Once upon a time, in the centre of the large node on Esplanade Road, Bombay, stood a statue of King Edward VIII astride a black horse, or a “kala ghoda” in Hindi. In fine disregard for the monarch, city dwellers knew informally named the area after his mount.

The statue, a relic of a colonial past, has long since been moved elsewhere, and the road is now Mahatma Gandhi Road, but the citizens of Mumbai—renamed for reasons similar to the statue’s banishment—still refer to the area as Kala Ghoda.

This crescent-shaped area, with its concentration of museums, art galleries, educational institutions, boutiques and restaurant, and what is arguably the finest array of heritage buildings in the city, has emerged as an arts precinct and a prominent cultural centre, thronged by visitors and tourists from all over the world.

Kala Ghoda’s buildings give the area a distinct visual identity. There are over 100,000 square feet of existing indoor gallery space, mass outdoor pavement galleries, and exhibition space within the covered arcades, making the area a living, breathing Urban Museum. Support infrastructure like lecture halls, convocation halls and conference facilities, in the University, Elphinstone College and other institutions, gives the precinct a unique place in the world of art and culture. A number of cultural activities hosted by the various educational and art institutions in the area throughout the year, and Craft Fairs organised by the state government, have all helped promote the area as the cultural hub of Mumbai.

Kala Ghoda is a magnet for creative talent. Artists, food connoisseurs, fashion designers, architecture buffs; they flick here. A variety of restaurants and designer boutiques also add diversity to the area: Samovar, Noodle Bar, Bombay Blues, Joss, Khyber, Chetana, Westside, Globus, Ensemble, Muse, and more.