Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

16 December,2017 09:48 AM IST |  Mumbai  |  Team mid-day

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce


A global splash of colour for India
Fitness and awareness have always been the main motto of marathons. But here's one with happiness on the agenda, The Color Run. Known as one of the happiest 5k runs in the world, this marathon (also open for kids), which takes place in more than 40 countries, is being brought to India by Mumbai-based Rahul Gomes of Oak's Management Consultancy.


Colour Run in Paris. Pic/AFP

For the uninitiated, the runners of this marathon are sprayed with powder colours (made of food- grade materials) through the run. There are no winners or prizes and everyone gets a unicorn medal in the end. The run will happen in the city on January 14, and will also take place in Bengaluru, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Indore and Jaipur.

Who's the real artist?
Visitors to Jehangir Art Gallery to view contemporary artist Viveek Sharma's ongoing solo exhibition, Silence, Please! this week were in for a surprise. In attendance was Viveek's twin brother and actor Vineet, who barring his regular haircut as opposed to the artist's ponytail, looked every bit like him. But looks are not where the similarities end.


Vineet Sharma and Viveek Sharma

While Viveek is a graduate of Sir JJ School of Art, Vineet is a product of Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art. And before the actor went on to play the popular role of a cop in a television crime show, he rendered his services as a sketch artist for the Mumbai Police. That's taking common genes to another level!

Not a bed idea, this
Here's another campaign that forms part of the long-standing struggle that women face against patriarchy. #MeetToSleep aims for women to reclaim public spaces, like parks and gardens, without fear and with their heads held high.

Started by a community project called Blank Noise, it involves women taking a mattress or other suitable bedding to a public park and catching 40 winks there, giving two hoots about attracting attention.

The organisers are hoping that this will spread a message that says, "If men can do it, women can too," which is just the sort of social engineering we need in India when elsewhere, Harvey Weinstein is feeling the heat!

We miss our Hiro of Bandra
They say if you want to get the real feeling of Christmas, you should stroll down Hill Road in Bandra in the evenings. It's true to an extent except of course when it's too crowded. Our aged uncles and aunts tell us that in the olden days, people used to dress up in Santa Claus costumes and surprise Hill Road visitors. Honestly, we've not seen that ourselves, but what some of us do miss on that street is Hiro Music House, which closed shop not very long ago. They always had a great variety of Christmas albums, enthusiastically recommended by the genial salesman Prakash.

A different market
Christmas weekend at Cuffe Parade will feature a farmers' market with a difference. The pop-up that celebrates all things organic, will introduce music and performances at this Sunday's edition.

The Holy Name Cathedral's WOW ensemble choir will croon carols to cheer for Santa, and all things Christmassy. In another first, watch Afro-Brazilian martial art performance Capoeira that will feature dance, acrobatics and music. The all-day market is bound to bring in new faces thanks to some music and martial arts.


Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

A touch of class
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan readies his sarod moments before an open-air performance on the lawns on CSMVS last evening.

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