Kerala spirit in Mumbai

KOCHI: Jaya He GVK New Museum in Mumbai is unique in many ways. For starters, it is situated at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and redefines the status of airports as merely a space for exhaustion and travel. From Mithila paintings to sculptures collected from artisan communities of Maharashtra, the museum showcases the culture of India to discerning travellers from across the globe. In 2019, they decided to hold carnivals to celebrate the rich history of each region of the state in month-long celebrations.

The third virtual edition of such a carnival by the museum on Terminal 2 is currently underway and celebrates the rich history of Kerala, its cuisine and aesthetics. The digital festival, ‘Aaghosham 2021 - Celebrating Kerala’, was timed to overlap with the International Museum Day on May 18, says Rekha Nair, the director of the museum and head of airport services.

The museum, part of the 6,000-member International Council of Museums (ICOM), kickstarted their carnival series with a tribute to Maharashtra, their only physical celebration. The 2020 celebration in the North Eastern States and this year’s carnival are being held online through the airport’s Facebook and Instagram channels. 

The Kerala portrait
The renowned Kerala cuisine, architectures, textile, jewellery and traditional art forms like Theyyam and Kalarippayattu have found a place in the expo. The backwaters and literature have been portrayed beautifully too. One of the main highlights of the carnival is the storytelling sessions by Sherline Pimenta of Kathanika, where she engaged with nearly 200 children between 12 and 14 years from a BMC school. The story of Perumthachan and other lores from the state are narrated in English for the kids.

Festival highlights
The 30-day festival, which began on May 18, will continue till June 18. “The idea was to dig beyond stereotypes and cliches around the state — like Onam, the greenery houseboat and stable cuisine,” Rekha adds.  

Aaghosham engaged with artists in Kerala including Bharat Bala, dancer Methil Devika, writer Anand Neelakantan, Chef Marina Balakrishnan, and social entrepreneur Lakshmi Menon. There were also Zoom sessions with classical musician Prince Rama Varma, RJ Anjali Uthup Kurian, art educator Lata Kurien Rajeev and animation filmmaker Krishna Chandran.

STREAM VIA
The museum and its offerings can be explored  through the Jaya He Audio Guide App. It has over 40 guides who tell unheard stories of the installations. The app showcases a long array of paintings and installations and works on cloth that pay tribute to the spirit of the country and its rich artistic culture.