This art walk will introduce children to murals in Mumbai's Worli Koliwada and its culture

Mural Life and tides of Worli Koliwada by transgender and cis women-run organisation Aravani Art Project

During the British rule, bombil, a fish found exclusively on the west coast of India, would be relished by Bengalis. The catch would be transported to Calcutta from Bombay via the Bombay Mail (Daak in Bengali) train. The fish was soon known as Bombay Daak, which later converted to the popular colloquial, Bombay duck. A unique art walk curated for children by Art and Wonderment in collaboration with The Heritage Project will bring alive such stories of the city and the Koli culture through murals drawn on the walls across the seaside hamlet, Worli Koliwada.

Nishita Zachariah

"Art is not constricted to any age group. Children, in general, are more receptive to it as they don't suffer with creative blocks like an adult would," shared Art and Wonderment co-founder Nishita Zachariah. The Koliwada, she added, boasts of intricate murals by artists like Sunil Padwal, Aravani Art Project, Parag Sonarghare and Vayeda Brothers. Children will walk past a mural by Padwal that features the Bombay duck, Aai by Sonarghare which captures the spirit of the women in the 800-year-old Koliwada, and Melody of The Deep by the Vayeda Brothers from the indigenous Warli community. Another artwork that will be a highlight is the Life and Tides of Worli Koliwada, which was painted by Aravani Art Project, an organisation run by transgender and cis women. This one showcases the cultural life of the gaothan and sports vibrant elements such as fishing, Narali Purnima, boats, and the coastal life.

Bombay Duck by Sunil Padwal

"As part of the walk each child will be asked to visualise and draw on a paper a mural they would like to create based on their cultural learnings and understanding of the Koliwada. It will be exciting to see what they come up with," she signed off.

On June 15
Meeting time 4.45 pm
Meeting point Cleveland Jetty (Worli Koliwada entrance).
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Cost Rs 200 onwards