Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Roll with the times

Young cricketers work a pitch roller before practice at Shivaji Park in Dadar

Dear Niloufer

Jehan Manekshaw, Rahul DaCunha and Niloufer Sagar. Pic Courtesy/Facebook

A dear friend, a patient mentor, an enabler of inclusivity, a production designer with a vision, and always just a call away. This is how friends and colleagues remembered theatre and live arts producer and consultant, Niloufer Sagar after her sudden demise last Friday. With over two decades of experience in arts management, Sagar worked with theatre and art-makers such as Terence Lewis, Rage Productions, Masque, and Yuki Ellias, among others. Sunday mid-day columnist and Rage co-founder Rahul DaCunha reminisced how Sagar landed her first gig with him as a 17-year-old. "That was in 1995. Till 2004, she worked with me on all my plays. She was the best production person I've ever worked with, because she was efficient but also had her own point of view. I was her mentor and was protective of her. For Shernaz [Patel], Rajit [Kapur] and me, she was our kid," he told us. For Jehan Manekshaw, founder of Drama School Mumbai, Sagar was a close mentor. She served as one of the board directors of the school. "She steered me with great patience, love and practicality. She was dedicated to building a richer, better and more vibrant theatre ecosystem for all. To lose her, all of us will feel terribly bereft. We haven't even processed it yet," he added. Rest in art, Niloufer.

Ray-imagination

Satyajit Ray. PIC/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

It wasn't just his films that created magic. Filmmaker Satyajit Ray's hand-drawn posters have enchanted art, design and cinema enthusiasts across generations. To honour his legacy, the National Film Development Corporation of India is inviting cinephiles to create their version of his posters. "The One and Only Ray poster design contest is a celebration of Ray's work and is envisioned as a medium to enlighten today's generation of his versatility and artistic genius," said CEO Ravinder Bhakar. To give your imagination a shot, check @nfdcindia on Facebook.

A brush with the modern

Untitled (Head) (1956) by the artist and FN Souza. Pics Courtesy/Prinseps, Wikimedia Commons

The modern Indian art period was a time when artists were moving away from the shackles of the old, breaking new ground, and expressing socio-political struggles. Through its Modern Indian Art auction, Mumbai-based auction house Prinseps has been trying to highlight many such progressive masters as well as artists who didn't get their due during their tenure. Proxy bidding took off for the auction, which will commence on September 21. Brijeshwari Gohil, vice-president and curator, said, "We have two striking FN Souza works, including a head, which is a mixed media on paper. It was created in 1956, when Souza was painting a lot of heads. There are only 36 lots. They are handpicked in a way to shed light on Indian art history and add value to the market." Other artists whose works will go under the hammer include Krishen Khanna, Prabhakar Barwe, Manjit Bawa, Abdul Aziz Raiba, KG Ramanujam, and Somnath Hore.

Walk for your pawsome friends

More than 15 years ago, a little puppy found her way into Rashi Narang's life. Sara, as she was fondly called, became the guiding light in Narang's life, who is the founder of petcare venture Heads Up For Tails. To celebrate her birth month, they are hosting a dogathon across nine cities, including Mumbai, on September 18. Over 800 canine lovers are expected to walk the extra mile to raise funds for animal welfare. All proceeds from the ticket sales will go to NGOs that work with rescued animals. In Mumbai, the walk will be flagged off from Colaba. And yes, you can bring your pet along. "This is the first-of-its-kind event in India, where the country will walk together, at the same time, to raise money for our community animals. We have been working with these NGOs to take care of community animals, to drive respect for dogs on the streets and build trust," she said.

Redesign for a cleaner future

Participants engage in a discussion on sustainable permaculture techniques

A weekend workshop at Kamshet put several Mumbaikars to work to learn the intricate complexities of permaculture. Astrid Rao and Chandan Mulherkar led a two-day session to create awareness about regenerative natural design. Rao told us, "Permaculture is a design philosophy that helps you understand aspects such as orientation of the land, the slope, winds and the nature of its soil to create sustainable and efficient cultivation." From saving seeds to planting vegetables in functional combinations and frameworks for cultivation, participants learned the secrets to sustainable cultivation. "Even if you plant a single basil or mint, you can observe and learn how things grow in nature, and how the food is finally served on your plate," Rao noted. As society moves rapidly away from nature, such practices are essential, healing, and hold valuable lessons for every Mumbaikar.