Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Raje

Yellow, alert!

As heavy rains lash the city, policemen in their bright yellow rain gear seek shelter outside Y B Chavan Centre

Sharks and skates by the sea shore

Pic courtesy/Gaurav Patil

Recently, at Girgaon Chowpatty, a brown-coloured stained glass-like object was spotted by the shoreline. When Shaunak Modi, co-founder of the Coastal Conservation Foundation, spotted it, he knew that this was an interesting find. He informed this diarist that it's an egg that belongs either to a shark or a skate. "We don't know if this is a rare find because honestly, nobody actually comes here looking for it." He further recalls how in 2017, a cluster of bamboo shark's eggs were found on the same beach, clearly indicating that a nursery was nearby. In this case, however, nothing can be revealed for sure because what they found is only one such capsule. When we asked if there were other fascinating species Mumbaikars can keep an eye out for here, he said, "Finding octopuses here is very common. We have also found tube anemones on occasions, corals on the northern-most rocks of the beach during low tide, as well as algae and gastropods."

Colour splash on Mumbai's streets

(Left) A food stall painted by Zainab Tambawalla; (right) a cloth vendor Pic courtesy/Instagram

"How much acknowledgement do we really give to those who facilitate our lives day in and out?" This is the first question that artist Zainab Tambawalla (inset) asks this diarist. When she looks at the local life of the city - every nook and corner of the streets crammed with stalls selling food and apparel - she sees colour. "To me, they are very rich, visually," she elaborates. And hence when June - the month of the direct watercolour challenge began - she didn't need to think twice before picking her subjects for the occasion. She explains that the challenge essentially means painting with little to no drawing.

The Mazgaon resident used all of June, and continued the ritual in July to paint street vendors using just watercolours. She calls them the fabric of the daily life of a Mumbai. "The people make our city. My artworks have always found a subject in them. For example, in 2020, I made an entire series on the life of the city's craftsmen plight during the lockdown. Only this time, I am not sketching on location, but am referring to the photographs." Her paintings also include sketches of iconic architecture and heritage buildings across town. "I guess this is just my way of telling stories," she signs off.

Pedal on

Vijay Malhotra cycles through Amsterdam

Khar-based cycling enthusiast Vijay Malhotra was recently awarded the World Bicycle Day Award of the United Nations by Dr Leszek Sibilski (below), the person who founded the day. "The idea behind the award is to recognise and appreciate those around the world who passionately promote cycling everyday. Undoubtedly, Vijay Malhotra is one of them," Dr Sibilski told this diarist about Malhotra, who has been participating in events and promoting cycling extensively for the past five years through his blogs and social media.

Once upon a story

Ainee Farooqui and Nusrat Ansari in a performance

Theatre maker Mahmood Farooqui (inset) is back to telling long tales. Starting today, Prithvi Theatre will host the Dastangoi Collective for a three-day festival, Jashn-E-Dastangoi. The group is back at the old venue of Prithvi Theatre with a new collection for this edition. "We have performed at Prithvi before, but this is a return after a long time," said Farooqui.

Speaking between rehearsals, the director shared, "In the last eight to 10 years, we have diversified these stories. We realised that the form could be used to tell newer epics." He explained that the collective has included narrations about Jallianwala Bagh and Mahatma Gandhi to Karna and Manto. "There are a million stories dying to be told in this country," the veteran shared with us.