Dive into Mumbai’s water heritage

The exhibition will explore different aspects of water in Mumbai, such as faith, access, livelihoods, culture, public health, etc. Pics Courtesy/Aslam Saiyed and Pratik Chorge

Right from its history of being built literally on the sea centuries ago, to the rich cultural heritage of the Koli community that thrived on its shores, and the politics of access to vanishing livelihoods that depend on water, Mumbai has harboured a multidimensional relationship with the elixir of life. Around nine months ago, more than 30 artists, conservation architects, photographers, designers, social scientists and urban planners joined forces to start Mumbai Water Narratives (MWN) to document this bond vis-à-vis history, culture, politics, heritage and social influences. And this weekend, they are set to host Confluence, a virtual exhibition that was born out of this collaboration that has since attracted unique stories about the city's water journey.

Launching a day ahead of World Water Day, the exhibition seeks to mark a year of the pandemic - a period that'll be remembered for rigorous washing of hands - and focus on Mumbai's water issues through multiple lenses, shares Sara Ahmed, lead curator and founder, Living Waters Museum, which is hosting the initiative. "It's not an art exhibition per se; but we're visualising the city's water issues through art very broadly defined," she explains, adding, "The idea was to discuss with young people about where their water comes from, what is the history of tanks and pipelines, how faith intersects with water, what was the role of fountains, livelihoods associated with Mumbai's rivers, how land was claimed, and relationship between public health and water, among other themes, in an exciting way."

The year-long online exhibition is divided into six galleries - water and built heritage, water and culture, water and livelihoods, saline waters, water and equity, and water and public health. It includes contributors such as Parag Tandel, Basia Irland, Rahul Chemburkar, Gopal MS, Ajay Nayak and Ritu Deshmukh, among 50 others. Ahmed elaborates that the exhibition comprises of a variety of forms, including interactive visuals of Mumbai's marine life, a GIS map tracking COVID-19 hotspots with water insecurities in informal settlements, a public health timeline interspersed with silk screen-printed scrolls that reflect real images of water-borne microorganisms, a picture storybook celebrating water, and a book of illustrated recipes and practices of the Koli community. Architect and professor Minaz Ansari, one of the partners, points out that reaching out to children is a key focus area. "We see the youth as water-keepers of the future. If they understand the water in the city from various points of view, they can help address issues and be more sensitive. So, a lot of our work is targeted towards them."

Minaz Ansari

There will also be a week-long flurry of activities along with the exhibition, says Ahmed, such as a workshop for kids by storyteller Sherline Pimenta who has designed a water calculator, a panel on re-imagining urban waterscapes, curatorial walkthroughs of the six galleries, and short film screenings. "We're just getting started with MWN, and hope to have future editions. We also want to take Confluence to schools and informal settlements, and interact with them," she signs off.

From: March 21 to 27 (for events)
Log on to: linktr.ee/mumbaiwaternarratives