Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Raje

Hell hath no fury

A believer dressed as goddess Muthu Mariamman participates in the religious procession of the Tamil community at Dharavi.

Memories of the king

Harry Belafonte performs during the FDJ tour in Berlin, 1983. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia commons; (right) Usha Uthup

Did you know that an unfulfilled duet with the King of Calypso remains one of Usha Uthup's regrets? Like scores of his fans across the globe, Uthup recalled how the late Harry Belafonte, who passed away on April 25, was her inspiration. "What attracted me was that nobody else could perform or entertain the audience like him," she noted. She shared how Radio Ceylon was her main source of Belafonte hits. "I only had his record, Live At Carnegie Hall. When he sang Matilda, Matilda, he got the whole of Carnegie Hall to sing along." Years later, Uthup would try to meet the singer in New York, and finally, found a way to his apartment in Manhattan only for the singer to be in San Francisco. She also hoped to perform alongside him, but the offer never came through. "That is the saddest regret," she admitted. Mumbai performer Sharon Prabhakar was similarly smitten with Belafonte's charm. "He had style and an elegance that was subtle and classy," she told this diarist. The perfect example, Prabhakar shared, was his Island in the sun. "It is so smooth and easy on the ears."

Sharon Prabhakar

Garage of painted memories

2 cars A

Mumbaikars of a certain vintage will recall small garages in housing societies that would be filled with broken ping-pong tables and rusting Premier Padminis. For artist and illustrator Aditya Phadke, they are works of art. This week, his exhibition, Carkhana, at Jehangir Art Gallery reflects the same. "In college, my project, Wheels at rest, portrayed junk vehicles waiting to be restored. Every time I looked at them, I would think of the memories associated with them," said the fifth-generation artist. Calling the garage the cars' natural habitat, Phadke remarked, "Such garages are fast disappearing from urban spaces. The younger generation will never know about this feature. I grew up with these visuals of the city and wanted to share them."

Aditya Phadke

Making an impact on nature

In an attempt to turn good intentions into reality, Noida-based The Habitat Trust's Seed Grant is a step towards enabling conservation in India. Gauging the difficulty that emerges in securing funds for a cause, Rushikesh Chavan (in pic), head of the trust, told us that the grant will be rolled out monthly for organisations or individuals. "Data plays an important role in conservation. If one wants to do a quick assessment of a site, or population estimation of any species, or wants to collect information about an area or a species that is not widely known or researched, this grant will help them," he explained. It can also be used for active on-ground activities such as training and protection of endangered species.

Final flourish

A peek into the artwork in the book

Last year, this diarist reached out to visual designer Pratyush Gupta while he set out to turn his knowledge of Hindustani classical music into an interactive picture book titled Master of the 7 Swars. Now, after several more redrafts and changes in design, the book is ready for release in May, Gupta shared. "It has been a long journey, and, the book has been simplified further," shared the designer who turned to crowdfunding for support. "I always found teaching methods for Indian classical music outdated. But working on this project, I realised there is so much more to the subject which I could bring out in the form of stories." The book will be available on the website swarpeti.com

A stamp of pride

Barkha Cardoz has added another feather to the cap of late chef Floyd Cardoz's legacy. The venture, Cardoz Legacy LLP is now certified as a minority and women-owned business by the United States of America. "This certification validates not just the business, but my efforts as an entrepreneur, too," Barkha Cardoz told this diarist. The entrepreneur added that the title was not just proof of their work, but also opened new avenues. Cardoz shared, "Enterprise brings me in community with other minority women business owners. The designation gives us a direct way to identify and support each other. It's a community of commonality, strength, and learning. That's good for all businesses." As much as it is her hard-earned victory, it was also a reminder of the work that chef Floyd built upon. She noted, "Floyd knew how hard it is for women, especially being an immigrant and a minority himself. He would be, and is, so proud of all that I am doing with the Cardoz Legacy," the co-founder told us.