The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Satej Shinde
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Five men indulge in an afternoon siesta on their handcarts in the busy bylanes of Gulal Wadi in Bhuleshwar.
Keeping the birds at hand
(From left) A pond heron stands on a plastic bag in a wetland; participants observe through binoculars at a birding session. Pics Courtesy/Sunjoy Monga
Over 225 birders from across Mumbai joined their peers on a pan-Maharashtra birding session yesterday. Led by Wings-Birds of India, the event brought together a birdwatching experience followed by discussions by experts in the field of ornithology, nature conservation and local departments. Chief organiser Sunjoy Monga shared, “Teams of birders went around and covered as wide a region that extended from Manor in the north to Jawar and Murbad to Murud-Janjira in the South. They documented the birds they spotted, as well as documented activities on a dedicated online page we have created. We also held talks and discussions on key conservation aspects.” One of the topics of discussion was the issues of wetlands under risk. “We spoke on wetland issues this time around. Among the locations in Mumbai that needed addressing was the Lokhandwala lake. This is the last shallow, semi-wild lake in the Greater Mumbai area and one of the most bird-rich expanses with close to 150 bird species having been observed here,” shared Monga.
Sunjoy Monga
A Naga jam
Members in traditional attire at the freshers’ meet last year; (right) a moment from a previous sports meet
They might be far from home, but members of the Naga Students Union Mumbai are keeping the Naga spirit alive in the Maximum City. After a freshers’ party to welcome new migrants from Nagaland and Manipur to the city in October last year, the Union is now planning a sport meet at the Sports Authority of India Ground in Kandivali East on March 6 and 7. “The fast-paced life in Mumbai can come as a culture shock when you’ve lived in the quaint hills of the Northeast all your life. We want to make sure our Naga brothers and sisters have someone to call family in the city. We started as a student’s union 53 years ago, but are now welcoming young workers, parents of students and older residents with open arms,” shared Thujolu Phesao, president of the Union. Those keen to know more or join the group can log on to @nsum_official on Instagram.
Never too old to share some love
Deepak Vishwakarma; (right) Senior citizens create greeting cards. Pic Courtesy/Instagram
Love was in the air at the Golden Nest Old Age Home at Kalamboli last Friday when interns of the Create Together Foundation (CTF) played Cupid for senior residents. Armed with crayons, sheets of paper and some fun ideas to rekindle the magic of love, the young volunteers created greeting cards with the creative, curious residents oozing with enthusiasm. “Senior citizens need extra attention on festivals and occasions where the feeling of being alone becomes more tangible. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we decided to make it memorable for the ones who are usually left out of such celebrations. The sweetest moment was when we encouraged them to share words of affection for their peers and hug it out,” shared CTF founder, Deepak Vishwakarma.
Memories of a panther
The artwork by (left) Prajakta Kedare
Did you know that poet and social revolutionary Namdeo Dhasal, who pioneered the Dalit Panther from Kamathipura’s Dhor Chawl in 1972, once wrote a poem addressed to painter Vincent Van Gogh? On Dhasal’s birth anniversary on February 15, Chembur-based illustrator Prajakta Kedare brought the poem to life through a tribute artwork featuring sunflowers — a common motif in the works of both artistes. “In his poem, Dhasal calls sunflowers the self-expression of Van Gogh’s experience. In another literary work, he suggests we turn our faces to the sun, just like the sunflowers. The idea behind my illustration was to bring Dhasal’s love for the flowers alive on the canvas. I grew up witnessing performances of Dhasal’s poetry by anti-caste groups in the Siddharth Colony neighbourhood in Chembur. Painting a tribute to him felt like my life had come full circle,” the 23-year-old artist told us.
On the move
A moment from the inaugural session
The city has some ‘breaking’ news, quite literally. Sadak Battles, a new hip-hop community from Kharghar, has kicked off their monthly programme of battles for breakdancers, b-boys, and practitioners of other hip-hop dance forms. “The vision is to make underground dance battles more common in the city,” shared organiser Ashutosh Ray. While the inaugural dance-off concluded on February 15, those keen on picking up the gauntlet, can register for upcoming competitions at @sadak_street on Instagram.
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