When light meets legacy: ASCENSION illuminates Mumbai’s Afghan Church

In the coming week, the iconic Afghan Church in Colaba will be seen in a new light—quite literally. For generations, Mumbaikars have known this Gothic landmark for its soaring arches, stained glass and distinctive steeple, but ASCENSION is set to offer a new perspective on the 160-year-old church. As part of the Mumbai Light Festival, the immersive projection-mapping experience will use light, colour and celestial imagery to work with the church’s architecture. It is a striking new chapter for a space that carries a layered history: as a place of worship and a memorial to those who lost their lives in the First Anglo-Afghan War.

Mumbai Light Festival transforms Colaba’s Afghan Church

Shakti Swarup Sahu, Creative Director at Floating Canvas Company, in an exclusive conversation with Indulge Express, explains the thoughtful fusion of art, culture, storytelling and technology behind the project and how it seeks to offer a new way of experiencing Mumbai’s heritage.

How did Afghan Church become the canvas for ASCENSION?

Shakti: We actually stumbled upon the church sometime last year. We had seen it in passing, but had never really gone inside. Then, as part of a documentation project with World Monuments Fund, we spent quite a bit of time at Afghan Church and speaking to the people involved in its restoration.

That was when we saw the structure up close — the details, the scale and the beauty of the space. That’s when the germ of the idea came about.

Afghan Church already has a very strong visual identity. How did you ensure that the projection mapping complements the architecture rather than overpowering it?

Shakti: The focus is on complementing the structure and playing to its strengths. The beauty of projection mapping is that it is customised to the surface on which it plays out. So we’ll be working with the arches, pillars and stained-glass windows.

We’re also taking inspiration from elements that already exist inside the church—the patterns, stained glass and architectural details. Whatever we create will be mindful of the sanctity, grandeur and legacy of the space. The idea is to complement the structure rather than overpower it.

Can immersive experiences change the way younger audiences connect with heritage?

Shakti: I would definitely say so. Immersive and artistic experiences can play a strong role in discovery, especially because so much of what we discover today starts on our screens.

If this experience puts Afghan Church on the phone screens of people, especially youngsters, and makes them step out and visit the space, then I think our objective is achieved.

What: Mumbai Light Festival

Where: Afghan Church, Colaba, Mumbai

When: August 27–29, 2026 | 7–10 PM

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