Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

When life takes a paws: A dog seems lost in thought at the Amar Dham cemetery in Chembur on Wednesday. Pic/Atul Kamble

This is no child's play

Shivraj Waichai and Parna Pethe in a still from Love You

Very often, we hear adults ruminating on love, but what does it mean to children? Is it like their love for ice cream, or the love for one's parents who might be on the brink of divorce? That's what the two children of Love You, a Marathi adaptation of the German play Ich lieb dich, will explore. Directed by Sapan Saran of Studio Tamaasha, it will open virtually at Tata Literature Live! today. "It's quite insightful as we usually only get to see the idea of love from an adult's viewpoint," shared actor Parna Pethe, while co-performer Shivraj Waichal added, "Children's games are no child's play; through them, their ideas and politics come out."

Pressing on

The Sister Library is a space in Bandra that opened its doors in 2019 to give women writers and writings about women a pedestal from where the issues they brought up could be heard. In August 2021, it launched its own press, called Sister Press, which has printed zines, community letters and newspapers over the past year. "Newspapers [tend to] carry articles on women's movements across the world, apart from stories on women's health for example," shared founder Aqui Thami, adding that they are now exhibiting all the works they have printed over the past year at the library till Friday. "This is the first exhibition we have had since the pandemic started," Thami shared.

Check mate in Khar

Chess lovers, rejoice. The Habitat, a venue in Khar known for hosting music and comedy gigs, will now double up as a chess club every Tuesday evening, for two hours. Owner Balraj Ghai told us that the ChessBase India community helped him procure sets and that there are 13 tables in total that can accommodate 26 players. Each game lasts 20 minutes. "The idea is not about winning or losing, but having fun with like-minded people," Ghai shared.

Food for thought

It seems that the way we consume food as a country is changing, going by a report called Future of Food that auditing and consulting firm Deloitte India released yesterday. It identifies six trends that indicate how food consumption patterns are undergoing a gradual overhaul. These include the fact that the consumption of grains, which accounted for 63 per cent of daily calorie intake in 1961, dipped to 55 per cent by 2017. There is also a growth in the purchase of organic foods and in the use of food delivery apps. "India is at the cusp of a new food revolution. Health-conscious consumers prefer to have something on their plate that will have a lower environmental footprint," shared Anand Ramanathan, partner at the firm.

A helping hand

There is help pouring in for India's varied artisan communities in the form of a crowdsourced fundraiser auction meant to augment their income after the barren spell of the pandemic. This auction, titled India for Artisans, is scheduled for November 30 and will include crafted experiences, design-led products and artworks. The organisations, 200 Million Artisans and Creative Dignity are hosting it in conjunction with StoryLTD by SaffronArt. The 40 contributors include the likes of Anita Dongre, who has donated six customised marble inlay plates, and Prince Yeshwantrao Holkar of Indore, who will host a stay at Ahilya Fort, Maheshwar. "We hope to blur boundaries of art and artisanship through these collaborations at various levels. The fact that these collaborations have happened to support the dignity of the most vulnerable makers is what keeps our faith and hope going," shared Vishpala Hundekari (in pic, above), co-founder, Creative Dignity.