Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Anurag Ahire

In quiet contemplation

A young boy stands over people offering prayers outside Bandra railway station on the occasion of Eid Ul Fitr.

Malad girl blitzes in Oceania

Andriete Rodrigues at an athletics meet in New Zealand; (right) as a young girl at Carmel St Anthony School in Malad

There is a familiar face from Carmel of St Joseph School, Malad, dominating the tracks in New Zealand these days. Having finished on the podium for the New Zealand National Championships in 2023, former Malad-resident Andriete Rodrigues has received an invite to the Oceania Masters Athletics championships this June. "I was always into athletics, and played football in school. I stopped competing for a bit when I moved to New Zealand in 2018 to pursue a degree in sports management. When I picked it back up last year, I realised I still made good time. This is a chance for me to push myself to the next level," the 30-year-old told this diarist over a phone call.

A token lunch

The canteen token dates back to 1965. Pic Courtesy/Godrej Archives

Godrej Archives opened a door to the past when they shared a picture of a lunch token from their Lalbaug canteen this week. "The coupon was posted as part of the #Archive30 campaign of Archives & Records Administration of Scotland (ARA Scotland). Every April, they run a campaign wherein they release in advance a chart of 30 hashtags, and encourage archives to participate by sharing relevant material, ideas, projects, etc. The hashtag for April 9 was #ArchiveFoodandDrink and hence, the coupon," shared chairperson Pheroza Godrej.

Mumbai ink for Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke with (right) tattoo artist Vikas Malani at the latter's studio

Professional sportsmen often have tattoos as markers of their greatest achievements, trophies or moments. Former Australian cricket captain dropped by Bandra earlier on Tuesday to get some new ink. Vikas Malani, tattoo artist and founder, BodyCanvas Tattoos, shared, "I have known Michael [Clarke] for the last decade, as a friend rather than a client. He loves his family, and is a very spiritual man. Every tattoo, for him, is a marker on his journey through life. Many of his tattoos are about happiness and self-growth. This was another addition." While the Aussie might have had a rebellious streak on the field, Malani remarked, "Michael is a very humble man. Sometimes, you wonder if he knows how big an aura he has [as a cricketer]. As a tattoo artist, you learn about a person since you have to build a rapport with them. After all, the ink is permanent."

Desi treat for the dragons

Participants enjoy a previous edition of the game (right) Ronak Chitalia

Elven, Dwarven, Draconian - a few languages you'd have to learn to master the popular table top game Dungeons and Dragons. For city-based gamers, Bombay Boardgame Club is offering a familiar option. A new mini campaign launched by the community, Vikaar Express, is based on a fictionalised version of India and adds a desi spin to the classic. The first leg of the campaign kicks off today with a session at the community's Vile Parle venue. "The story will progress over several sessions with each session being roughly two to three hours long. The idea behind these sessions is to introduce newer groups to the hobby of table top roleplaying games," Ronak Chitalia, founder, shared with this diarist. Those keen to find out more, can log on to @bombayboardgameclub.

A metaverse of music

An AI illustration of Chatterjee's metaverse

Sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee has come upon a novel solution to keep up with times. While classical musicians are still battling with the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatterjee (left) has chosen to dive in head first. Tomorrow, the musician will launch his sitarist metaverse. "It is an AR/VR [Alternate Reality/Virtual Reality] platform that enables you to access different facets of my life, almost. It will give you information about me, my sitars, and even their backstories," he shared. From music files to early compositions, and a sneak preview of his upcoming album Sitar Stories Vol 1 to experiences of a music room, the metaverse will offer visitors a peek into the composer's work. "It took us over seven months to develop the platform. In addition to album previews, the metaverse will also offer access to planned modules of my classes. It would be like walking into a mansion and discovering many rooms, each with a new treasure," he pointed out.