From food to dance: Here's why you should attend these events in Mumbai this week

Archana Kochhar’s Dollhouse-themed high-tea menu >> WHERE: Donna Delli, Bandra West; WHEN: Daily, 12 PM to 4 PM; PRICE: Rs 899; CALL: 7977349407

UpperCrust Food and Wine Show returns

The 19th edition of culinary event, UpperCrust Food and Wine Show, wraps up today, so go check out the 120 exhibitors offering products from the food and beverage industry at the World Trade Centre. Wine lovers can sip and shop down the wine alley, and when tired, relax at the food court with live music for company. The highlights of the show remain the masterclasses and mentoring sessions conducted by the likes of Chef Abinas Nayak, Chef Raveena Turani, Chef Arjun Singh Yadav and other heavyweights. Also look out for Home Chef Studio featuring established home chefs representing a unique cuisine and cooking style. 
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WHEN: December 4, 10 AM-8 PM 
WHERE: World Trade Centre, Cuff Parade

Drape Karnataka

If you are a fan of Karnataka’s Ilkal saree, which now comes with a Geographical Indicator (GI) tag, or the precious Khun textile used to make blouses, Kusba, an initiative that supports artisans, is bringing them to Mumbai this weekend. What makes shopping here satisfying is that textile designer Geeta Patil has been transforming textiles hand woven on the pit looms of Guledgudda in northern Karnataka through contemporary design, and ensuring that women weavers are paid equal 
to men. 
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WHEN: December 1-4, 11 AM-7 PM
WHERE: ARTISANS’, 52-56 VB Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda
CALL: 9820145397

Lavani for all

Writer and theatre director Bhushan Korgaonkar’s new show Lavani Ke Rang is anchored by Geetanjali Kulkarni, who plays theatre maalkin Kaminibai Jamkhedkar. Information about the Marathi folk theatre tradition of lavani unfolds through Jamkhedkar’s talks and clarifies two aspects of the lavani that happens in traditional Sangeet Bari theatres—that only men watch lavani and that it is a highly intimate and engaging performance. There are various kinds of lavani such as baithakichi lavani (singing and adakari) and andharatli lavani (lavani of the dark). Another interesting bit about lavani is that earlier women would only perform in private set-ups and men would cross dress for public performances. Eventually, this practice faded when women ventured out. This performance also brings back men in women’s garb, alongside female dancers.
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WHERE: Prithvi theatre, Juhu
WHEN: December 11, 5 PM-8 PM 
CHARGES: R500
TO BOOK: prithvitheatre.org

Meet a person with a skill you can use

Abhishek Shukla, 35 Urdu teacher
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AVAILABLE FOR: Online Urdu Classes
Contact: 9559934440
Charges: On request

Shukla teaches Urdu to people from around the world. It started when two of his Malayali friends, who were keen on speaking Hindi and Urdu correctly, reached out to him. Today, he caters to people of all ages and backgrounds—while lyrics and dialogue writers seek him out to improve their vocabulary, historians reach out for help with interpreting ancient scriptures. Each batch has about 20 to 25 students, and sessions are scheduled late in the evening for 70 minutes. One level stretches over three months and there are 12 classes a month. By the time you complete the course, Shukla says you will be able to read, write and speak the language. The structure is flexible to fit all ages.

RECOMMENDED BY: Raj Shekar, a  lyricist who wrote Aise Kyun for Mismatched, says, “I was drawn to Urdu language and tried learning it through several books, but I found it tricky to pronounce words correctly. Filled with history of language and fun facts, Abhishek’s classes came to my rescue.”

Compiled by Heena Khandelwal, Jane Borges, Mitali Parekh and Shreya Jachak

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