21 September,2023 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Ashish Raje
A shopkeeper at Lalbaug in Parel sets a Gauri idol on a shelf, on the eve of Gauri puja as part of the ongoing Ganeshotsav
The All India K-pop Contest finally ended last weekend with a Delhi team taking the lead, followed by Mumbai's Axiom. As previously reported on this page, the five-member team faced multiple challenges including a last moment song change, one of their members undergoing a surgery, and having to shuttle between ongoing exams and rehearsals. The group of 20-year-olds managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. "We did not have any expectations; in fact, we were more focused on enjoying the experience, and it was nothing short of a mini concert of our own. Axiom has a lot more to show and give back to the K-pop community," they shared with this diarist.
A hydrant which is as low as a dachshund
A tipping point, the digital dictionary tells us, is defined as the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. So, then what is a tripping point? Quite self-explanatory, really. This is what we thought this fire hydrant at Colaba Causeway was (you see these defunct hydrants at several spots in the city). Buried right into the pavement, this one had its head poking out. Much below eye level, it may cause passersby rushing through to experience a painful fall. What can we say except: it will be a trip down memory lane? And a not so pleasant one at that. Well, ouch.
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Amidst the gigantic idols that make an appearance in the city for the annual Ganeshotsav celebrations, we were equally thrilled to notice a humble, but colourful addition to the neighbourhood of Vile Parle last weekend. Along the busy Hanuman Road right next to Western Express Highway, graffiti artist, Rahul Maurya AKA Alchemy has created a mural to commemorate the elephant god. "I had worked on this design earlier. When I walked past this old two-storey building in Vile Parle, I thought it would be the perfect setting. We worked on the walls for four days and finished it right in time for the festival. This was my way of representing the contribution of artists to the festival," shared Maurya.
A woodcut print etching by Tejswini Narayan Sonawane at the biennale
The recent Ljubljana Biennale saw an amchi Mumbai connection on the first week of the art festival. Artist Tejswini Narayan Sonawane was honoured with the Grand Prize for her exhibition that captured the theme of femininity and migrants. Submitted through the city-based gallery, Gallery Art and Soul, Sonawane's work impressed the jury.
"They were moved and told me that [they] felt a soulful connection to the works," shared the Sir JJ School of Arts alumnus. Her work featured woodcuts and etching prints on cloth, a signature of the artist. "I have also been invited to the next biennale with a solo show, and will be part of the residency programme till then," she told this diarist.
Back in March, we had written about filmmaker Sandeep Mohan's (right) ventures with the sport of badminton. Mohan had participated and finished with a bronze medal at the 45th Indian Masters (Veterans) National Badminton Tournament. It allowed him to qualify and participate in the World Championship held from September 11 to 17 in South Korea. Sadly, Mohan's debut on the international stage did not earn him a medal. "We [Mohan and his doubles partner Ashish Khedikar] lost in the pre-quarterfinals to the third seeds from Denmark and Norway. We took the first set, which is a slight comfort," shared the filmmaker. "The level is definitely higher. The eventual winner in the singles category was a yesteryear great, Tony Gunawan," said Mohan, who now plans to participate in the next tournament as well.
