart is a family-friendly concert with a twist. Acclaimed pianist Simon Tedeschi dons the wig (figuratively) to play Mozart himself, while soprano Emily Taylor brings to life Constanze, his talented and clever wife. Children are introduced to the playful genius of Mozart through snippets of his most famous compositions — from the lilting Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to the mighty Jupiter Symphony. String musicians from the Symphony Orchestra of India complete the immersive sonic landscape. Bonus points: This show is interactive and cheeky in all the right ways, making classical music accessible — and actually fun — for children. The International Minjar Fair Where: Chamba, Himachal Pradesh When: July 27 to August 8, 2025 If you’re craving a mountain escape with a cultural punch, this is it. Chamba’s Minjar Fair is a week-long riot of colour, tradition and history, celebrating the maize harvest with processions, folk dances, local wrestling matches and even river rituals. Attendees wear “minjars” — colourful silk tassels representing maize shoots — pinned to their traditional attire. The fair, believed to have started in the 10th century, is a living showcase of Himachal’s folk heritage and a visual treat for photographers and travellers alike. Fun fact: Minjar also commemorates the victory of Raja Sahil Varman over the Trigarta king in ancient times — legend and agriculture, all rolled into one. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room Where: Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), Mumbai When: July 27, 2025 onwards Step inside, and time folds. Mirrors surround you. LED lights flicker like fireflies in a cosmic dance. Welcome to Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room—The Eternally Infinite Light of the Universe Illuminating the Quest for Truth (yes, it’s a mouthful, but it’s also a marvel). This breathtaking installation by Japan’s polka dot-loving avant-garde artist is all about immersive surrealism. Using hundreds of lights suspended from the ceiling and reflected across every surface, the room becomes an optical illusion — part space odyssey, part meditative dreamscape. Pro tip: Go solo for the most surreal experience. And yes, it’s Instagram gold. KCC Offstage ft. Kabir Suman Where: Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC), Kolkata When: July 25, 2025 Few artists have had the impact on Bengali music that Kabir Suman has. The genre-defying singer-songwriter will take the stage at KCC for an intimate and rare musical storytelling session titled Suman Ekhono Preme. This isn’t a typical concert. Expect candid chats, poetic interludes, and songs that traverse decades — from his iconic protest anthems to soft ballads on solitude, heartbreak, and his beloved Kolkata. It’s equal parts performance, nostalgia and political commentary. Did you know? Before reinventing Bengali music in the 1990s, Kabir Suman was Suman Chattopadhyay, a journalist and radio presenter with Voice of America. Culture Is Calling From ancient harvest festivals in the Himalayas to ultra-modern light installations in Mumbai, July 2025 offers a cultural calendar that’s as diverse as India itself. Whether you’re slipping into a mirrored cosmos, grooving to world-class jazz, or introducing your kids to classical music via Mozart himself, there’s a world of wonder waiting beyond your doorstep. The only question now is — which event will you pick first? Events & Festivals