Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

In the fields of fold

A shirt vendor takes a well-deserved afternoon nap on a skywalk at SV Road, Borivali West.

Taming of the bull

In October last year, when professor Claudia Goldin won the Nobel Prize in Economics for her study into the rising gender pay gap, artist Sonal Ambani was inspired to create something of her own. The result was a steel bull with golden horns (made of brass), hoofs and a hoop nose ring being struck by arrows heading towards a bulls eye. The display called Slings & Arrows of Outrageous Fortune is presently at the Venice Biennale. Other than the obvious takeaway of the bull being the symbol of patriarchy, every inch in Ambani's piece is well thought out.

"If you pay attention, the steel has the currency from all over the world imprinted on it," Ambani told this diarist. While we interpreted the red arrows slowing down the capitalist juggernaut, she says, "The point is that all of us have our own point of view. The arrows also signifying those who challenge the status quo and speak up against the exploitation, before this system was impervious. The bulls eye talks about the unified goal of achieving gender equality as well as the circle of life, where the struggle is continuous," adds Ambani.

Wisden and the rest for keepsake

We are not sure whether our in-house cricket nut is in the mood for a little boast or genuinely wants to inform us that UK-published popular magazine, Wisden Cricket Monthly (WCM) was first published this month 45 years ago, and he has the first issue of June 1979.

The magazine edited by historian and writer David Frith, provided cricket lovers the world over another option for their cricket dope even as the 1921-instituted The Cricketer didn't lose too many readers. As several cricket lovers would notice England's Geoffrey Boycott and Aussie pacer Rodney Hogg are featured in the first WCM issue (pic above).

Batting icon Sunil Gavaskar was the first Indian to be featured on a WCM cover (pic above) followed by Kapil Dev, Gundappa Vishwanath, Dilip Vengsarkar, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Mohammed Azharuddin in the 1980s.

Our man tells us that he is a proud possessor of other first issues - Australian Cricket (1968), Cricketer Australia (1973), Sportsweek Cricket Quarterly (1974) and Sportsworld magazine's 1978 inaugural issue. We know of other magazine collectors and their vast collection, so cricket nut may not get a distinction, but we'll grant him a first class!

Pop ups from the past

Like we have said before, one of the ‘bestest' (is that a word, we think not, but here it is particularly appropriate) things about the WhatsApp carousel is the lesser known aspects of life it brings to the fore. One of that is nostalgia. Like this 1910 picture of Victoria Gardens, formally known as Rani Bagh and now Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan. The lush green, the still water, the birds, people and a black 'n' white image all come together for an eye-catching image. We say this pop ups from the past are like remixes of old songs. You may not like the medium of WhatsApp, but through its circulation, a younger audience gets a glimpse into the past, and for those with more salt than pepper in their hair, it's a trip down memory lane.

We all deserve a little movie magic

There is something about going to the movies, eating theatre popcorn and watching a movie that we all have been waiting for, but not everyone is able to get that experience. That's why the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), that begins on June 15, has partnered with Svayam, an NGO started by Sminu Jindal in collaboration with the Broadcasting Ministry of India, to make MIFF 2024 accessible for people with disability (PwD). Jindal is working with movie theatres as well as at cultural events to make the infrastructure accessible to PwDs. "Creating truly inclusive and accessible theatres involves a multi-faceted approach that encompasses both policy implementation and societal awareness. While the release of guidelines by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is indeed a commendable step towards promoting accessibility in theatres, bridging the gap between policy formulation and effective implementation remains crucial," says Jindal. Jindal's works impresses upon the importance of ensuring theatres are equipped with wheelchairs, ramps with handrails, designated seating areas for people with reduced mobility, accessible restrooms, and signage to guide people with reduced mobilities. Svayam also helps in conducting regular training sessions for theatre staff in order to raise awareness about disability rights, etiquette, and best practices for assisting people with reduced mobility.