Take flight

A pelican features in the exhibition, Birds of India

After a two-year-long lull, we are seeking modes of civic engagement. Naturally, an opportunity to learn as part of a community at the centre of any cultural and educational hub will excite us. A weekend walk in Byculla's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo caught the eye for its commitment to wings, beaks and tails. Birds of India is an ongoing exhibition at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, and in a bid to take the display to a wider audience, an on-ground experience has been put together by the museum and DAG.

Dr Raju Kasambe

Ornithologist Dr Raju Kasambe will lead participants as they discover the aviary at the zoo. Spotting a bird in real life that's been documented among the 99 bird paintings commissioned by British patrons of Indian miniature artists, will strike a moment of relatability. Back at the museum, viewers can scan QR codes on these Company paintings made between 1800 and 1835 to listen to bird calls. Kasambe says, "Rani Baug is rich in flora and fauna. I am glad and excited that two city spaces, one devoted to art and the other to art and history, are organising a two-way know-how drill. I will be shedding light on the different kinds of birds, what they eat and their behavioural patterns. People will be thrilled to see the Great Hornbill and Sunbird."

Dr Kasambe will host the walk in Marathi for visitors well-versed in the language. Now that the museum is back with its guided tours across verticals, attendees can also see exhibits and displays up close, as well as engage in real conversations with members from the education team - one of the many routine things that we missed during the lockdown.

On: March 19, 9.20 am to 11 am
At: Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo, Byculla.
Meeting Point: Main entrance of the zoo
Log on to: bdlmuseum.myinstamojo.com
Cost: Rs 100