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South Asians have been insultingly ignored by most music festivals – so thank you Glastonbury

Despite being a huge part of the British population, South Asian musicians rarely feature on festival lineups. So it was joyous to have an entire area dedicated to our cultural vibrancy

The words “my mum needs to see this” aren’t ones you often hear after 2am at Glastonbury, but that’s what festival-goer Shivali said as she took a video of her fiance dancing to a DJ set inside a new south Asian space in the festival’s iconic Shangri-La area. Inspired by retro sci-fi films, at the centre was a spaceship-themed hub for the decks that was woven with plants – a nod to a jungle planet – alongside a wall of colourful illustrations by the artist Osheen Siva and art-deco-themed speakers created by Vedic Roots. From jungle to techno, electronic, hip-hop and house, over four nights, esteemed artists such as Bobby Friction and DJ Ritu, an icon of the 90s Asian underground scene, as well emerging talents such as Anish Kumar, Nabihah Iqbal and Nikki Nair performed not just at Arrivals, but across various stages, winning over diverse audiences.

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