Circles of tradition and faith
The faithful observing the holy month of Ramzan break their fast at Minara Masjid on Mohammed Ali Road
All geared up for Women’s Day
A moment from the bike rally
Bikers of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association revved their engines to full power to ring in Women’s Day week celebrations in SoBo last Sunday. Nearly 20 female bikers, joined by more than 40 female drivers in their cars, cruised from Cuffe Parade to Kemps Corner, spreading a simple message — safety for women on the roads and at home. “In light of the shocking news coming from Pune that has once again highlighted how unsafe it really is for a woman who wishes to travel, we wanted to remind the world that it is time we amp up our efforts and vigilance on the roads. The response was overwhelmingly positive. I hope the conversations we sparked don’t die down anytime soon,” shared member Vaishali Jain.
Touchdown, Bambaiyya style
A Koli woman with fresh catch
Passengers flying into Mumbai will now get a walkthrough of the city’s culture, quite literally, courtesy of a new mural at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s Terminal 2.
Created by artist Ranjit Dahiya and his team in the walkway leading to the auto rickshaw pick-up area, the mural includes a montage of the city’s monuments alongside snapshots of the city’s diverse cultures. Dahiya’s unveiling of the murals comes less than a week after this diarist reported Mumbai-based artist Sameer Kulavoor’s new canvas installation at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
The wall mural features a lavani dancer alongside a dhol player in traditional attire and (top, left) a Koli woman with fresh catch
Sharing his thoughts on the artistic makeover, Dahiya revealed, “Our vision was to encapsulate everything Mumbai stands for. Given the diverse ideas, the wall took us nearly 10 days to complete. We will soon take up more walls in the Terminal.”
Wooed by the zoo
The Zoo’s lone sloth bear
The Mumbai Zoo kicked off World Wildlife Day (March 3) celebrations early yesterday with an educational tour for young enthusiasts of BN Bandodkar College of Science (Autonomous), Thane. Beyond the usual meet-and-greets with the Zoo’s penguins, deer and storks, the group of 160 students got a sneak peek into the internal workings of a zoo.
Dr Abhishek Satam (left) guides students through the Zoo
“There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. For instance, I spent my Sunday creating an ice popsicle enrichment activity for our resident sloth bear. We wanted to give the students a peek into these affairs and the relentless work put in by our staff, including veterinarians and zookeepers who make it all possible,” shared zoo biologist Dr Abhishek Satam.
Building hope amidst pain
Children paint at an art workshop in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand
As Uttarakhand copes with the recent avalanche, Gillo Repertory Theatre is offering some hope through their art workshops.
“The avalanche was far away, and we are safe in Ranikhet. We experienced torrential rainfall on one of the days, which led to cancellations of all our outdoor plans,” recalled artistic director, Shaili Sathyu who has been touring the state with theatremakers Vaishali Bisht, Tanya Mahajan and Puja Sarup since March 1. With plans to host performances in schools for children, set up mini-libraries and inculcate a theatre habit, the group is set to return to Mumbai on March 21.
An artist who shaped minds
Himmat Shah (in hat) interacts with Mittul Agarwal in Jaipur
Veteran artist and sculptor Himmat Shah, known for his exemplary work with terracotta, breathed his last in Jaipur on March 2. Among tributes pouring in from Shah’s contemporaries and enthusiasts, city-based budding artist Mittul Agarwal looked back upon his brief meeting with the late artist in Jaipur two years ago. “Himmat sir visited us at an exhibition where young artistes were presenting their works. He was delighted to meet all the new faces and reminded us of the need to make art more accessible. And amid his words of wisdom, he never missed a chance to crack a witty one-liner.”
