Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Green cover

Creepers cloak an abandoned car in Wadala.

RIP Fr Benny, the priest-journalist

Monsignor Benedict Aguiar - popularly known as Fr Benny - who was best known in Mumbai's church circles for being the former Editor of the Examiner Catholic Newsweekly for over three decades (1961-1994), passed away on August 26. He was 95. One of its ablest editors who helmed The Examiner for three decades - he left an enduring impression on the magazine and its readers, with his fiercely independent style. Under his guidance, The Examiner became one of the most well-known and widely-read Catholic periodicals in India.

"His writings reflected an insightful mind on theological matters and ecclesiastical developments in the Church, but he was best known for his honest and critical editorials on political developments in India. His courage to speak the truth brought consequences at times, but Fr Benny's journalistic integrity was rock-solid. In fact, his reputation propelled him to the national stage - he was President of the ICPA [Indian Catholic Press Association, 1969-78]," recalls Fr Joshan Rodrigues, managing editor, The Examiner. He had also authored Rajiv Gandhi - The Fight of the Scion; Indira Gandhi - A Political Biography and The Making of Mumbai, which focuses on the development of the Catholic community in the metropolis.

In his eulogy at the funeral service, Advocate Aloysius Aguiar, retired Justice of the Bombay High Court and Fr Benny's younger brother, said, "Fr Benny was a staunch and courageous soldier of Christ, and with the power of the pen, battled for justice and truth. As a priest-journalist, he preached the values of conviction and courage through the columns of the Examiner."

Drama for all

Aagaaz Theatre's 50th Drama Jam, a virtual, interactive drama games series, is almost here. This Sunday, along with the folks at theatre company Third Space Collective, they've organised a new production titled Rat, that retells Bertolt Brecht's text, Fear and Misery of the Third Reich. The session encourages participants to be active throughout the games. "Our objective is to get everyone to play and there's no age bar," shared performer and repertory member Nagina Shaikh.

Kishore da in the house

There's a new Bollywood-inspired mural in the works. This one's located in Juhu's SoHo House and is being created by Bandra-based art studio Bollywood Art Project (BAP). "When SoHo House contacted us to create a mural, we brainstormed ideas about who we would paint. We then learnt that a street near the establishment is called Kishore Kumar Ganguly Marg, and that became our cue. While painting him, we scanned several photos of the late actor-singer. We wanted to depict the actor's larger-than-life take on comedy and his joie-de-vivre. Accordingly, we selected this profile," explained Ranjit Dahiya, founder of BAP. The mural is 15 x 13 feet and will be painted in BAP's signature colourful style. The makers expect it to be completed by early next week.

Push for endangered languages

Non-profit organisation, the Endangered Languages Project, has put out a call inviting artists and illustrators from indigenous or endangered language communities to create artworks and pieces on the theme of language revitalisation. "We are excited to work with artists to develop commissioned pieces of art to represent the importance and beauty of language revitalisation. We are especially interested in supporting indigenous and tribal artists who work in traditional styles, modern ones, or some blend of the two. This art will be a prominent part of our new website," said Anna Belew, outreach coordinator. You can send your portfolio to anna@endangeredlanguages.com.

Curating zines with zing

Zine makers at the last edition of the Bombay Zine Fest

Bombay Underground, an art collective, has announced the next edition of the Bombay Zine Fest and is inviting creators to send in their applications. A zine, the organisers explained, is a self-published collection of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced using a photocopier, local printing press or just pen-and-paper. "As of now, we're only inviting applications, which can be emailed to us. Following this, the shortlisted candidates will be invited to mail us their zines," said Himanshu S, co-founder of Bombay Underground. The fest, which was started in 2016, has featured zine makers from across India and all over the world. To make for a more interactive, engaging experience, makers can showcase their zines at the fest, on dedicated tables. There's also a larger common table for international makers who are unable to physically attend the event. The last edition, which was held in January 2020, had about 40 to 50 makers physically showcasing their zines at the fest and an overall participation of around 200 Indian and international makers. To register, email them at bombayunderground@gmail.com.