Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

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

Catch me if you can

A trained dog jumps through a hoop at the Maharashtra Police Raising Day Parade in Goregaon.

Nourishments from the sea

The exhibition showcases underwater ocean organisms that are at threat due to unsustainable urban practices. Pic Courtesy/Parag Tandel

Raisins, construction rods, and sounds from the underwater layer a sculptural exhibition that dives into the loss of biodiversity in Mumbai’s sea, and its impact on the indigenous Koli community. Vitamin-Sea, conceived by visual auto-ethnographer Parag Tandel nearly a decade ago, is currently on display at Colaba’s Sassoon Dock. “This is a cultural project that articulates the loss of identity of the original inhabitants of Bombay. Millions of years ago, the Koli community arrived on the Seven Islands to settle through sustainable sea practices. But over time, urban interference has impacted our food. What Kolis eat is very different from what’s available in the markets. Our food comes from within one or two kilometres of the ocean’s perimeter and urban practices encroach on that source,” pointed out Tandel. The aural additions to the exhibition were collected with the help of professor Ajay Nakhawa, a scientist with the Central Institute of Fisheries Education. The underwater sounds of the ocean lend the experience its sensoriality. “There are sounds from my own diving escapades, and there are some strains from the 1960s and ’70s that can’t be documented any further,” Tandel shared. 

Parag Tandel

Will Sunak live on the veg?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was recently issued an interesting challenge — to go vegan. International non-profit organisation Generation Vegan or GenV, which has previously challenged The Pope and former US president Donald Trump to adopt veganism, stated that Sunak will have to follow a vegan lifestyle for a month. In turn, one million pounds will be given to any charity of his choice. The campaign aims to shine a light on the effects of animal agriculture on climate, pollution, deforestation, potential pandemics, antibiotic resistance and public health. So, is Sunak up for the challenge? Naomi Hallum, chief executive officer, GenV, noted that the UK PM has previously pledged his support to protect the planet and drawn attention to the need for compassion. All eyes will be on Sunak to see if he lives up to this green promise.

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Leafing through Akhtar’s life

Do you ever ponder the gateposts that might have skirted a lyricist’s life who has articulated every situation of our lives in his writing? Poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar is gearing for the release of the final edition — Talking Lives — in the Talking Films and Songs series, which gives readers fascinating insights into his mind in February. The book follows a spontaneous conversation between Akhtar and author-producer Nasreen Munni Kabir. “There are some people who always find a new way of understanding life. And so it is with Javed saab. Our first book, Talking Films, happened nearly a quarter of a century ago. The world has radically changed since then, but his wit and intelligence haven’t diminished one bit,” Kabir told this diarist.

Open your Mann

A moment from a previous cultural act 

After a two-year lull, the Mann Deshi Mahotsav will return to the city on January 5. Organised by the Mann Deshi Foundation that propagates a support network for rural women, the festival aims to present the spirit of Satara’s Mann taluka. “We will be reaching one million women this year, and the mahotsav is a celebration of that journey. Apart from the farmer and artisan stalls, our cultural evenings will feature Mangalagaur performances, Chandatai Tiwadi’s bharud showcase, and Mann Deshi Champions’ girls’ wrestling matches. Visitors will also hear from our rural women entrepreneurs about how they are leveraging digital banking,” shared founder Chetna Gala Sinha.

Trans-forming lives

Transgender rights activist, classical dancer and motivational speaker Laxmi Narayan Tripathi recently added another feather to her cap. Tripathi will be conferred an honorary doctorate by Thames International University, Paris, in February for social work. Calling it a recognition of decades of efforts to uplift the marginalised community, the activist said, “Such recognition is always welcome, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility.” While she admitted that there has been a positive shift towards the acceptance of the transgender community, Tripathi maintained, “There is still a great deal of work to be done in terms of employment opportunities, and mainstream inclusion.” 

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