About

It all started when…

District of Raga (DoR) was launched in January 2017 with a vision of creating space for practitioners and lovers of Indian classical music to gather for musical dialogue within the Washington, D.C. community. The inspiration to create this platform came from the successful collective of musicians in NYC known as Brooklyn Raga Massive. Prior to the pandemic, DoR was held at Bossa Bistro & Lounge in Adams Morgan on the last Wednesday of every month. The event showcased a local or visiting featured artist, with a focus on presenting traditional Indian classical music as well as multi-cultural sounds intersecting with Raga-inspired music. An open jam session followed the concert. Through our platform, District of Raga strives to have a deep and consistent impact on our community of artists and audiences.

Since our inception, we have organized over 100 events, including free and ticketed performances, educational workshops, dance classes, art markets, and film screenings, providing essential support to more than 125 artists while uniting thousands of attendees.  We have helped carve out a notable space for South Asian performing arts on some of the largest and most respected stages in the area, including The Smithsonian Asian Art Museum,  Wolf Trap, The Kennedy Center, and Strathmore.  We are proud to be one of 22 individuals/organizations in DC nominated and selected to be in the inaugural class of The Kennedy Center’s Culture Caucus. Furthermore, our partnership with Wolf Trap continues to thrive, now entering its third year, as we curate and co-present a series of concerts together.

District of Raga is committed to:

● Connecting artists to audiences
● Building community through collaboration with artists, audiences, and organizations
● Recognizing and presenting artistic excellence and extraordinary musicianship
● Including educational opportunities
● Being inclusive of all people and backgrounds
● Preserving the performing arts and culture of South Asia.