06 September,2024 06:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
A girl attempts to catch her friend in a game of kho-kho at Shivaji Park in Dadar
A moment from the performance. Pic Courtesy/Pradeep Dhivar
On Wednesday, audiences at the Shivaji Mandir auditorium in Dadar were treated to the Maharashtrian folk art of lavani. The show, Lavanyotsav-Sanman Lokakalecha was part of the final performance by students graduating from the Pawan Tatkare Academy of Dance and the Kandivali-based Feel The Dance Studio. "The academy was established in March to share the diversity of lavani as a folk art, rather than the reputation it has now," shared co-founder Tatkare. With performers such as Akanksha Kadam and Dipali Vichare in the audience, the students performed lavani forms such as Baithaki Lavani, Shringarik Lavani and Sawaal-Jawaab. "We hope to put up more such performances and change the way the art is perceived," Tatkare said.
Quiet luxury is Anjul Bhandari's subtle flex - her namesake brand is synonymous with chikankari and kamdani (metal embroidery using strips of metal without adda) ensembles crafted by hands so skilled that their origin and artisans become a selling point. On Wednesday night, Lucknow arrived in Mumbai as Bhandari unveiled her bridal line, Naaz, and whisked us away on a virtual tour to explore the city's craft, couture and culinary heritage. Conversations flowed as smoothly as Lucknow's gentle, lilting accent.
Anjul Bhandari (right) An ensemble from Bhandari's Surkhlal collection
Arush Bhandari, the couturier's son, emceed a lively chat peppered with Game of Thrones references - introducing Parikh as the "mother of dragons" and Baldota as the "Khaleesi of the art world". Both proudly embraced the compliments with a smile. "There is the assumption that chikankari is done in pastels, but she proved this wrong with the Surkhlal (2022) collection, a novel take on chikankari and kamdani with delicate Swarovski beads," Parikh shared, spotlighting the growing trend of brides choosing chikankari for their big day.
Maroof Umar with Lavina Baldota
Baldota discussed her collaboration with Bhandari on Sutr Santati (Continuation of a Yarn): Then, Now, Next, a travelling exhibition celebrating 75 years of Independent India. "When her textile pieces in muslin arrived at the Melbourne Museum, the staff was puzzled about which side was up, front and back - the work was so fine, it left them in awe of Indian handcrafts." Maroof Umar, a heritage storyteller from Lucknow, wrapped up the talk with his shayari and stories of the nawabon ka shahar.
Experiential design artist Aaquib Wani gave the venue a Lucknow vibe. The Gateway Room at the Taj resembled an early summer white garden, with patterned screens featuring chikan embroidery serving as the backdrop for six examples of "quiet luxury" - including the Ektar saree, Chandmati garara, Kamdani Eid saree and co-ord set, and the Surkhlal lehenga - all celebrating the needlework traditions of Awadh.
A demo lecture being held for open house students at an earlier session
Alliance Française de Bombay will be hosting the Be a Student for a Day programme today for aspiring francophones to get a peek into French culture and language. "The goal is to expose students to French culture," Laetitia Lompech (inset), the academic director told this diarist. Students will be given an overview of the course, a demo lecture, information about the DELF and DALF exams, an introductory lecture on French culture, followed by a French movie screening and Q&A. Campus France, an initiative by the Ministry of External Affairs, will guide students on educational opportunities in France and offer counselling. "Understanding the language and culture go hand in hand they instill a sense of connection and comfort," concluded Lompech.
