Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Head over heels

A boy performs a somersault on Mahim beach

When women take over walls

A painting by Kesar Khinvasara at a previous edition. Pic Courtresy/Sahil Shikalgar

After a year-long pause, the Ladies First Street Art Festival is set to return to the city on March 9, 10, 11 and 12. Dedicated to celebrating women artists and street art, it will bring together 10 to 15 painters who will add their own colour to the cityscape, shared organiser Zain Siddiqui, co-founder, Wicked Broz. "We'll also have a pop-up exhibit for other women artists, apart from workshops and activities," he said. The festival, which will take place in Goa, Gurugram and Dehradun, has put out a call for donations. "Brands do chip in here and there, but overall, it's a crowdfunded fest." To help them, head to @ladiesfirststreetart.

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Chao is coming

Mumbai has been reverberating with the sound of music for a few weeks, and the trend continues. French-Spanish singer Manu Chao, famous for his foot-tapping Mala vida will stop over in the city as part of his India tour next month. Best known for founding the band, Mano Negra, Chao is a pioneer of Latin alternative rock. The singer will also perform in Goa, Pune, Delhi and Bengaluru. While the venue is yet to be revealed, we're sure that fans will be keeping their ears to the ground.

Harping on new music conquests

Pic Courtesy/Shreya Shetty

While the Australian cricket team struggles in India, Mumbaikar Nush Lewis is breaking new ground in the land down under. Weeks after the release of her EP, The Forgotten Verses, she is set to embark on her first international tour to Australia, beginning March 3. "It is my first proper official international tour as a musician, and it is more reassuring than anything else," she shared. The harpist noted that her trip felt like a validation of her long musical journey. The tour is part of Australia's biggest cultural music festival, Adelaide Fringe. "It is a completely different audience and offers a fresh perspective," the singer told this diarist, adding that while she had not particularly planned for Australia, it was a nice surprise. "I am looking to meet up with producers, other musicians, educators and create relationships that can manifest into something for the future," Lewis remarked. An EP and the tour aside, the singer is also planning on an India tour after her return. While she revealed that there are plans of more singles, "The focus is going to be playing many more gigs this year after the pause of the pandemic," she said.

A silver lining

A senior citizen attempts solving a puzzle

Echoing Healthy Ageing, a geriatric care social enterprise, in association with city-based NGO Graceful Living will be conducting an informative online session on understanding cognitive simulation, individual companionship, and counselling sessions for senior citizens on February 23. Dr Amrita Pimpale (inset), founder of the enterprise and host of the session, told this diarist, "Senior citizens tend to focus on their physical health. We are trying to divide the focus on cognitive health as well.

This includes cognitive exercises for a healthy brain and mental health." While the platform has been conducting cognitive training for a decade, their partnership with Graceful Living aims to initiate a conversation around managing cognitive health at home and how to maintain cognitive reserves. The session will include suggestions of useful activities such as when and how much time the seniors need to spend in the company of others.

Nature nurturers on reel

A screenshot from the documentary short, Asian Elephant - Species and Habitats Awareness Programme. Pic Courtesy/Youtube

In an attention-deficit world, visuals might be the solution for eco-conservation as well. The Habitats Trust has set out to make and release 100 documentary shorts covering the conservation activity across Maharashtra. Rushi Chavan (in pic), head of the trust, shared that a lot of good conservation work happens in very remote locations, carried out by individuals and small organisations and they often go unnoticed.

"At the same time, there is stunning wildlife out there that does not get enough attention," he told us. The films will capture both sides of the problem. "We aim to document all of this - what is happening in India and rural Maharashtra - and put a spotlight on them by making these films easily accessible for people to see," he remarked. Twenty five films are available on the @TheHabitatsTrust on Youtube with more to come.