13 June,2020 07:00 AM IST | | Team SMD
Pic/Ashish Raje
The old man-s effigy usually burnt on New Year-s eve in India gets a pandemic look in Kalbadevi on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Aqui Thami manages Sister Library, a one-of-a-kind space, that is both community-owned and community-run. The Bandra-based library is also the first feminist library in South Asia. Thami has always strived to further the feminist cause, whether it is through her art or academics. Her latest endeavour is Sister Radio, a podcast that-s available on Spotify and other major streaming platforms.
"Sister Radio is a podcast that celebrates women. In this space, we talk to sisters from all walks of life about culture and history, to build and share ways of life away from the ones shaped by male perspective. Through interviews and discussions, this intimate space will help you learn how to support your sisters," she says. The first episode saw her talking to musician Jerusha Rai about growing up, indigeneity, music, art, books and more. "For Sister Radio, I seek to have conversations with women who are making amazing strides in their lives, but are not celebrated by the mainstream media. Not only do these voices deserve to be acknowledged and heard, but celebrated," she adds.
Former England cricket captain Geoffrey Boycott at The Oval in London on September 12, 2019. Pic/AFP
Sir Geoffrey Boycott was nothing short of rude when he opined recently that only male former international cricketers should be expert commentators.
As expected, his loose delivery was hit firmly to the boundary, the batter being former Australia women-s cricket captain Lisa Sthalekar. "It-s time for him to leave the game and let-s remember him as a great cricketer of a certain generation."
Boycott, 79, has ended a 14-year association with BBC-s Test Match Special, which did not renew his commentary contract.
What has particularly irked Lisa and her fellow women cricketers is this part of Boycott-s recent piece for The Telegraph: "I do not believe you can learn that [pressure, emotion and technique] from reading a book or because you played club cricket, second XI cricket or, with great respect, women-s cricket. As good as the women are at their game, it bears no resemblance to the power and pace of men-s cricket."
Boycott has never been the most genial of men around, which prompts us to ask: Can he ever perform a kind act? Actually, he can. Only recently, Yorkshire-based Jeremy Duncombe took a chance and requested Yorkshireman Boycott to make a call to his dad Mick, who was completing 80, but couldn-t enjoy a grand celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, Mick was a Boycott fan and he couldn-t have asked for a better gift than a 30-minute Zoom chat with the cricket legend.
We-ll pat you on the back for this, Boycs!
Everyone is doing their bit in these difficult times. The other day, Academy Award winning film producer Guneet Monga, put up a post on her Instagram handle offering services to help those in need in the Versova Four Bungalows area. Monga announced that she had reached out to the Versova Sachkhand Darbar Gurudwara Sahib, asking them for support for the Chandivli Basti. The head of the gurudwara, a septuagenarian gentleman, headed to the basti with Monga and now 1,000 meals are being supplied there daily. The head of the gurudwara has also asked to be connected to more people they could help. A member who helps with the food distribution of the gurudwara, tells this diarist that anyone offering help can call them 9015600817 or message them on WhatsApp 9867185700, 7400475300.
"While the gurudwara has been doing seva for the last 20 years, and organising daily langars, during the lockdown we have increased it to two langars a day. We go to people-s homes and offer them food," says another member.
The city of Mumbai offers plenty of birding opportunities to birdwatchers and nature lovers, especially during winter months at various different locations in and around the city. Members of the Wildnest Travel and Photography have been organising various nature and birding trails for people for the past many years. But the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has changed the dynamics this year.
Nitya Aggarwal of the Wildnest Travel and Photography says, "We started organising online sessions on various topics with backyard birding being one of the hot topics. Our experts made people familiar with common birds. It really encouraged people in spending some time in their balconies or terrace and observing the wonders of nature in their neighbourhood."
A 13-year-old from Podar International School in Santa Cruz, is using the lockdown to spread awareness about animal welfare. Anisha Bhatia, who is also an artist, recently started the Paint for Paws initiative on Instagram @paintforpaws.2020, creating and selling her artworks to support the city-s strays.
Bhatia whose passion for art and painting is the driving force behind her initiative, has already sold over 15 paintings to acquaintances across India and the US, raising around R12,000. Currently juggling time between her online classes and passion project, she has now tied up with an NGO, Save The Paws, and all the money raised will be donated to the organisation.
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