Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Basket Case?

Carrying the day's catch, fisherwomen chat among themselves at Bhaucha Dhakka as a policeman looks on

A generational mixer is here

Step into Adagio, Bandra's music hub, to see boomers and Gen Zers getting along. The venue regularly hosts flea markets with stalls helmed by young entrepreneurs, accompanied by music from the 1960s to '90s. While this brings in a mixed crowd, founder Aman Gujral (inset) shared, "Many young people are interested in vinyl collections and old-school music." This weekend's flea, Summer Stash, brings back Dr Aman's Prescription Booth, workshops and, their latest addition, a spin-the-wheel for a chance at expansive discounts.

Gamdevi gives back

Donated clothes and products by NGOs (right) on sale

Mumbai gets a new location to shop, but this time, for the greater good. Entrepreneur Nandini Singh (inset) joins hands with over 20 non-profit organisations to aid their fundraising efforts. On April 2, Singh opened the doors to Turn Around near Gamdevi temple and Mani Bhavan. "The store stocks NGO-made products. We have a donation programme where people can donate and shop for pre-loved clothing. To pay, donate directly to the listed NGOs," Singh shared. To help NGOs stock quality products, she teams up with experts volunteering in skill-building exercises. "Some NGOs have made beautiful items; they have transitioned into social enterprises, which is a powerful thing," she observed.

About a reel discovery in Goa

Pan Nalin and The reels (right) . Pic courtesy/Instagram

The journey of a film can sometimes be miraculous. While director Pan Nalin's Chello Show made it to the Oscars as India's entry, his first cinematic venture was less fortunate. The 30-minute film, Doubt, was shot in 1995. While some reels were seized by the police since Nalin shot it in Loktak Lake without permission, others were presumed to be lost in transit. Three decades later, the filmmaker has rediscovered the reels sealed in a carton in Goa, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder of Film Heritage Foundation shared. "The reels are now being sent to us for restoration by Nalin. Quite the journey isn't it?" he remarked.

What is chach?

Google the word ‘chach' and the recipe for buttermilk shows up. But ask an East Indian and they will bring out sweet potatoes. Kalina resident Sybil Rodrigues spilled the ratalas (sweet potato) on how to make this delicacy. "Prepare with coconut milk, local variety sweet potatoes grown in February and March, jaggery, sabudana and elaichi." Chach or ratalya-cha-chaich is prepared on Maundy Thursday, which was observed yesterday. Serve it hot or go against tradition like this diarist, and eat it cold.

Flamingos fly business class in upscale Worli

A man leading a cow says "simply super" to the flamingo installation

Mumbaikars have always heard of flamingos in Sewri. Come flamingo season, which runs between November to June, and the interested, or first-time bird watchers flock to Sewri jetty to watch the birds literally on stilts, forming a carpet of blush pink. Now, you see them in Worli, too. Only these are not the real flamingos, but an installation at the roundabout near Worli Koliwada, where cars coming in from the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) take the turn to go southwards. This is close to INS Trata, opposite the Worli shooting range. Walking by recently, this diarist caught sight of a man leading his cow near the traffic island where the pink birds were installed. He made a ‘simply superb' gesture, encapsulating the sentiment of motorists whizzing by, and the few pedestrians at the Worli hub, setting the bar high when it comes to aesthetics in the upscale area.