Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Ho, Ho, Ho, No!

A man dressed as Santa Claus attempts to set up a life-size Santa amidst road maintenance work on Hill Road.

The reds unite in Mumbai

Ole Gunnar Solskjær. File pic

The city that takes pride in bleeding blue will get a makeover in red as former Manchester United player and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær arrives for an evening of intimate interactions and discussions with his fans on December 16.

Tilak Shah (right), organiser, who roped in the Norwegian for the fan-meet, revealed to this diarist, "I'm a big Manchester United fan. When I met Ole in the UK, I told him how much we love him here, and extended an invite to come spend a weekend with us. He was intrigued, and eventually took me up on the offer." Speaking to the press, Solskjær shared, "I have heard a lot about India's passion for football and Manchester United. I had to come over and soak in the atmosphere in person."

Gifting for good

The gifting session from last Christmas

Dextrus, a co-working space in the city, is bringing a unique opportunity for city folk to play Santa this Christmas. The space is offering 15-minute bodywork and massage sessions to visitors who can pay as they like for the services. "We have set a base price of R200, but there is no upper limit for thoughtful donations," Guncha Khare, senior director, shared. The proceeds of the activities will go towards buying gifts for the students of the Victoria Memorial School for the Blind, and raising awareness towards their education and training, she told this diarist.

Stamp this! The vulture has landed

A collection of stamps from around the world that feature Indian vultures

A recently concluded study by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), that was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Indian Forester, showed that there are only two postal stamps released by the Indian government featuring Indian vultures, one of which is of Ramayana's character Jatayu. Explaining the importance of this study to the diarist, assistant director Sachin Ranade (inset), who conducted the research alongside Dr Ajit Vartak of Maharashtra Vruksh Samvardhini in Pune, said, "Collecting different postal stamps is called philately.

However, it is not merely a hobby. For instance, many governments release stamps to shed light on the wildlife in their country. Scientists and common people collect these for various reasons. Some as a hobby, and others to study species and habitats, etc." He further revealed in the paper that 83 countries and the United Nations have stamps that feature different species of Indian vultures. "We have 10 types of beautiful and unique vultures in India. If the Indian government releases more stamps, it will help the scientists with their study and will possibly even evoke interest about the avians among common people," he added.

Painting outside the lines

Participants were provided with a varied set of supplies to work with

Ever had a gem of an idea that didn't see the light of day because your artistic skills failed to shine through? Gaysi Family conducted their ‘Bad Drawing Party' workshop yesterday, where the ultimate goal was to make art that doesn't look good. "Right at the outset, we gave the artists the prompt ‘Please make sure you do not draw well!' They were given supplies like colour pencils, markers, crayons, cutouts from magazines and stickers to explore their full creative potential," Priya Dali, art director, told this diarist. Revealing the vision behind the offbeat idea, she shared, "There is no right way to draw. What we have been taught, the confines of good and bad art, are often dictated by how well we replicate styles that are already well established. In stark contrast to traditional art workshops that stress on the need to follow guidelines, ours was a free-flowing activity and a playful experience. When you allow people the freedom to go wrong, the results can surprise you."

Spanish soiree for Carlos Saura

An installation inside the museum inspired by Saura's Spanish designs

Visitors stepping into the National Museum of Indian Cinema at Cumballa Hill this week might experience a slight change of pace. The desi attire of the staff has given way for a slight Spanish twist for the museum's latest guest of honour - Carlos Saura (inset). The Spanish photographer and filmmaker, considered one of his country's greatest auteurs, is being honoured with an exhibition at the museum till December 15.

"Saura is to Spain what Satyajit Ray is to India," explained Jayita Ghosh, manager of the museum. "In addition to the screening of films such as Flamenco Flamenco and Iberia, we are also hosting an exhibition showcasing Saura's intimate connection with the culture. The exhibition is a tribute to his work and long career as a photographer. Among the exhibits is a stunning Butterfly dress that is also a fusion of a saree and a flamenco gown," she concluded.