5 unique exhibition stalls at Kala Ghoda Festival 2019 | Experience Mumbai | StarLit Eyes!

Kala Ghoda Festival 2019

I simply love visiting exhibitions! Be it art, food, fashion or any other kind. Exhibitions always evoke a sense of wonderment and excitement within me. You never know what amazing new gadget, trendy fashion piece or mouth watering delicacy you might discover at an exhibition! It's the only place where one can find people of different artistic, cultural and intellectual sensibilities coming under one roof to display their innovative ideas, unique design aesthetics through a multitude of products and services.   

I recently visited such an amazing exhibition at the Kala Ghoda Festival 2019 in Mumbai. Kala Ghoda Festival is a yearly festival held right in the heart of the art and heritage district of Fort, South Mumbai. It's organised by a non profit organisation called the " Kala Ghoda Association" and runs for nine days usually from the first Saturday of February till the coming Sunday. The festival has a myriad of activities ranging from cinematic presentations, dance and music performances to literary readings, heritage walks and countless exhibition stalls. The festival aims to capture the rich cultural heritage of Mumbai while promoting indigenous artistic talents of the city. With such a varied ensemble the festival tends to attract thousands to culture and art enthusiasts from all over India. 

Kala Ghoda, Fort, South Mumbai

This was my first time visiting the Kala Ghoda Festival. Having heard so much about it my spirit and expectations were pretty high! Living up to the hype,  it was a  "star lit" experience! Being an exhibition enthusiast, I naturally chose to visit the amazing stalls at the festival first. These are the 5 exhibits that really caught my attention at Kala Ghoda Festival 2019.

1. Float Studio

Do you love Diwali Lanterns aka Kandils? I do! That's why I loved Float Studio. Generally available in bright colors and traditional designs, the "Kandil" is a staple of Diwali decorations. Turning the idea on its head, Float Studio has designed urban chic Kandils that can be used as a glam alternate to light fixtures in your room.

Uber chic kandils by Float Studio

2. Modular Footwear By Murtle

 A sustainable fashion brand, Murtle displayed their innovative take on footwear at the festival. Just like a watch with changeable straps to match your different outfits. Modular Footwear By Murtle has designed sandals with a customized sole and interchangeable straps suited for our ever changing fashion needs!

Innovative strap changing sandals by Murtle

3. The Nutcracker

I'm a huge foodie and there was no dearth of food stalls at the festival. However, my personal favorite was The Nutcracker. With two branches located in Fort and Bandra, this is a food lover's paradise. Their menu is filled with delicious savory and sweet offerings. Still, if you ask me their Baby Apple Crumble & 7 Layer are to die for!

Sumptuous desserts by The Nutcracker

4. Graphicurry By Prasad Bhat

I found this stall really interesting! Artist, Prasad Bhat creates hand drawn digital caricatures. He's created several caricatures of  Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities as their iconic screen characters. He also makes personal caricature portraits. This was a very fun exhibit.

Incredible caricatures by Graphicurry

5.  Aarohana Ecosocial Development 

By far the most thought provoking and innovative exhibit at Kala Ghoda Festival 2019 was Aarohana Ecosocial Development. An enterprise with a cause, Aarohana's up-cycled handwoven products are a treat to the eyes and the heart. Non biodegradable, difficult-to-recycle plastic waste is transformed into stylishly modern bags and home decor items. Using the traditional charkha and handloom, waste plastic is converted into fabric which is then used to create the products. Taking the ecosocial theme a step further, Aarohana employs tribal women to craft their products. I really loved this initiative and bought a pair of lovely cushions from them. 

Upcycled plastic waste cushion covers By Aarohana

I loved the Kala Ghoda Festival 2019 Experience! It was an amazing addition to my series of firsts! Many more to come.....