Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Currency ban 101
If you thought you knew all about the recent currency notes development in the country, give this quick quiz a go: Will the ' 2000 note have a tracking chip as widely claimed? A. Yes B. No C. Maybe D. Some of them may. Stuck? Awarathon, a gaming app, launched a short campaign yesterday to keep its users abreast of the ban. Aptly called Chhutta Nahi Hai, the quiz has several multiple-choice questions to be answered, which users can then have for ready reference later. Still wondering about the tracking chip question? The answer is B. No.

The coin age with Sandeep Goyal
The government's de-monetisation move may have us counting our coins. But while we struggle with this lesser change, Sandeep Goyal, the chairman of Mogae Media, is counting just 12 coins - worth ' 12 lakh. This collection of ceramic coins is a replica of the original metallic coins, dating back to the Mughals, Chalukya, Kumaragupta and Khilji empires.

Sandeep Goyal

These coins are the creations of pottery artist Dipalee Daroz, who picked 12 of the most aesthetically appealing coins after a thorough numismatic research of rulers and dynasties of ancient India. The coins depict gods, local legends, and portraits of emperor Kumaragupta.

The Mughal era coins bear symbols of the zodiac signs, while those from the Sikh dynasty carry floral angular patterns. Goyal, an ardent collector of all things artistic, certainly has himself a unique treasure, and in the coming days he intends to distribute these coins to friends and clients.

Sun, sand, script
As if you needed a reason to want to head to Goa, the sunshine state is now all set to host a new multi-disciplinary arts festival. Titled the Serendipity Arts Festival, it will be held from December 16 to 23, and will present a series of interesting workshops to help initiate art lovers into a world of technique and creativity.

Mahesh Dattani

Theatre personalities Mahesh Dattani and Lillete Dubey will conduct one such initiative called the Script Lab, a residency workshop that will be held during the first four days of the festival with an aim to introduce playwriting, tap
talent, assist with character development, provide constructive feedback, and also to help writers turn a critical eye on their own works.

Dattani, the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, will share his expertise on all aspects of storytelling during the programme, while Dubey is one of the fourteen curators of the festival.

And one for the little shutterbug

Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Former actress and talk show host, Pooja Bedi, at the launch of a magazine's issue in Prabhadevi yesterday.

Greek love
Goa's favourite Greek taverna, Thalassa, launched in Khar with much fanfare and plate-breaking a couple of nights ago. This diarist dropped by to learn that Mariketty Grana (in pic) refused to host a stuffy sit-down dinner on opening night and, instead, chose to throw a fun party, which we believe is reflective of her cheery personality.

While the eatery is oddly located (i.e. away from the sea, unlike the Goa space), the Greek island-inspired interiors trick you into imagining that you're no longer in Mumbai. We also heard that Grana zeroed in on this spacious spot after scouring the city for three whole years. Here's a woman who knows exactly what she wants!

Art has no barriers
The Thane jail or even the Jail Talao next to is not on people's list of places to visit. But the MAKA showroom, adjoining the prison, might soon make the cut. The Maharashtra Karagriha brand has been developed by the state's prison department for products made by jail inmates from across Maharashtra. And what started as a small outlet is now a full-fledged showroom.

An aircraft model at the showroom. Pic/Ayan Roy

From hand-stitched shirts, dress material to cakes, chaklis and chiwdas, there is quite a range. The highlight of the shop, however, is handmade wooden products - from key holders to dining sets. The goods are made of teakwood and since it's the government that procures the wood from forests, "they are genuine products and not fake like outside," Sanjay Tiwatane, who mans the showroom, says with pride.

There was a wooden bullock cart that this diarist's heart was set on, but a constable quickly bought it as a gift for his wife. With quality and pricing on point, these products are being lapped up by judges, police officers and local citizens.