The 15th Kala Ghoda Festival concluded on sunday the 9th February. Being the last day of the nine day long festival there were thousands of people who visited Kala Ghoda in South Mumbai , to either see the performances of Farhan Akthar or to see the creativity done by students,and todays youth .I had been to the festival last year too and was amazed by the efforts put in by the organiser and team in displaying some interesting things from best out of waste,electronic waste .A brief history of the festival.its inception in 1999, the Festival has grown in stature and popularity, attracting visitors and participants from other parts of the country, and the world. The Festival is organised by the Kala Ghoda Association (a non-profit organisation that states its objectives as “physically upgrading the Kala Ghoda sub-precinct and making it the Art District of Mumbai”) and curated by teams handling each of the sub-festivals.Its held usually around nine days long either in late January or early February.The sub-festivals feature the visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature, lectures, seminars and workshops, heritage walks, special events for children, and a vibrant street festival. Entry to all events is free to all (only restricted by the size of the venues) . Venues include The Jehangir Art gallery , The National Gallery of Modern Art , the David Sassoon Library , Max Mueller Bhavan, Elphinstone college , the K.R Cama Institue, the M C Ghia Hall, and the street area of Rampart Row. Rampart Row is closed off to vehicular traffic for the duration of the festival, with the entire area becoming a street Mela , with food stalls, artisans selling their creations, artists who sketch instant portraits, street art installations and the like. In recent years, the Festival has expanded beyond the Kala Ghoda crescent, with events being held in Azad Maidan and Horinman Circle as well.
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