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Oblivious to personal and public safety, people go about their daily business in Powai on Thursday.
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Oblivious to personal and public safety, people go about their daily business in Powai on Thursday. Pic/ Sameer Markande
Keeping Gandhi's legacy safe
Mani Bhavan has been operating with skeletal staff during the lockdown. There are eight to 10 people who work from the historic landmark in Gamdevi to protect the museum's exhibits and archives dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. But even they need to be protected in these times. The museum shared photos yesterday of how the interiors are being sanitised for only the second time in its history, keeping the pandemic in mind. Mani Bhavan secretary Yogesh Kamdar told this diarist that there are quarterly pest controls done anyway. But sanitisation is a new thing. "We are not permitting entry of visitors to Mani Bhavan," he clarified, adding that fogging and fumigation are important for the museum's health, and — in such times — for the health of their staff too.
Good signs for music
This week is being observed as International Week of the Deaf, and the music label IncInk Records, which has been petitioning to make Indian Sign Language (ISL) as the country's official 23rd language, released two ISL music videos. The first is called Shwapon ISL by SlowCheeta featuring Bengali folk artist Dipannita Acharya that talks about the courage to dream big. Mehfil-E-HipHop ISL, on the other hand, is a collaborative track with rappers Kaam Bhaari, Spitfire, SlowCheeta and Devil The Rhymer, and celebrates inclusivity. Both videos feature deaf signers from the Access Mantra Foundation so as to make music accessible to the deaf community.
With his debut track notching thousands of views, Devil The Rhymer, told this diarist, that he was glad to see the ISL video of it. "I had to send them [the signees] a special video where they could lip read and understand the lyrics, and the emotion behind it, before signing the verse. I got emotional because my verse was fast but it was performed so well. It was unbelievable." The label has also announced an online competition for the deaf community, to share their poetry, lyrics or verses, either in written form or in sign language.
A new chapter for Sid
Having launched a series of videos on social media talking about his mental health journey, Sid Mallya's set to make his literary debut with conSIDer This (Westland Publications). The book releases next May and will explore topics such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). About his foray into writing, Mallya said, "The amazing response that the series received inspired me to want to keep spreading awareness about mental health, and I'm happy to be able to continue my journey"
Mangroves for the win
For six years, the US-based Mangrove Action Project has been hosting the Mangrove Photography Awards. The winners for this year's competition was announced and the list included two city-based photographers — Pratik Chorge and Vidyasagar Hariharan — who captured flamingos in the Talawe wetlands.
Hariharan, a runner-up, in the Mangroves & Threats category, shared that he took his photograph to highlight the plight of nature. "The wetland is a critical spot because it acts as a buffer zone for these flamingos. And the area is an extension of the mangroves, too."
Home is where the work is
The lockdown initially came with the uncertainty of how well we'd adapt to our work from home (WFH) lifestyles. But now the tables have turned. According to a recent survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and consulting firm Primus Partners, in various cities of India including Mumbai, 74 per cent employees wish to continue working remotely. In addition, 73 per cent respondents will prefer to use their own vehicles as opposed to public transport. Only time will tell if these preferences change.
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