The rhythms of coastal life

Pics/@sliceofuttan, Instagram

Curated by Jane Borges, Sucheta Chakraborty, Kasturi Gadge and Nidhi Lodaya

For hiker and solo traveller Vinay Vishwakarma whose family moved to Uttan from Bandra six years ago, there was an instant connection. "It had the charm of a place frozen in time with old Portuguese mansions, a tightly-knit Koli community which is steeped deeply in ancestral traditions and a myriad of landscapes to explore, from beaches and hills to farmlands, cliffs and unkempt forests," he says.

Vinay Vishwakarma

Through his posts, we learn how shrimp that feed on bioluminescent plankton absorb their glowing properties and shine like stars when laid out in the open to dry and how Uttan's seafood export industry attracts people from other states. "Uttan is synonymous with beaches and resorts for the common city folk. I wanted to change that perspective," says Vishwakarma. "I wanted to show the rustic and untamed Uttan that lies beyond the manicured lawns and granite-floored rooms inside popular resorts."
@sliceofuttan, Instagram

Toy story

In December 2020, Meerut-based Deepa Garga started YarnFarm which specialises in handmade, eco-friendly crochet products for children, with a special focus on animal characters. For infants, they design chewable teethers that are made using cotton yarn and natural unpolished wood, to help babies with their teething woes. "The hand puppets make for excellent playtime companions and very animated storytime accessories," says Garga.

Deepa Garga

"They enhance your child's imagination and involvement in storytelling, making them budding little puppeteers." The toys range from Rs 500 to Rs 3,500. The team behind YarnFarm, says the entrepreneur, comprises skilled local women who are given training in the art. "The idea behind YarnFarm was to create unique sustainable play pals for children, and in the process, generate work opportunities for local women, making them self-reliant," says Garga.
@yarnfarm.in, Instagram

Starting young

Thirteen-year-old Dania Khan has been writing short stories since she was eight years old but it was only during the lockdown that, looking for an outlet for her emotions, the Bombay Scottish School student took up poetry. The works in her new anthology of poems Labyrinth are centred around the idea of emotions getting so overwhelming that they can't be navigated, making one feel stuck and in a maze, and hence, the title. The collection deals with emotions like fear and love and contains quotes and illustrations. "I'm a shy person so I'm always observing people and when you observe, you tend to know how to describe these emotions," says the eighth grader on how she chose this theme. Consistent reading and writing has helped her to keep going.
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Two's company

Maanvi Kapur

A graphic designer by profession, Maanvi Kapur turned full-time illustrator three years ago, and we love her dreamy portraits of couples and families. Apart from digital paintings, she also does water colour and acrylics on paper and canvas respectively, and creates striking illustrated artworks of you and your better half in settings that unveil your shared experiences. Before drawing, Kapur creates a list of things - foods, personal memories, music and even books - that are closest to the couple. "I enjoy imagining spaces and rooms. So these aspects are great references, and find their way into my artwork. I also like to use a lot of plants and foliage in my work, as it adds a cosy vibe to the space." Kapur's portraits start at Rs 10,000.
https://www.maanvikapur.com/