Wanted: Cultural spaces in the suburbs

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Sir PM was relooking at his selfie with Lady Flora from his newly acquired smartphone. It was a gift from the missus for Navroze. He seemed mighty pleased with the frame, and that he was actually sporting a full, satisfied smile. The backdrop was the imposing century-old Prince of Wales Museum (CSMVS, to the younger readers); both looked chuffed for a day well spent inside the newest Mumbai Gallery that was opened recently to the public. They had just stepped out of the George Wittet-designed landmark, and were headed towards Apollo Bunder promenade for a quiet walk by the bay. The November night sky and gentle sea breeze made for the perfect setting to review the space.

"My Lady, what an utterly stimulating visit! I was mighty pleased that our space-strapped Bombaywallahs, especially those keen for constant nourishment of the soul, have a new place to visit. What was your favourite section?" Sir PM was curious. "There were so many, Pheroze. Right at the entrance, the Asokan-era edicts and the numismatic collection, as well as the section that pays tribute to our Koli community; but honestly I was impressed by the overall idea," she recalled. Sir PM was still checking the rest of his photos, partly distracted by his latest acquisition but all ears for Lady Flora's report card, lest she caught him unawares. "My favourites included those suspended knowledge cubes that offered facts about our founding fathers; such an immersive way to learn history, no? I also liked the photo gallery on the unique communities spotted across the cities. Ah! Then there was the Bhel Puri prop. What a delight to pose against it and relive my Girgaon Chowpatty days," his eyes seemed to indicate as if he was reliving a moment from those wonder years.

"My Lady, I was thrilled to see people across age groups and backgrounds have a good time at the many sections; there were families, arty folk from SoBo, collegians from far-off suburbs and even out-of-towners going by the regional languages that we overheard while on our visit. That, I feel is a victory for the gallery's intent," summarised Sir PM as he noticed that his friend was peering into the phone to see their photos from the corner of her eye. "The design was refreshingly contemporary, and not intimidating; so unlike what I was expecting, given the magnitude of the subject. To break it down into fun-sized bites of information, pops of colour and easy-to-decipher panels was a win-win," shared Lady Flora.

"But Pheroze, I have a concern that I am sure most Bombaywallahs who reside in the suburbs must experience on a regular basis. I feel for them, really. Tell me, where are such spaces for them to head to, in the northern suburbs? It's a mighty nightmare in any case to trudge to the main island city, where all the best cultural spaces are located, especially if you have to jostle through the chaos on a local train," rued Lady Flora, hopeful that her friend would have a wise reply, given that he knew the city's geography and its socio-cultural issues inside out.

"You're absolutely right. In fact, I recall cousin Sohrab being appalled to hear that a friend who resided in Thane had never visited the famous Prithvi theatre venue. What a shame! He didn't find anything wrong with it, and shrugged his shoulders when Sohrab tried to pass judgement on his lack of intent to watch a play at a key cultural landmark. ‘What am I supposed to do? The trek is a headache, and takes hours to reach the destination along with the missus and the two kids,' he told him. I'd accept his response. Why would the fella and his family who get one Sunday to relax, attempt this arduous routine, even if they owned a car and could reach the venue in comfort?" Sir PM explained. "Pheroze, you are spot on.

This is a problem. From my pedestal, I've heard suburbanites complain a lot about how they have very few avenues to enjoy cultural pursuits like the sessions in performing arts and exhibitions centred on the visual arts and must sacrifice a lot of downtime to head to SoBo or Juhu-Bandra for these experiences. I wish wealthy, culturally inclined citizens from the far-off suburbs with a philanthropic bent of mind would pay heed to this vacuum. It's way too massive a gap, and I feel the kids especially, are missing out on gauging what a cultural experience is all about," sighed Lady Flora.

Both reached a chaiwallah on Mereweather Road. Sir PM smiled and gestured to his friend as if to raise a toast with their glasses of chai, "Allow me to quote the great Dutch historian Johan Huizing who said, ‘If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it'. That belief is what is desperately lacking in this city. May we live to see that day." Lady Flora's eyes lit up, "Let's head to Prithvi? I hear that their fabulous annual theatre festival is underway." Sir PM smiled, "Of course. As our city's cultural ambassadors, we must not let distance get in the way of a good cultural experience."

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her.
She tweets @bombayana

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