Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

In the pink of health

A couple enjoys the morning view that is punctuated by pink trumpet blossoms from the safety of their home in Thakur Village, Kandivali.

Meals with good feels

Earth Cafe at Waterfield Road in Bandra has launched a donation drive that aims to feed those hit hard by the lockdown. This initiative, owner Vik Khatwani said, was inspired by the realisation that he already had the infrastructure, team and ingredients in place to launch a food donation drive.

"My staff put together a nutritious vegetable pulao and distributed this. We also invited our patrons to join this initiative. What began as 20 meals has now expanded to 100," he said. Each meal costs R78 and patrons are invited to donate in multiples of that number.

What about our vaccines?

Cafe Arpan team

In a video, the team at Cafe Arpan is asking for vaccines for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities to be prioritised. Ashaita Mahajan, a trustee of Yash Charitable Trust which has founded the cafe, said. "Our team comprises individuals with these disabilities and, barring one, everyone is below 45.

Ashaita Mahajan and Dr Sushma Nagarkar

They have co-morbidities that make them more vulnerable," she explained. Dr Sushma Nagarkar, managing trustee, shared that persons with autism have sensory issues regarding touch, smell and sounds, which makes wearing the masks difficult and aggravates communication problems.

Ticketing Bandra

News of an imminent lockdown and the current restrictions on movement has sparked in many Mumbaikars a yearning for the outdoors and nostalgia for their own city. One such Mumbaikar is 25-year-old Saachi Parasampuria, a Malad-based architect who recently posted a series of miniature water-colours depicting some of the things she missed most about the suburb.

"I used to travel to Bandra daily since my office is located right next to the St Stephen's Church. While working from home, I realised that I had amassed a number of bus tickets. Discovering these immediately evoked fond memories of all the walks, lunches, and good times I've had in Bandra. Instead of throwing the tickets away, I used these as a canvas to paint portraits of my muse," she told this diarist. Check out her watercolours at instagram.com/saachip27.

Nicholson's dream turns 10

It's been a decade since the Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation (JNAF) became the modern and contemporary art wing of the CSMVS. JNAF entered into a collaboration with CSMVS after art collector Jehangir Nicholson passed away; he had always wished for his collection of over 800 artworks to be accessible to the public, shared director Puja Vaish.

"His vision for Indian art was realised through JNAF's alliance with CSMVS," she revealed. To mark the milestone, they're hosting online activities, including talks, interactive sessions, a quiz and workshops across age groups.

Paws and play

Priyanka Jena and Tanveer Taj are a Mumbai-based couple who embarked on an adventure of a lifetime in late 2018, when they travelled across 21 states covering 12,500 km in four months with Cruise and Frodo, their two pet dogs. The duo documented the journey and created a YouTube channel called Wheels and Tails. Their exploits are now slated to be turned into a TV show by a major broadcaster. "The videos have the dogs doing silly stuff; they are the show's comedians," Jena shared.