Some spaces hold a city's contradictions in perfect tension. The Mahalaxmi Racecourse, a vast expanse of reclaimed marshland in the heart of Mumbai, is one of them. Since its establishment, this designated heritage structure has been a stage for colonial ambition, working-class aspiration, and the particular thrill of watching horses thunder toward the finishing post. It is a landscape that has outlasted empires, absorbed the city's restlessness, and remained, stubbornly, itself. 

This special program is in celebration of Photographer/Director Sunhil Sippy's book, Raceday, a decade-long documentation of the racecourse and the community that keeps it alive. But to speak of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse only as a sporting venue is to miss what makes it truly iconic. It is a way of seeing the city, and perhaps of being in it. The racecourse has long been a canvas for Bombay's collective imagination, shaping how the city dresses, gathers, and celebrates. From the introduction of the tote in the early 20th century to the arrival of evening racing in 2016, it has continually reinvented its relationship with the surrounding city. Yet something essential has remained unchanged: the sense that this is a place where Mumbai's many worlds, heritage and hustle, chance and community, meet on common ground. 

Join us as we saddle up for an evening at the intersection of sport, memory, and the city's living culture.