Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Nimesh Dave

Life under the spotlight

A street-dweller rests beneath a spaceship-inspired art installation at Kalpana Chawla Chowk in Kandivali

Booked for a cause

Some of the books that will be on sale

How many lives can a book have? Plenty, believes Smita Birkar, founder of 5RCycle Foundation, a waste management NGO based in Kandivali. The foundation is set to give books that have come to them as part of their dry waste collection drives a new lease of life at their first book sale fundraiser on Sunday. "Among the dry waste that we collect, we get a lot of books. Some are used but in good condition, while some are not even used. We usually have a counter at the Bandra Farmers' Market where people can drop off their dry and e-waste. This time, we decided to hold a book sale of all the collected titles, which are segregated into sections like novels, education, autobiography and more. Rather than recycling, if someone reads these books again, we save on carbon footprint and prolong their life," shared Birkar. Bookworms can head to Bandra Hindu Association Hall to pick up titles for just Rs 99.

The art of azaadi

Untitled by Gopal Gangawane

What does 75 years of Independence mean to you? A group of activist organisations, cultural activists, musicians, filmmakers and artists are coming together to reflect on the idea of Independence at People's Freedom 75, an exhibition at Bhupesh Gupta Bhavan in Prabhadevi that kicks off on Sunday. It will feature paintings, sculptures, a library, films, and an AI-based piece too by art and cultural practitioners from across India, artist Sahej Rahal, one of the organisers, told us. "It will go on till August 13 and will include a citizens' march, a poetry sammelan and a cultural programme. A diverse group of people have engaged with different aspects of Independence, and also envisioned the future," added Rahal.

Bull's eye for this wall art

The wall painting near INS Trata in Worli

India's medal tally at the ongoing Commonwealth Games may have been much more, if shooting had been included in the Games. With our top guns missing in Birmingham, this wall art outside the Maharashtra Rifle Shooting Range near INS Trata in Worli hit the aesthetic bull's eye. Art celebrates sport, and to spot it on walls, outside sporting facilities at Shivaji Park, Mahim, and National Sports Club of India (NSCI) gives the public more access, even if only visually, to sport. This contributes towards developing a ‘national sporting mindset'. So crucial, as we continue our medal hunt at Birmingham.

A slice of Belarus in Mumbai

(From left) Anton Pashkov from the consulate, Vijay Waghmare, secretary of food, civil supplies and consumer protection department, Maharashtra, and Sergei Aleinik at the opening ceremony of the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai

With India and the European nation of Belarus celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations in 2022, the latter officially inaugurated the Belarusian Consulate General in Mumbai on Thursday. Based in Nariman Point, the consulate will act as a bridge between Belarusian people and India and its financial capital, Mumbai. "Despite significant geographical distance, Belarus considers development of full-scale cooperation with India among the priority areas of its foreign policy. It is rightly said that sincerity in relations and truth in communication - that is friendship. This is what characterises Belarusian-Indian relations," remarked Sergei Aleinik, the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Belarus at the inauguration.

Yeh kya pehna hai?

If you were stuck in a jam last Sunday at Bandra's Chapel Road, you can blame artist Doyel Joshi's self portrait performance piece, Ye Kaun Pehenega, for it. The installation piece, the artist shared, resulted from years of reactions when people got ruffled by what she wore. "The artwork was designed for my birthday, and instead of buying me presents, I wanted people to buy stuff for the kids of Dharavi Art Room." The installation, where performer Amaan (in pic), wrapped in bedding foam, ‘rested' in motion, gave viewers a chance to ponder their reactions. The sound installation by Neil Ghose Balser blared, "Ee, dekh dekh dekh kya pehna hai, Esa kaun pehenta hai, Isko sirf attention chahiye."