Kala Ghoda Art Festival - 2016
A Photo Essay
“It’s time to go.” I said to myself and quickly packed my stuff into a duffle bag and stormed out of my apartment.
Hopped into an auto and asked the driver to go to Vashi station. “Damn! I’m gonna miss that train!” I said to myself in sigh. My friend had already started from her place 10 minutes back and she’ll reach CST in exact 45 minutes from now. “Bhaiya, Jaldi Chalo!” I yelled at the my slow moving Auto Rickshaw Driver.
But then the excitement of the Festival took over my mind and fear of on reaching late just faded. In 20 minutes I reached Vashi station. From there it was a train journey of 50 minutes in the Mumbai Local ending at CST.
While sitting in train i was thinking about how I got introduced to this festival accidentally through my good friend (who is in the United States right now). Last year (2015) when I saw her pictures on Facebook with real bizarre art pieces, i got very curious and asked her about it. She said it was from the Kala Ghoda Art Festival. Unfortunately it was the very last day of the event when we had that conversation, so I couldn’t go.
After talking to her my curiosity was aroused to a level that i had to fire up Google to know more about this fest. There you go, as anticipated it was the largest art festival of India which takes place at the artist hub of Mumbai, ‘Kala Ghoda’. I promised myself, I’m gonna visit this fest next year for sure.
Contemplating in these thoughts, i reached CST station. I didn’t had to worry about being late as my friend also missed one train and had just reached there 5 minutes back. She was coming out with me for the first time, so we shook hands awkwardly and exchange smiles. “Let’s go”, I said and we got out of the main gate from CST.
The light that day was amazing and the BMC building right in front of the CST station was standing tall. Sunshine on the old stone of the building left us mesmerized.
I asked my friend if we can walk down to Kala Ghoda as I always love walking through these South Bombay Gothic Structures. She happily agreed.
We started walking down the street and i started taking photographs of these Heritage buildings. The below photograph of Central Railway HQ is taken from an angle slightly right from the CST station main entrance in front of the BMC building.
The following one is a Square Panorama (little distorted from the top) of Bank of India, HQ in Fort Area. But it still looks Beautiful (I think).
Then we reached Kala Ghoda, where the festival was taking place. Just right to the famous Rhythm House.
And the old and gold Kala Ghoda Café.
As we entered the venue after going through a long queue. First thing i noticed was an intriguing Statue of Kala Ghoda.
This statue itself was a visual art instillation and was in two parts was two parts. One was the above Black horse statue and the second was the Cut Out block where it would fit in.
When sought from a distance, it makes this beautiful piece of art - ‘Representation of the Original Kala Ghoda Statue’. (Name stated as mentioned on the statue)
Another interesting, engaging and thought provoking art piece. “Labels”. There were various labels hanging in this art installation. Like -‘Lazy’, ‘Introvery’, ‘Extrovert’, ‘Greedy’, ‘Ugly’, ‘Demanding’ etc.
Then there were few boards like “Rise Above Labels” and “I don’t believe in Lables, I believe in Relations”. So it was a social art piece. Below are a few photographs from there
Then we found another art piece but it was more of ‘love for Mumbai’ and literally called “Love Mumbai”.
P.S.: Look closely how many expressions are their in this picture!
There was even a spot on ground which said ‘Stand, Click, Selfie & Share — Love Mumbai’.
Then another one by the fabric craft company, ‘Spaces - Home & Beyond’.
Then near to this an small but spectacular piece of art but inspired from science (physics). It was called Choreographed Geometry.
There was a mirror beneath it from where you could look right into this piece.
Below is art piece made from Pulses of different variety.
Lady of Justice -
Below art piece was a collaborated art piece created by various students and artists for their (Mumbai’s) love of Rickshaws.
Oh man! It’s pretty long list. How did i even saw and consumed that much art in such short span. Phew!
Here is another spectacular art piece - ‘Faces’
Here is the last one! Can’t remember the name of this art installation but it was like alien space ships when seen from below.
It was almost evening, I asked my friend if she would like to tag along to the music fest which was happening in a stadium near the Churchgate station, She happily obliged.
But we had to grab some lunch! We were starving! So we grabbed a bite in a nearby Thai restaurant Loco Chino. Fort is such an amazing place with so many eateries around. So we had lunch there.
After lunch we went to the music fest. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was performing for the evening along with his sons Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan. I didn’t click any photographs there as I just wanted to enjoy the music without any distractions.
Their performance was mesmerizing. I was just amazed to hear them live for the first time in my life. The father-sons trio just blew our minds and won our hearts forever. Classical music flows through that family so deeply.
You have to see it to experience.
In the melodies of Sarod our evening melted like a candle on a dinner date by the sea side.
P.S.: This photo essay is from February 2016, it was lying in my drafts from more than two years and I completely forgot to publish this gem, finally I could publish it with some finishing touches.
Thanks for reading — I’m Himanshu Sachdeva. I’m a writer, blogger, creative & Technology Evangelist. Since 2012, I’m helping people make good lifestyle choices and design a lifestyle of freedom. You can contact me for writing collaboration or for a conversation on your podcast. Will look forward to hear from you!
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