Our sutradhaars Lady Flora and Sir Pheroze discuss why the city ought to extend its cultural footprint with affordable, accessible festivals all year through rather than pack it into a cluster period of a few months
Imagine having an Apollo Bunder festival by this promenade for watersports and other seaside activities? A real shame that we don’t celebrate our coastal location. ILLUSTRATION/UDAY MOHITE
Both friends had deliberately decided to arrive later than usual for their nighttime stroll. The biggest cultural extravaganza in the city at Kala Ghoda had just begun, and they didn’t want to miss out on the goings-on. They had also taken the wise decision to avoid their usual hangout, and instead planned to meet by the Apollo Bunder promenade. “Pheroze, I am right here!” exclaimed Lady Flora, waving vigorously to catch her friend’s attention. He didn’t miss her cheery disposition, and waved back.
“My Lady, what did you think about the festival so far?” Sir PM enquired; he always preferred that she set the tone of their conversations. “Pheroze, its scale is magnificent. And it’s lovely that there are more venues. I managed to catch the Snow Lion dance performance, presented by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts at the Horniman Circle Garden. It was such a delight, and the place was packed, given that I had to wrestle my way to find a discrete corner to catch proceedings,” shared Lady Flora, doing a little jig; Sir PM could tell she was trying to remember a few steps from the dance, and smiled. “They’ve made quite an impression on you. I decided to walk around the stalls, and soak in the buzz; listen to the voices of visitors. It’s a handy observation exercise that I look forward to, edition after another,” he added, pleased with his immersive adventure around the Kala Ghoda sub-precinct.
“My Lady, every event is free, which is commendable, given its scale. I overheard chatter from a young family who had travelled all the way from Vasai. They were over the moon since it was the first time they were attending it. For many from the extended suburbs in particular, this must be an annual pilgrimage of sorts; their taste of cultural wonderment on a grand scale, and also having the opportunity to marvel at the sights and sounds of SoBo,” he observed. “Pheroze, you are spot on…for many in the city, this is probably their best shot at being able to access different experiences at a single cultural festival. Visitors can also easily hop from one venue to another. It’s a win-win; honestly, and a template that others can emulate.”
Sir Pheroze, despite being a shade distracted by the Moon’s stunning reflection on the placid waters off the Gateway, quickly nodded, “In reality, the city lacks sufficient accessible, affordable and/or free multi-format, eclectic cultural experiences. I hate to admit but we are miles behind Delhi. We might boast of big-ticket festivals, but these often focus on just one or two disciplines — for example, literature, the performing arts, food and drink. It’s fairly limited, and often taps into niche audiences,” Sir PM elaborated. “I’ve also noticed that the calendar is packed with festivals only from typically, October till February. It’s a fairly skewed approach, given that the city is a melting pot and has such a vibrant, eclectic and intelligent population that deserves better. They will surely support such initiatives if amenities are good, and importantly, the itinerary wows them. From my pedestal, I’ve seen an uptick among tourists who throng the city in larger numbers during these months, hoping to catch these events, and also enjoy the somewhat pleasant weather; though one cannot tell of late, given the havoc that climate change has caused to our weather patterns,” she grimaced.
“My Lady, it’s an issue that needs addressing, if we want to call ourselves a cultural city. The monsoon months are partly to blame. Also, our humid summer months don’t nudge even the most dedicated folks to venture out. But having said that, I still feel organisers and the brains behind such festivals ought to take a leap of faith, and break the mould. We have sufficient and well-equipped indoor venues for all audience sizes and genres,” he voiced his opinion, as only a true Bombaywallah would.
Lady Flora stopped and turned towards her friend, “We are blessed with an explosion of talent — from the literary and performing arts, to community-driven ideas, art and photography, history and heritage. Even they deserve more opportunities and bigger stages to showcase their skills in their home city. Once the intent and big names join hands, funding will also flow. After all, I am proud to say that we are a philanthropic city. Once a start is made, others will follow. Forget about Europe, look at Asian cities like Dubai, Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong — they too experience unpleasant weather but that hasn’t deterred them from having packed year-long cultural calendars. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that some of these cities aren’t half as blessed with talent as we are,” she proclaimed.
They had reached the Gateway Plaza. “Imagine having an Apollo Bunder festival by this promenade for watersports and other seaside activities? A real shame that we don’t celebrate our coastal location. Ideas are everywhere, and talent is aplenty; I really hope the cultural gurus and funding guardians of our city come together to rewrite the narrative. We owe it to our citizens. Only then can we boast of calling ourselves a culturally cool city,” Sir PM summarised, as both friends enjoyed the gentle breeze by the bay, silently hoping that encouraging signs would blow towards their beloved homeground.
mid-day’s Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city’s sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her.
She tweets @bombayana. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.
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