Eye on Kala Ghoda

The sight of a white swan dancing with a handsome prince is both beautiful and graceful. Taking one’s eyes off the two lovers is near impossible even if it’s on a tiny screen on YouTube. The Guangdong Art Troupe from China,who have enthralled audiences all over the world with their version of Swan Lake,will be opening the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai on February 4 with a piece from the Cantonese Opera. “For the first time since we started,we’re going to have international artists participating in the festival,” says Pallavi Sharma,CEO of the Kala Ghoda Association.

The nine-day-long event will host the Raga Boys,a music band from Pakistan,and Tracey Lee Strum,a 3D street painter from the US,among others. What had started as a festival celebrating the arts outside the confines of galleries and theatres,has given Mumbai’s cultural scene a new dimension over the last 13 years. Returning to its heritage ground this year,the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival will continue to celebrate all aspects of art — theatre,music,dance,literature.

This year also includes a series of events dedicated to the culinary arts. The Food Section will feature demos and workshops with chefs such as Busaba’s Nikhil Chib and Le 15 Patisserie’s Pooja Dhingra. “As always,events are free and will be on a first-come-first-served basis,” adds Sharma.