Kala Ghoda 2012

The Kala Ghoda Art Festival has always been on my priority list whenever it happens...but somehow, this time, I was not able to spend as much time over there as I would have normally done :-(. Yeah - no excuses!!!! But have been keeping pretty occupied. No - its not about work, but somehow my weekends have been even busier then the weekdays. I found myself wanting for some 'me' time. Have not been able to do a lot of things since the last few weeks and that has left me a bit restless. But, but, but....don't want to start a cribbing session here. 

Went to the Kala Ghoda festival last sunday. Landed directly at Cross Maidan. That was a 'musical' evening. The performance by 'Band, Baaja, Bachhe' stole my heart :-). The kids belonged to the Salaam Bombay Foundation and gave an impressive performance. It was the first performance. There was not much of a crowd then. So lesser encouragement. Sometimes, I wonder, why such 'special' performances are slotted with the popular category of performance. Since its a 'not for profit' Art festival, these performances where it could actually make an impact to the lives of these children, should have been highlighted. But I guess - the organizers would have thought about that aspect.

The other "Star" performers of the evening were "The Other People", "Raaga Boys" and "Susheela Raman".  I quite like the music the "The Other People" play but somehow I felt, there was an audience mismatch. They were really good... but the audience was I guess more towards the hindi - bollywood music types!!! 

The Raaga Boys is a Pakistani Boy band and belonged to the 'Patiala' Gharana. Out of the 3 brothers who were the main lead, only one of them could sing properly. Felt there were too many people on the stage at the time of their performance. And well - they advertised their lineage a lot of famous uncles and cousins!!!!! And last but not the least, there was a performance by Susheela Raman. I think, I would have definitely liked it, provided I understood the language. She was singing in Tamil!!!! And she kept on singing in Tamil!!!....

Some Pictures I clicked....

The Other People

An exhibit

Raaga Boys

I would have loved to see more of Kala Ghoda, but paucity of time kept me away from it. It was by sheer coincidence that I met a fellow blogger Purvesh over there. 

Kala Ghoda Art Festival has played an important role in what makes Bombay "tick". I thoroughly enjoy what all it offers to the Mumbaikars as well as the artists. I hope it continues forever and does not have to deal with the string pulling as a lot of other festivals go through!!!!

Foot and the Shoe

 Are my feet too small or my shoe too large?!!

Source: Pic by Meghna Garg, Kala Ghoda Festival, 2011

Thoughts on Bombay

Had spent our last Sunday, so to speak our valentine’s day, at Kala Ghoda Festival.... checking out the stalls, testing the functionalities of our new camera (read previous post) and of course enjoying the last day of the festival. During the week, there were some wonderful performances from various artists and performers.... Bharat Natyam, Kuchipuddi, Prince Dance Troop, Some African dancers, classical music, rock music, rap music, hip – hop and a lot of other things which we missed out on..... There were lot of exhibitions of some photographers, painters.... wonderful.... every exhibit had a theme..... every painting or a sketch telling something.... inspiring.... there was a small sketching competition also going on.... an open bus round in townside....


The Kala Ghoda festival has been going on since the last 11 – 12 years.... The organizers from various strata of the society..... a good mix of people.... living in Bombay....

This was just a glimpse of the rich culture of India.... a miniscule part.... which is presented to Bombay annually.... attracting all performing artists from various parts of the country.... all people here to enjoy.... the rich culture of India.... I guess that is what makes our country so unique, so rich and so very diverse....

Some photographs are available at the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/meghnagarg/KalaGhoda#



The sad part is when a selective group of people start considering a city, a culture, an heritage its own.... its business, its diversity, its money, its own... they fail to realize that what Bombay is today is not because a selective group of people who are the “Marathi Manoos” but because anyone and everyone who came to the city brought their own to give.... if they took, they have given much more than that.... so that since time immemorial, Bombay has been considered as a city of dreams.... a place where anyone who has a mind and a heart along with a strong will can make it big... the background of the individual does not matter... who he knows does not matter.... who he was does not matter.... what matters is what he is now..... and the possibility of what he is going to be.... tomorrow.... Nowhere in India, people work as hard a Mumbaikar.... no where in India, does half the population of the city travels hours together to work.... its very easy to give up.... its very to wish away.... but here, giving up is not an option.... from the fisherwoman to the mill owners to the corporate houses to the restaurants to the theatres to the colleges to the panwallas to the chawls, to the slums to the high rises, everyone is constantly on a move... to be something.... to achieve....that is what makes Mumbai what it is today.... but sadly and frustratingly and disgustingly Shiv Sena and MNS have taken it upon themselves the “cause” of Marathi Manoos.... mis representing their thoughts and sentiments. They are just a bunch of hooligans trying to meet their own ends.... and very soon, I think the process has already started, their agenda will bite the dust....



You can take me out of Bombay, but you cannot take Bombay out of me!!!