Kala Ghoda Arts Festival: Five personalities whose sessions you shouldn’t miss

This year’s edition of the KGAF promises to be as fun as the last one

Even on the most ordinary weekday, the crescent-shaped Kala Ghoda precinct - home to museums, art galleries and important Mumbai institutions - is alive with conversation and creativity. With the 24th edition of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival upon us, the neighbourhood is the place to be, if you want to meet a favourite writer, watch a musician up close or learn a new skill from an expert. We sifted through the event's nine-day schedule to put together a list of five speakers and performers whose sessions you really shouldn't miss.

Jasleen Marwah
January 25 | Folk Kalaghoda

The Kashmiri chef welcomes Mumbaikars to her first restaurant in the neighbourhood, Folk, for an evening of stories about her home state's tea drinking culture - its customs and flavours. Those curious about beverages like kahwa and noon chai will be treated to a special demo and tasting by Marwah, who made a career switch to the culinary industry by starting out as a home chef.

Ayaan Ali Bangash
January 21 | Cross Maidan

A seventh-generation musician from the Bangash lineage, the sarod player made his debut when he was all of eight, and delivered a performance at the Carnegie Hall with his father Amjad Ali Khan. Bangash takes this legacy forward with his twin sons, Zohaan and Abeer, at his KGAF show.

Daisy Rockwell
January 22 and 23 | David Sassoon Library Gardens

The translator, who won an International Booker Prize for her translation of Gitanjali Shree's Tomb of Sand, is an authority on both Hindi and Urdu literature - having worked on authors like Bhisham Sahni and Krishna Sobti. Rockwell will be part of both a panel to discuss the role of literary mentors, and a discussion with writer Supriya Nair about her experiences of translating female authors.

Devika Rege
January 24 | David Sassoon Library Gardens

The Pune-born author's debut novel - a bildungsroman titled Quarterlife - has made her a name to look out for, as it captures millennial angst amid communal strife. Rege, who has spoken about using writing as a medium to understand the world, is recognised for the way she portrays her own generation, one that came of age after the 2014 General Election. She will share her experiences in a discussion about characters who are invested in the politics of the worlds they inhabit.

Abha Narain Lambah
January 21 | david sassoon library reading room

Every year, the festival is a rare opportunity for non-members to witness the legacy and architectural beauty of the David Sassoon Library, a Neo-Gothic structure built in the 19th century. And who better to tell us about its Minton tiles, gargantuan desks and regal sloping roof than Narain Lambah, the ace architect who restored it in 2023? She and JSW Foundation Chairperson Sangita Jindal will lead a guided tour of the library.