Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Hold your horse!
A horse takes its caretaker for a ride at Versova beach.

A new platform for theatre

Theatre evolving dramatically in the past year has further under-lined the need for the art form to be accessible by not just all kinds of audiences, but also budding artistes. To ensure the necessary education reaches individuals from tier-2, 3 and 4 cities as well, the Drama School of Mumbai (DSM) is launching an e-learning platform for theatre arts, on March 25. Jehan Manekshaw, co-founder and head, Drama School Mumbai, shared the idea is to cultivate theatre as a way of life, contributing to nation-building. "By learning drama, we build skills of confidence, collaboration, and communication; we gain empathy and compassion. With this project, we will give lakhs of Indians access to this transformative experience, to be better human beings, working together, to build a better society."

A tune for friendship

Anita and Gary Lawyer. Pic Courtesy/Getty

It isn't everyday that you hear a jingle advertisement for a frame shop. But now, Princess Street's iconic Chemould Frames has got two, and rather spontane-ously, may we add, by none other than the man with the golden voice, Gary Lawyer, and his wife Anita. Launched in the year 1947, the shop is run by Adil Gandhy, who is good friends with the veteran musician, and shared that the duo weren't formally commissioned to do it. "He composes and sings songs on the computer, so last week I just casually told him, ‘Why don't you do a jingle for my shop?' He said sure, and just came up with tunes, and I selected two," Gandhy told this diarist. While the jingles will be broadcast on radio, Gandhy also plans on making visuals to go along with the lyrics so that they can be uploaded on social media platforms such as Instagram. "It's quite a catchy tune and some of my customers came to the store singing it in jest. All the kudos to Gary," Gandhy said. Sounds like a true friend.

Let's walk on the wild side

Forests are more than just a source of oxygen for those living in tandem with nature; it's literally a source of roti, kapda, makaan, such as for the indigenous community living in and around Aarey. "Indigenous tribal knowledge holds the key to conservation, as human beings will try to conserve forests as long as they know how useful they are," shared photographer and environment enthusiast Sanjiv Valsan (in pic), ahead of a #RewildingAarey forest trail that he's set to host this Sunday. Through the walk - that will include foraging for wild foods, like kon, a giant tuber that can feed up to 18 to 20 people, a cook-out and a homely adivasi meal - Valsan and tribal farmer Vanita Thakre are set to highlight nuggets of tribal wisdom about forest foods, how deforestation directly affects indigenous communities' lives, and their incentive to protect the ecosystem. "Due to COVID-19, a lot of tribal farmers have lost income. So, we hope to help them earn by utilising their own traditional knowledge." If you'd like to take a walk on the wild side, call 9867403957.

A helping hand

Mumbai couldn't have possibly survived the pandemic had it not been for countless Good Samaritans. Take for instance Shayne DSouza, a Mahim-based sales executive, who has been helping senior citizens. After his job was paused due to the uncertain economic scenario, DSouza started helping out the elderly in and around Mahim and Bandra for their vaccination trips to and from the BKC Jumbo COVID Centre, in exchange for a nominal fee. "Slowly, a lot of people started recommending my name and passing my number around, and word spread. I pick them up from home, drop them to the centre, guide them with bookings, wait with them for two hours, and take them back home. My service is open to people across age groups," DSouza told this diarist. Need help? Reach him at 9820998524.

When comics make sense

There was a time before the digital revolution when comic books were a treasured item for children. But many of them prefer to spend time on the Internet these days, instead of poring through an actual book. An upcoming magazine called Comixense hopes to reverse this trend to some extent. Edited by illustrator Orijit Sen (inset), it will be published quarterly, with each edition featuring a certain theme around which comics will be commissioned to different writers and artists, he shared. "I was approached by Taxila, an education foundation, who were concerned that the idea of engaging with words on paper is slipping away from kids these days. The stories in the magazine will involve social, political, historic and literary themes. Although there is an educational bent to it, we don't want young people to see it as something that is part of their curriculum. We want the magazine to spark their imagination instead," the illustrator told this diarist, adding that the first issue will be out come April.