Makeover dilemma at Kala Ghoda

Mumbai locals feel the heritage precinct of Kala Ghoda lends itself better to a European-style art hub rather than the loud Times Square in New York

On an afternoon some days after the announcement that Kala Ghoda would be revamped on the lines of the frenzied Times Square, the heritage precinct in South Mumbai displayed none of the outrage apparent on social media. Online, people scoffed at the idea, which to them spelt imminent ruin. In the serene neighbourhood itself, some were not aware of the development while others calmly discussed its pros and cons. A few simply laughed it off in the confidence that such plans by the government rarely materialise. Locals did unanimously agree, however, that the area needs further rejuvenation. 

Flanked by Lion Gate and the Oval Maidan, Kala Ghoda stretches from Regal Circle up to the Mumbai University. Landmark establishments in art and culture such as the Jehangir Art Gallery, David Sassoon Library and Rhythm House are within its leafy grasp. On September 16, Union Minister for Tourism Shripad Naik released a plan to create a cultural hub in the locality "on the lines" of the loud commercial square in New York. Among the ideas he outlined were a 15-ft backlit Indian flag and large electronic billboards. He will sanction Rs 5 crore as funding for the first phase.

Akshay Narvekar, founder of Bombay Shirt Company which recently opened its flagship store there, describes Kala Ghoda as an oasis in the middle of a chaotic town. Like Narvekar's company, chic establishments have been setting up shop recently. Art shops like Artisans and Filter are examples. The much-loved Kala Ghoda Cafe, The Pantry, La Folie Pattisserie are here, as are the proud stores of designers, including Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Masaba Gupta. The Kala Ghoda Association (KGA), a group of local citizens THAT also organises an annual art festival, has already written to the ministry stating that the area is classified as a silent zone and its heritage status would not allow for hoardings and signage. 

The area had got its name from a 12 feet 9 inch bronze statue of King Edward VII on a black horse, gifted to Bombay by Sir Albert Sassoon in memory of the English monarch's visit here as Prince of Wales in 1875. In 1965, the horse was moved to the gardens of the Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla. Several educational and social institutions came up in the vicinity after the walls of the Bombay Fort were pulled down in 1860s, says budding city historian Kunal Tripathi, who handles the Mumbai Heritage account on Twitter. 

Each year, the tranquil area turns boisterous during the ten days of the art festival. It includes performances, workshops, screenings and pop-up shops, which are visited by about 10,000 people on weekdays, and 30,000-35,000 on weekends. This creates logistical challenges but is said to boost awareness and interest. KGA has suggested that the area be pedestrianised round the year for certain hours of the day to create breathing space not just for tourists but locals too. Deepa Krishnan, who leads heritage and art walks in the neighbourhood, says, "It would be fun to have a temporary event with the colour and lights and action of Times Square, but to have it permanently there would be a civic nightmare." 

Trishna Shah of Bargain Book Hut agrees. The shop opened two years ago in a space that its parent Wilco Publishing has owned for long. She notes, for example, that the number of visitors increase exponentially during the festival but "people mostly come inside to escape the heat." The rate of conversion is higher otherwise, when the walk-ins comprise genuine book enthusiasts. The crowds will come anyway, feels Shah, adding that the focus should shift to cleaning up inside lanes which will improve accessibility and promote the smaller businesses housed here. 

The character of the vicinity lends itself better to open-air galleries and cafes like in France, says KGA Chairman Maneck Davar. Kala Ghoda, no doubt, has the makings of a European-style art hub. On a regular week day, it is calm and traffic-free. College students hang out with a guitar on the concrete steps of the plaza, playing a strangely soulful rendition of a song by Yo Yo Honey Singh. Local artists display watercolour paintings there. Some workers from the commercial offices at Fort take a break here to smoke potent cigarettes. Facing them is a high street interspersed with charming lanes and partly cobbled footpaths.

As an art hub, Kala Ghoda has been gaining in strength. Apart from Jehangir Art Gallery, Gallery 7, Delhi Art Gallery and Galerie Isa have opened up. Nicholai Sachdev of Gallery 7 says the infusion of cash can be used to boost exposure and attract more art lovers. "Other than Gateway of India or the museum, we run out of ideas of what to do in Mumbai. Kala Ghoda needs to be promoted as a pocket with galleries and chic restaurants." He suggests having street performers and well-thought installations that would merge with the space, offering the example of the glass pyramids which were added in 1989 near the Louvre Museum, opened in Paris in 1793. 

Over the last two years, KGA says it has spent Rs 1 crore on the maintenance of pavements and structures like the Elphinstone College. The association has offered to put together its own proposal of revival, which will be made after mapping the area and talking to locals. Krishnan would like the large parking lot moved in order to free up space for Maharashtra's craftsmen. "A pedestrian precinct with heritage buildings, visually pleasing, no noise, crafts and performances on display, is my dream for Kala Ghoda."