Nearly 22 years ago, the Military Road Residents Welfare Association (MRRWA), a community welfare society in Marol put down plans to convert an abandoned quarry at the end of Military Road into a public park. It’s called Bharat Van, and from the outside, it seems all too regular, as if there weren’t an expansive garden that ascends to multiple levels with space for morning walks, sports and cultural activities. This garden is one stop of Marol Art Village (MAV), an art community supported by MRRWA and Wicked Broz, a graffiti and street art collective. When we drop by the area, we are greeted by resident and co-founder of Wicked Broz, Omkar Dhareshwar who helms the project, “I want to put Marol on the map, make it the next Kala Ghoda, with heritage walks and street art tours.” Every Sunday, MAV hosts #Back2TheRoots, jam sessions at the park where they teach slacklining and sketching, conduct a garden clean up, and a rap cypher.

Graffiti at Eco Park, Marol by Mooz, Wome and NME, 2017