Brass By The Bay

Koli brass bands are an intrinsic part of the local culture in Mumbai’s fishing villages, called Koliwadas, which are located on the western and eastern coasts of the city,. These bands are hired by the Koli community to play at all the village festivities-from wedding processions to the community’s annual homage to the sea (Narali Poornima), and to celebrate their local gods and goddesses and during religious festivals like Ram Navami and the Ganpati visarjan. The band carefully curates their repertoire according to the occasion and plays Koli folk songs, known as Koli sangeet.
Brass by the Bay has documented one of Trombay Koliwada’s popular brass bands-Swargandhar. The band consists of 25-30 members of various age groups and professions, who come together every evening to practice their music. Today, as the community faces the threat of losing its primary identity as fisherfolk, the brass band becomes a keeper of Koli songs-thereby ensuring the survival of its cultural heritage for future generations.
This film has been directed by Pooja Das Sarkar and was made as a part of the Sahapedia Film Fellowship 2020, which is supported by H.T Parekh Foundation.