Sea and Splash
A young duo beats the city’s unforgiving heat with a dip in the Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar.
A bond with Afro rhythms
Akoth Jumadi plays the nyatiti during an earlier performance
Versova echoed with a new sound on Sunday evening as Kenyan musician and researcher Akoth Jumadi teamed up with Sugandha Lal for a unique immersive experience. “Akoth’s oeuvre is folk and indigenous music. Our performance was an effort to bring together the two distinct cultures,” shared Lal. A highlight of the evening was Jumadi’s performance on the nyatiti — an eight-stringed instrument played by hand. “It belongs to the lyre family,” explained Jumadi, adding, “It was originally made of goatskin and calabash [an African gourd], but has since been modernised.
A moment from the rehearsal with Jumadi (extreme left) and Sugandha Lal on stage
The nyatiti was an instrument played by men during weddings or initiations, but over time many women like me have also trained in it.” The instrument aside, Jumadi shared that the evening was an exploration of her own traditional music that traces its roots to contemporary, jazz and even folk roots of benga, taibab styles of the Luo people. “The performance was a culmination of my experiences and my sounds,” she said. With her artist residency completed, Jumadi is set to head back to Kenya, and shared, “I hope I get a chance to return soon.”
Say it in Gujarati
Bookmarks with Gujarati poetry penned by the poets
Gujarati literature found centrestage in Mumbai yesterday when Ahmedabad-based literature group Paraspar made a poetic pitstop in Borivli. Students, enthusiasts, and voracious readers beelined to a cafe in the western suburb, marking the group’s second-ever meeting in Mumbai.
A participant reads her work
“After a successful run in Gujarat, we wanted to help the language carve a space in Mumbai’s literary circles. It was a no-frills showcase dedicated to poetry. We met some excellent poets and writers, right from teenagers trying their hand at poetry to senior citizens rekindling an old hobby,” shared writer and founder Jui Thakkar (inset). Those keen to follow the group’s journey can log on to @paraspar_sahitya on Instagram.
Ocean of infinite possibilities
Ajay Sawant in conversation with Jane Goodall during her visit to Mumbai. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM
Who said collecting shells by the seashore is just for the rhyme-books? Growing up in Mira Bhayander, Ajay Sawant (below) would often spend his free time wandering down to the creek, or the Worli shore to collect corals and shells. Now, the 23-year-old has been picked as a member of the UNESCO Inter-Oceans Committee Strategic Communications Board.
“I have been in Marine conservation communications for the last five years, working with National Geographic among other institutions. I applied for a spot on the board about eight months ago on the suggestion of one of my mentors. However, I did not hold out much hope for it. Surprisingly, I got the call from them a couple of days ago,” Sawant shared. Currently residing in Jaipur, Sawant will be focussed on communicating the role of the oceans in the climate change debate. “We need to look at ways to change people’s opinions and how they speak of the ocean.”
Road to Paris
A moment from Akshada Patil’s run at the Ladakh Marathon last year
City-based runner Akshada Patil is charting out an itinerary for her Paris trip this April, and it includes a 42.2 km marathon. Ahead of her debut at the 2025 Paris Marathon on April 13, Patil is documenting the pre-run training on her Instagram page (@overlydaa). “I have started running laps in Bandra and Mahim regularly. It’s an ordeal sometimes with the rising AQI levels, and the condition of our roads, but I’m taking it in my stride. The temperature in Paris is predicted to be a little over 8°C on the day of the marathon. That will be some respite,” she quipped.
