Mumbai : Buntings hanging from the age old trees, colour full sculptures and murals spread across the length and breath of the walking zone along with the buzzing crowd, music and some amazing handicraft stalls make for a feisty and colourful picture of Kala Godha fest, held every year right in the heart of Colaba Kala Ghoda square. This year too the fest has lived up to its expectations of bringing forth some of the most intricate and deserving handicraft works by skilled artisans from across the country on a single platform in Mumbai.

Over the years, the murals have become an integral part in putting across the theme of the fest through visually delightful stand alone figures which set the tone for the entire fest. This year one of the most outstanding murals at the fest was that of a military tank… positioned right at the entrance from the dockyard entry side. It was of an impressive size with full sound effects of moving tracks and a tank man sitting on top. When asked about the significance of the mural, one of the organiser told us that it was dedicated to the Indian armed forces especially with the intensified operations since last year and a tribute to all the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the service of the nation.

A little ahead it was the mural of a big weaving hand operated loom which set the tone for the handicraft rich stalls. The organisers further enlightened us by stating that the loom was actually a representation of the majority of stall crafts all of them aiming at promoting skilled artisan works and encourage them to carry on producing handmade goods for consumer use.

As we proceeded further, the sheer number of stalls and the variety each one offered was rather encouraging, especially for the shopaholics who just couldn’t get enough of the variety available in one place with hundreds of options to choose from.  There were stalls from all over the country right from Rajasthan to Manipur and going on to cover the paper cutting skilled workers from Mathura to the NGO working with women issues in Mumbai. There was an interesting stall set up by Mumbai police which was full vibrant paintings in all sizes.

As always the Jaipur cottons and Manipuri woven bamboo baskets were a super hit with people thronging all stalls offering either of the two. A member of the Manipur handloom stall informed us that it took incessant persuasion from their end to convince artisans to weave bedcovers as the work involved is very intricate and therefore requires effort. Due to declining demand, most weavers are now giving up on the age old skill but with the right push and encouragement these weavers can be sustained and pushed further to expand their skill sets and pass it on to the next generation.

The organic touch

Apart from the Made in India theme, this year the fest was largely about every thing organic and environment friendly products. One of the busy stations at the fest was a stall selling bird houses with bird feeders. Made of wood and glass the bird houses were a hit with many youngsters who thronged the stall to pick one for the sake of their bird friends back home.

Natural dyed clothes were another high point with shoppers as they got a chance to pick their favourite silk scarfs in vibrant natural dyed colours. The Pottery section too was a mix of clay from Mumbai and other parts of the country.  One section on display showcased a pottery sound amplifier. Semi circular in shape the amplifier works for mobile phones as a docking system which in any indoor setting will improve the sound experience of the listeners. A perfect example of organic eco friendly innovation at the fest.

All in all as always the fest had something for everyone…. Music, food, shopping, art and culture wrapped up in one fest.