Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

Rice to meet you! 

A child sits on a pile of paddy while farmers thresh grain at Gorai village, Borivali.

Putting Mumbai’s beer on the world map

The page where the Mumbai pub is mentioned; (left) Pankil Shah

Mumbai’s beer scene is rubbing shoulders with the best breweries in the world, thanks to Woodside Inn, Colaba. The gastropub is part of Where to Drink Beer (Phaidon), a title that documents watering hole recommendations by 500 of the world’s most revered brewers. The global publication is popular for its title Where Chefs Eat — a guide to global cuisine with recommendations from 650 of the world’s best chefs. Pankil Shah, director and co-founder, Neighbourhood Hospitality Pvt Ltd, which runs the Colaba joint, shared that theirs was the only Indian beer pub to make the cut. “It was brought to our notice by one of our brewery partners. Phaidon has taken expert brewers from all over the world and tried to understand where they drink. Championing local independent craft beer has been our culture since day one,” the elated restaurateur told this diarist.

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Old jam in a new bottle

Ankur Tewari (in the foreground) alongside artistes. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

The musical magic that Coke Studio India once weaved will now return after eight long years at Coke Studio Bharat. The relaunch made adman Piyush Pandey (inset) nostalgic. Remembering his legendary ‘Mile sur mera tumhara’ campaign, he said, “The magic of multiple languages created an iconic piece. It is an opportunity to move the classical to the ‘massical’ level.” The new season will witness composer Ankur Tewari curate artistes who will jam together. Taking a leaf out of Pandey’s book, Tiwari shared that it felt like the ‘surs’ had finally mingled together.

Desert dreams

There is more to the desert than its mesmerising sand. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival which begins today will bring together art, music, dance and Rajasthani cuisine to showcase the rich heritage of the state. Tina Dabi, district collector of Jaisalmer, who is overseeing the festival, noted, “The traditional element that stands out is the art camps with live art installations by 25 artists.” Visitors are recommended to try astro tourism — a trip through the sands and the stars — as well as the Rajasthani thali with local families to get a real taste of the festival.

Reel side of India’s anganwadis  

Mahika Meshram in a still from the short film

The challenge of spreading lessons about child nutrition and welfare has found a charming avenue with UNICEF’s new series of short features, titled Goshti Tarachya (Tara’s stories). This diarist was intrigued by the first release, a 14-minute short that captured the journey of anganwadi workers in Maharashtra. Rajalakshmi Nair (inset), nutrition specialist, UNICEF Maharashtra, revealed, “Tara epitomises the aspiration of families and caregivers about how proper nurturing leads to optimal growth and development in a child.” Produced over the last year, the film features real-life anganwadi employees, teachers and the precocious six-year-old Mahika Meshram. A former student of an anganwadi in Washim district of Maharashtra, Meshram plays young Tara who witnesses and learns from the efforts of her teachers.

When the elderly opened their art

A senior citizen contributes to the artwork at Sassoon Dock

Ever since it kicked off in January, the Mumbai Urban Art Festival (MUAF) has been inciting surprises and spreading smiles across the streets of South Mumbai. An initiative of St+art India Foundation, MUAF has focussed on the kind of public art that engages with the urban youth in a way that can effect changes for the greater good. But in a recent effort, the platform’s two-month-long carnival conceived a unique way to also include the elderly within its purview. They partnered with The Goodfellows — a companionship service helmed by Shantanu Naidu — to create graffiti art that’s symbolic of the older generation. The collaboration saw senior citizens turn painters, accompanied by their companions and renowned artists. “Seniors are often denied many of the artistic experiences in the city. When we think of art today, we think of the youth; but given the spirit we have seen amongst our elderly, we were happy that the foundation helped us enable them to be relevant, happy, and definitely not lonely,” Naidu said. 

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