Kala Ghoda Arts Festival – I

Every year, a 9-day Festival of the Arts, ‘The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’ is held in Mumbai. Initiated in 1999, it is a celebration of the culture and various Art forms of India, with an aim to involving the community and so helping in their preservation. The historic ‘Kala Ghoda‘ district is the hub of Mumbai’s Art World…lined with Art Galleries, Museums, Libraries, located in heritage buildings dating back to the days of the Raj. 

The Festival is a colorful spectacle of Art installations, street acts, musical concerts, movie screenings, and a myriad of workshops in various fields. The energy is palpable as families wander through the pedestrian zone, cameras at the ready, taking in the sights, catching the latest street acts, grabbing a bite to eat, jostling to shop at the many interesting stalls that line the walk, and studying the many installations that dot the landscape. I have happy memories of wandering here when we were last in Mumbai – it was much smaller then, less crowded although thoroughly enjoyable. Like everything else in this city – it has ballooned in size and scope and attendance so that it is quite difficult to walk around without stepping on anonymous toes and warding off strange elbows with your own, as we found out when we were there last Sunday! Since Ishaan was with us, I was quite paranoid of holding on to his hand, lest the crowd swallow him up!! There were scouts too – they approached us to ask whether we would be interested in Ishaan being a child model and Hubby, much to my annoyance gave them his number!! Not that he has a say in the matter. My decision is quite final and it’s a resounding NO!

We did however soak in the vibrant atmosphere of the street – it’s impossible not to! I took pictures of the various installations – the theme this year seemed to be skulls made out of refuse – which would explain this gigantic model made out of disemboweled computer parts!

A scooter shaped like a fly reminiscent of a recent Bollywood blockbuster titled ‘Makkhi’, (fly in Hindi);

A giant pair of glasses served as a showcase for the normal-sized ones ensconced within;

A shiny copper bicycle encouraging Mumbai denizens towards an environment-friendly lifestyle;

Totem poles made out of recyclable materials and a green map of India strung with fairy lights that lit up when cyclists pedaled hard creating energy!

The boys ate ice-cream and we all enjoyed a 20 min tightrope performance by a troupe of local acrobats! Ishaan was extremely excited but confused by the boy on stilts and utterly in awe of the boy balancing on the rope all to riveting beat of handheld drums! It was his first time watching a show like this and I’m so glad he was able to experience it, even in the 21st century 🙂 It took me back to my childhood, when there were several such troupes wandering around Bombay, usually families, where the children performed all sorts of dare-devilry and acrobatics! ‘Dombari’ they are called in Marathi and their appearance was always exciting if a little scary!

The ‘Dombari’ displaying their formidable skills!

With the boys in tow, I didn’t get to shop or even browse, but I’m going back with a friend, during school hours tomorrow, to do exactly that! There are always a couple of stalls that are out of the ordinary 🙂

Wish me Luck 😀

The Elephant God Cometh!

By the time I got around to writing this post, he’s actually come and gone (figuratively speaking), at least from our home, but elsewhere he stays and his presence continues to hallow the atmosphere 🙂

For those who may not be aware, once a year, Hindus celebrate the birthday of Ganesha, the Elephant God (and my absolute favorite as far as God’s go!), with much pomp and devotion. Here in Goa, we call it ‘Chavath’ in Konkani (the local lingo) or ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ in Marathi. What I love about this time and this festival, is that it is not a somber time of introspection and contemplation (although there’s nothing wrong with either), but a happy time…a time of celebration and joy, of music and crackers and of sweets in obscene amounts!! It’s also a time for family…for gatherings, catching up, setting aside petty quarrels and much enjoyment 🙂

@ Hubby's house in Priol, Goa.

The festival is a veritable feast for the senses – the many faces of the God, each revered and beautiful (here in Goa, every family has a traditional Idol design that has come down through the generations and they stick with it); the musky fragrance of burning incense mingles with the sweet fragrance of flowers; garlands in every color, bright red hibiscus (Ganesha’s favorite), deep orange and bright yellow marigolds, and blue orchids, adorn regal Idols glittering with ornaments, often of real gold and silver; the sound of music and voices raised in prayer blends with the cacophony of children playing, people laughing and bursting crackers; the place of worship is richly decorated with colorful streamers, flowers, lights, ‘rangoli’ art, and over the Idol from the ceiling hangs the ‘matoli’, a wooden frame from which hang fruits and vegetables, an offering to the Lord; from the kitchens…comes the smokiness of wood fires burning, fragrant odors and the sizzle of foods cooking, the voices of women bantering and the soft swish of their silk sarees, the metal clang of copper vessels, as the food within is vigorously stirred and made worthy for divine consumption. Each home is alive with excitement, busy with preparations and hallowed with devotion. It is an auspicious time, a happy time, a time for quiet reverence but also for noisy celebration…a time to welcome at last, ‘The Bringer of Joy, Destroyer of Woe & Remover of Obstacles’, The Elephant God, Ganesha into our hearts and homes!

@ Dad's ancestral home, Amona, Goa.

I have wonderful memories from childhood, of our family moving to our ancestral home for the duration and us children playing incessantly, gorging on sweets and lighting crackers! We enjoyed as only children can enjoy, free from all care and worry. Must confess however, am not much of a cracker person now (hate the ones that make deafening bangs that are for some reason attractive to the rest of the world), except for sparklers! This year was no different! It was special, cause this is Ishaan’s first festival and ours too in a long time in Goa. We had three homes to visit, hubby’s, Dad’s and Grandma’s. In Goa, most families (although not all), celebrate the occasion by bringing home an Idol of the God and worshiping it, usually for 1 and a 1/2 day, but some for 5 and others for 10 days. This year, all our family was celebrating for 1 and a 1/2 days which meant we had a hectic schedule trying to visit every house while seeing to our own! But that’s part of the fun of festivals, at least while they last; the aches, pains and festival-fatigue set in later 😉

@ Grandma's childhood home in Khorlim, Goa.

We had a wonderful time with Ishaan. He discovered a love for firecrackers! He’s fascinated by their colors and excited by their motion 🙂 He’s not into loud bangs yet thank goodness, although how long that will last is difficult to say. It’s a male thing 😛 He’s not into sweets either (like me) but he is definitely into Ganesha (again like me!) 🙂 He had a field day pointing out pictures of him to us in the newspapers, on hoardings and on TV 🙂 Although for the most part, he ignored the Idols he visited, he dutifully joined his tiny hands in prayer when asked and he enjoyed showering the God with puffed rice once the immersion process began! As for the actual immersion – he thought the God was off for a bath! We traveled everywhere with his cricket bat and ball, indeed it would be impossible not to. His obsession increases with every passing day!

The 'Matoli' above the Idol

This time as an added treat, the family gathered at a private estate afterward, and had a wonderful ‘Day After’ party! It was relaxing, fun and essential 🙂 For many (me included!), it was a relief to finally be able to eat chicken and fish again after a break of…only 2 days 😉 (We are all vegetarian for the duration of the festival, out of necessity I might add, not choice!) The way we fell on the Chicken Cafreal (excellent!), you’d think it was two lifetimes not days! But this is Goa, and 2 days without fish are as two lifetimes to every self-respecting Goan 😛 Indeed, my uncles (much to the dismay of my bone-tired aunts), always came home with a fresh catch, from the river where they immersed the Idol! The fish was then prepared and dinner eaten with much satisfaction usually after midnight. Nothing’s changed! I was reminded of Bali and how the locals offer fried chicken to the God! Perhaps Goans should think of offering fish, the way we all go on about having to turn veg for a day and a half 😛

All too soon, the festivities are done, for us at least, and life goes back to routine. But memories remain, of pleasant, happy times that linger, long after family has dispersed and the feasting ends. My only regret is that I couldn’t quite take all the pictures I wanted to, but it’s hard to take pictures when you are busy enjoying yourself and looking after an exuberant two-year old 🙂

Saying Goodbye

And so…looking forward to next year, another festival, more happy memories…

God Bless!