Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Maharashtra, India

Mumbai hosts the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival on the first Saturday in February each year. The Kala Ghoda Association, a nonprofit organization, hosts this famous Asian art and craft fair. The festival is an event-filled gathering with a history, art, and craft-related theme. Numerous component presentations under the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival theme set the tone and tempo. This lavish festival is a fusion of a wide range of brilliant colors, customs, and cultures. If you consider yourself an art enthusiast, you must go to the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai in 2023 which has already commenced

 In 2023, this distinctive art festival will commemorate its 23-year history. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has a large number of business sponsors. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’s main goal is to restore and protect Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda, which is an arts district. Additionally, a large number of sponsors and local authorities are working together to promote multicultural awareness through special activities for people who don’t often get the chance to experience other cultures.

Dates: 4 February 2023 (Saturday) to 13 February 2023 (Sunday)
Timings: Daily, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

History and Significance

The history of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is intertwined with that of the Kala Ghoda Association. It was established on October 30, 1998, with the goal of maintaining and preserving South Mumbai’s art and history neighborhood. The popularity of the Kala Ghoda Festival has risen steadily since its inaugural celebration in 1999, drawing both domestic and foreign visitors. Mumbai’s “Art District” is a crescent-shaped area known as Kala Ghoda.

The area is home to numerous museums, quirky galleries, and luxurious stores. The Kala Ghoda neighborhood’s black stone statue of the Prince of Wales and King Edward VII riding a horse is the source of the name Kala Ghoda, which literally translates to “A Black Horse.” When the local government had his statue taken down, it was in 1965.

Major Attractions and Theme 2023

There will be events in 14 categories for the festival’s twentieth anniversary.

Dance

The themes will include anything from modern and classical dance styles from India. All dancing competitions will take place in the Cross Maidan on Churchgate’s Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Culinary

To highlight the value of regional ingredients and recipes, this edition will include interesting food excursions, demonstrations, and stalls.

Children’s Activities

This year, there will be 77 events specifically for kids. The Museum of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya will host numerous workshops and events every day (11:00 am to early evening). The locations of the literary events are Somaiya Bhavan and Kitab Khana.

Threatre

 The National Gallery of Modern Art, MC Ghia Hall (Kala Ghoda), and Horniman Circle Gardens will host 35 plays in various languages, including Hindi, English, Gujarati, and Parsi (NGMA).

Music

Various concerts featuring a wide range of genres are scheduled. Famous artists include Jonita Gandhi, Sahar Zaman, Lydian Nadhaswaram, Nikhil Patwardhan, Shilpa Rao, Taufiq Qureshi, Ayaan, and Amaan Ali Bangash. Mugdha Hasabnis, who will pay tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, is another. The Asiatic Library Steps and Cross Maidan will host some of the musical activities, respectively.

Films and movies

Coomaraswamy Hall and the Visitors’ Center at CSMVS will host film screenings and events relating to documentaries. This year, films with subjects including LGBTQIA+, as well as those from regional and unusual genres, will be featured. Additionally, there will be acting classes and conversations.

Literature

There will be readings of poetry, book launches, and author chats, among other things. The David Sassoon Library will serve as the venue for all of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’s literary events (DSL).

This year’s Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’s main themes are:

A Tryst with Democracy
India’s Place in the New World Dis-Order
Seeing Ourselves
Clear Lens on the City

Fine Arts

Every year’s Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has a number of cutting-edge exhibits of visual art that draw large crowds. It won’t be any different this year. The Horniman Circle Garden, Cross Maidan, the Artists’ Centre at K Dubash Marg, and the Art Entrance at the Army-Navy Building will also have art installations.

Historical Walks

This year, there are planned heritage stroll events and bus tours of Mumbai’s many neighborhoods. Bharat Gothoskar is in charge of curating the events.

Stalls

For the twentieth edition, approximately 150 stalls will be set up. Clothes, shoes, bags, home decor, and other products will be on exhibit thanks to local craftsmen and other groups. People crowd the booths every year to get first dibs on the goods. Along Kala Ghoda Road and in the traffic triangle outside the Jehangir Art Gallery, there will be booths set up.

Workshops

 The Artists’ Center, Artisans’, and Somaiya Centre for Lifelong Learning will host the workshops. All of the workshops are free to attend. The 20th Kala Ghoda Arts Festival will focus on the theme “Zest.” The sessions will be focused on improving and enthusiastically expressing oneself.

Urban Architecture and Design

The talks, movies, conversations, presentations, and interviews at these events are based on the current state of the design, architectural, and urban planning worlds. The activities will be graced by a number of well-known authors, designers, filmmakers, and artists who will offer their personal experiences from their various disciplines. The Max Mueller Bhavan will serve as the venue for the festivities.

Stand-up humor

There will be 4 days of entertainment including performances by both seasoned comedians and rising stars. The activities will take place at Irish House on K Dubash Marg, and they are being organized by Shreemayee Das and Rohan Desai.

Create history in your life by visiting Mumbai for Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.