The article is about my visit to one of the biggest Cultural festival of India, the "Kalaghoda" festival." It takes place in the Kalaghoda district of Mumbai every year during spring time. Historically, the name of the district derives from the gigantic statue of Prince Edward, astride a dark horse, situated in the hub of the city sculpted during colonial days. The name literally means festival of the "Dark Horse". Metaphorically, the name "dark horse" might imply the display of different forms of art and craft by the unknown artists with hidden talents in their respective fields.

 February heralds the advent of spring in India. It was the beginning of the spring season in Mumbai when I visited the city on the 4th of February, 2012 to enjoy the  festival of the "Dark Horse"commonly known as the"Kalaghoda Festival."  Mumbai is known as the commercial capital of India.
The gala annual event is historically associated with a giant statue which was sculpted during the colonial days in India. It is a sculpture built towards the end of Victorian era: Prince Edward astride a dark horse! Today, the legendary place where the statue stands, and the locality surrounding the city hub, is known as the "kalaghoda district", a cultural centre of South Mumbai.
My daughter and I reached the venue at Rampart Rowe in the evening and marveled at the kaleidoscopic display of art and craft from different corners of the country.
The connoisseurs stood mesmerized by the breathtaking visual art forms: there were exquisitely carved potteries by the artisans of Maharashtra, a state from the western region of India. The paintings on the pots depicted ancient India: there were displays of strange mythological figures from the distant past!
 Also, the vibrant Madhubani. paintings captured our attention. It is a style of painting from the Mithila district of  Bihar, a state from the northern region of our country. The artists from Mithila maintained the traditional geometrical designs and patterns in their depiction.The different stories of war and celebration, that the paintings portrayed, brought to life the "Arcadian world" of the pagans similar to the world that John Keats had vividly described in his"Ode on a Greecian Urn". The deities in the paintings seem to be from the "sylvan" past that Keats had so beautifully depicted in his "Ode on a Greecian Urn". There were multi-hued  flowers, birds and animals in the Madhubani paintings. The colors used are organic- red sandalwood to produce red; yellow is extracted from turmeric; green from the leaves of the wood apple tree!!
Next, we appreciated the artist Jamini Roy's classic oil paintings which unfolded the story and essence of the folk life of Bengal, a state from the eastern region of India. These pictures had a distinctively Indian identity as they were inspired from the decorative  motifs and floral designs drawn on the walls and floors of the tribal huts during the seasonal festivals, showing the celebration of abundance and fertility. One is instantly transported to the legendary world of festivities associated with the fertility rituals of the ancient Greeks during the harvest.
As we sauntered down the street and savored the electrifying atmosphere, we were entertained by the Rajasthani folk dancers (from the state of Rajasthan) on the outdoor pavement gallery. The hugely turbaned men created  heady rhythmic sounds on their dholaks, a South-Asian two-headed hand drums. A band of tall rajasthani women were dancing away merrily in gyrating movements as they swirled their resplendent ghagras which are long decorative skirts. I could not decipher their dialect, yet their choric wild notes brought alive the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, famed as the "Golden City Of India" in Rajasthan.
As we visited the Amphitheatre, we experienced the lively dance drama "Lavani,"which reflected the folk culture of Maharashtra. Music, Poetry, Dance and Drum were inseparably intermingled.The sensuously arrayed fisherwomen, beautifully decked up in vermilion red sarees and white jasmine garlands that delicately entwined  their neat buns, danced away in quick rhythmic steps. Their nose rings glistened and I was bewitched by their kohl-lined eyes that twinkled with subtle expressions!
The rich and varied aesthetic experiences were soulful. We watched the skilful folk dancers from Goa. Goa is the most coveted International tourist site situated in western India. It is a one night bus journey from Mumbai. The dancers from the region displayed varied rhythmic movements to the accompaniment of the folk instruments. The cadence of the dancers was in acrobatic style while they balanced brass lamps on the head...
It was midnight then and our appetite sharpened by the effect of walking long stretches. We enjoyed  the fresh meat balls and the tar tines: the signature open faced sandwiches from the chef of Belgian bakery.
As we waiked down the Rampart Rowe,the heritage buildings stood on both sides of the road, displaying Mumbai's finest buildings built during the British period. We left the venue with  refreshed  mind, inspired senses  and also, with a feeling of exhilaration after the cultural rendezvous.
The festival of "Kalaghoda" displays the cultural diversity of India. As Madhubani paintings are unique to the region of the northern zone of our country; Jamini Roy's paintings exhibit the folk tradition of the eastern region. Rajasthan, the "land of the kings" is an exotic state situated on the northern fringes of the Indian map.The women from Rajasthan dress themselves in beautiful skirts call ghagras and their men play on Dholak, the traditional drum. Lavani is a highly rhythmic dance drama from the western zone of India.. The festival is an exhibition of the varied cultural flavor that defines our nation. This country is a melting pot of different beliefs, rituals, celebrations, languages, and hence, art forms. It has evolved into a rich civilization down the ages that fascinates people from different corners of the world.