I moved to Mumbai some eight years ago and never quite managed to get to the Kalaghoda festival held every year in February. Until last year, when I was invited to curate the literature festival at Kalaghoda. And I became a convert.
No other city in India boasts of a festival like the Kalaghoda fest. Arts, Music, Dance Drama ,Photography, Movies and literature make up this lovely festival. For 9 days, the Mumbaikars have an opportunity to attend special workshops, meet with artists and authors ,partake of superior performances ,see splendid art and craft and help NGOs that work across a cross section of underpriveleged people.And it is not an elitist festival - people from all walks of life participate and attend the festival.
The Kalaghoda Festival for me is the symbol of what is right with Mumbai - the vibrant arts, the thinking minds, the selflessness of the many volunteers ,organisers , NGOs and Civic bodies who try to showcase their city. A bunch of people come together every year to create an experience that is unique only to Mumbai. It is not done for personal glory or fame (how many of us know the names of the KG Organising Committee)?
Therefore, my distress is complete. The November Kalaghoda festival is not happening because Rampart Row is a silence zone now.There is a cloud over the February festival too. The Kalaghoda festival cannot disrupt the peace.This despite the Church on Rampart Row not against the Kalaghoda festival.
This is cheesy - coming from an administration that has not been able to curb the incessant honking on the roads at the silence zones. That allows noise to be created in the name of religion - with the navratri pandals, Ganpati , Dahi Handi festivals that make life miserable. That does not have the courage to stand up to a Shiv Sena that blatantly flouts the norms at its Dusshera show of strength.
And we complain about the one thing that brings Mumbai pride and joy.
1 comment:
When Pallavi intimated that this might happen, I didn't really believe her. Not at an unconscious level. It seemed to grossly unfair, wrong, disproportionate- to be true.
Was greatly saddened to see this in my inbox yesterday... KGAF taught me a lot of very important lessons, brought me in contact with so many brilliant, special people I'd never have met otherwise :)
Fingers crossed this sorts out in 6 months. Wish there was something I could DO!!
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