As the mother of all cultural fests in India, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has been an exciting and vibrant cultural melting pot ever since its inception in 1999. As far as art festivals go, its exponential growth over the years has attracted visitors, participants and sponsors from all over the world. This variant arts festivalΒ is held every winter in South Mumbaiβs Kala Ghoda region is a wonderful celebration of art in all its forms, from exhibitions of paintings, visual art forms and crafts, to clothes andΒ jewellery, and even household objects, toΒ music, cinema, food and literature. This year, the festival will go on for two brilliant weeks, displaying a plethora of culturally and socially diverse forms of art. Take a look at The Sherp’s picks of the lot.
I. MUSIC
Nir KorenΒ
Nir Koren is an electronic musician from Israel, known for his alternative prowess with the ‘electric sitar’. One of the excellent independent musicians from the Kala Ghoda lineup, this is not an act you should miss. You can check out his music here. Listen to hid live set of Sitar Blues below.
Karsh Kale
One of the well-known musicians in the underground music industry in India, Karsh Kale’s music is a keen blend of electronica and fusion, with glimpses of ambient undertones. His live performances are famous for their cohesive deliverance and we truly look forward to seeing him at Kala Ghoda this year. Listen to his collaborative song “Hallelujah” on MTV Coke Studio below.
Ehsaan & Loy
Two-thirds of the uber-famous trio, Ehsaan and Loy will be bringing all their cinematic excellence to the festival this year.Β Ehsaan Noorani andLoy Mendonsa, the two composers/producers will bring a plethora of fresh music to the festival, along with their archetypal energy and grandeur.
II. THEATRE
One on One 2
Featuring theatrical heroes such as Rajit Kapur with Zafar Karachiwala, Vrijesh Hirjee and more, this production by Rage Production will bring you, an amalgamation of seven directors, ten writers and six actors as theyΒ present eightΒ monologues on topics ranging from the music industry and marriage to war and Bollywood. Needless to mention, we can hardly wait.
Song of the Swan
This is theΒ brutal but moving story ofΒ Hans Christian Ostro, a Norwegian theatre practitioner whoseΒ body was found in the Himalayan village of Seer in Kashmir (1995). Ostro’s killing sent shock waves through Kashmir and prompted an unprecedented condemnation of the militants by the political groups leading the campaign for the region’s independence from India. Interwoven with Kathakali dance and music, with performances byΒ Avantika Akerkar, Suneel Sinha & more, this play is one you do not want to miss.
Jaise Sookhe Hue Phool Kitaabon Mein Mile
PutΒ together by Nadira Zaheer Babbar, the famous theatre actress and director, is an authentic and unique presentation of Urdu and Hindi prose and poetry, with deep-rooted undertones of ethnic music. Dubbed an “illuminating experience”, The Sherp is definitely looking forward to this one.
III. FOOD
The Organic Local Food Movement – A Talk
Curated by Kumud Dadlani of the Slow Food Movement, this organic food talk is everything a lover and supporter of organic food needs. Be at the Somkaiya Centre on February 7 this weekend to witness this stimulating discussion betweenΒ Pankil Shah, Farhad Bomanjee, Yohaan Datoobhai and Annie Bafna.
The Science of Coffee & The Art of Bread Making
A couple of workshops/masterclasses hosted byΒ Emanuele Bargelli on February 10 & 11, these will teach you all the cooking basics you need to know to adult successfully. Coffee and bread is a millennial’s holy grail, therefore, these workshops will prove quite useful. Italian Embassy Cultural Centre. Bought to you by theΒ Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, The Sherp will certainly see you there.
Cooking with Sanjeev Kapoor
India’s beloved chef and cooking show host,Β Sanjeev Kapoor has a lot of culinary secrets to share. Bring your fangirling mother along for this one-on-one workshop as the chef shares some of his most exclusive recipes with you.
IV. LITERATURE
Homeland Tales
The authors of the book A Long Dream of Home Siddhartha Gigoo and Varad Sharma,Β natives of the beautiful hearth of Kashmir, will share thoughts, states and memories from their homeland in this heartfelt discussion at the DSL Garden. Make your way here on February 6 for an eloquent discussion of Kashmir.
The Art and Politics of Equity
This is an analytical discussion of the works ofΒ Navjot Altaf, the contemporary artist. Thios discussion willΒ shed light on Altaf’s art in reference toΒ the politics of Marxism and feminism in the 1970s. FeaturingΒ Kalpana Sharma, Rudolf Heredia & Nancy Adajania, andΒ moderated by Kaiwan Mehta, The Sherp is really pumped for this particular session.
The Sita Effect
One of the few women-oriented, but powerful discussions, this one is a must-watch. Exploring and dissecting the significance of women in Indian folklore, The Sita Effect will bring out many interesting topics of discussion. This session will featureΒ Karthika Nair, Arshia Sattar & Samhita Arni, and will beΒ moderated by Imran Ali Khan.
Pride Without Prejudice
A conversation withΒ Leonora Christina Skov & Lawrence Liang,Β on LGBT issues, uninhibited at this wonderful and anticipated session at the Kala Ghoda festival.
