In May, the people of Alonde village in Palghar celebrate the Bohada Mask festival. The month-long festival starts on Akshaya Tritiya (April 30). Performers wear masks of local deities and dance to devotional songs throughout the night. The performances offer fascinating opportunities for photographers, which is why Chhavi Bombay, a photography community, is organising a one-night stay at the village for photographers during the festival. Ganesh Mhaskar, an engineer and a villager from the area, says, “In the Vanganpada Bohada festival, we wear masks of birds, animals, gods, goddesses, and demons. The traditional dance performed during the procession is called Bohada and the festival is named after the dance." Aslam Saiyad, co-founder of Chhavi Bombay, talks about the festival, “The tribe wears masks of the indigenous local deities like Biroba, Khandoba, Waghoba, and Kansari Mata, and performs the traditional dance, at night. Nowadays, they also wear masks of Mahabharata and Ramayana characters during the procession. The festival starts after Hanuman Jayanti and the date and time differ from place to place. The locals play the traditional version of clarinet and sambal while the masked men dance to its beats. The procession begins at night and goes on till morning. At the end, after their performance the entire night, they wear the mask of the village deity or kul devis as they call in Marathi.” The face masks are prepared by special artists. “The preparation starts well before the festival. Earlier they used to use wood but that made it very heavy. That’s why they shifted to papier-mâché,” Saiyad adds. With colourful masks and live traditional dance, the scenes make it ideal for photographers to capture the culture of the indigenous people in this region of Maharashtra. ON April 30 till May 1AT Palghar (Meeting point to be disclosed after registration) CALL 9867403957LOG ON TO @chhavibombay ENTRY Rs 2,900 (Includes food and stay)
29 April,2025 09:24 AM IST | Mumbai | Minal SanchetiThe Remains of the BodyDiya Sengupta, sustainability strategy consultant, Juhu I am reading this delicious queer book by Saikat Majumdar. It is a novella that brings out the queerness of lives that seem straight from outside. I love its depiction of modern marriage and the slippery zone between the friendly and the erotic. I was blown away by Majumdar’s previous novel The Firebird, and then mesmerised by his novel, The Scent of God, set in a monastic boarding school. So, when this new novella was released, I just knew I had to read it. KitchenAekta Khubchandani creative writing teacher, Andheri Banana Yoshimoto’s novel was a gift to me from one of my students, who is also a dear friend now. The book holds a handful of deaths in it, and the writing feels so tender, fresh and accessible that I wanted to read the book all at once, in one sitting. Being translated from Japanese, the texture of the book is appealing and even sorrow felt wondrous to read about. The Last NostalgiaShrishti Khanna educator and counsellor, Juhu I’m reading Joe Bolton’s collection of poems from the 1980s. The book explores loneliness, love, and grief. I may not always be up for a full book, but good poetry always offers a safe space — something I can hold, and be held by, in the in-between. My partner is a poet, and it was their recommendation that I pick this up. Lately, I haven’t been able to read bigger books, and poetry is a huge solace. Prisoners of GeographyPrashant Magar private tutor, Bandra Tim Marshall’s book talks about how countries are subject to considerations of the geographical settings they are based in. Whether it is survival, conflict, strategic advantages or disadvantages, geography plays a vital role in shaping the destiny of a nation. It’s interesting to read the explanation through the examples in the book. One might agree or disagree with Marshall’s views, but it’s thoroughly researched, and the points are well-made. The VegetarianSurbhi Shah lawyer, Ghatkopar Recently, I read this hugely relevant novel by Han Kang, which is a deeply disturbing account of a Korean woman’s journey against the violence and alienation of patriarchal norms and societal expectations. I came across this book while being a part of a Bandra-based book club, Books and Banter. Prompting a very heated and divisive discussion on the themes and sexual politics of the book, it has been an illuminating and unforgettable read. Available All titles at leading bookstores and e-stores
29 April,2025 09:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini VarmaThree years ago, when Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali released the Alia Bhatt-starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi, it propelled a series of reactions; public interest in Kamathipura was renewed, talks on the working conditions of commercial sex workers found a new voice and with all the praise for the film, came a band of critics who criticised Bhansali for whitewashing and glamorising reality. The stigma attached to the precinct is hardly draped in pristine white fabric; the everyday conversations are rarely timed, eloquent retorts and the stereotypes often seep into the lives of the regular people in the area as well — an unsaid side of the neighbourhood which has found a platform in the documentary of 20-year-old Arnav Pagawad. A student of the Bachelor of Arts in Film, Television & New Media Production course at the Vile Parle-based Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pagawad’s documentary, Beyond the Brothels–The Kamathipura Story, releasing this Thursday on YouTube seeks to talk about the other inhabitants of the area. “Most media accounts of Kamathipura are about the commercial sex work that happens there, and while that is true, people don’t see it beyond that perspective,” Pagawad, the director of the film, confesses. A former resident of the locality, Pagawad’s cinematic lens steers clear of the brothels to focus on the crammed chawls and buildings, shops, temples and everyday lives of the factory workers and local residents. The group during a shoot for the documentary. Pics courtesy/Omkar Naik, Mittal Soni “My parents and a big chunk of our extended family have lived in Kamathipura for years. The public perspective of the area is heavily influenced by the fact that it is the red light district despite the presence of residential lanes. I wanted to show the other side of the narrative to viewers — stories of people giving fake addresses in job interviews and kids hiding where they lived from peers lest it invites unwanted judgement. The Shri Pochamma Devi Temple on 11th Lane in Kamathipura This social perception can set dangerous precedents for everyone,” Pagawad explains, further telling us about an instance in the documentary where one of the interviewers reveals how she was subjected to lewd behaviour at her workplace by a senior just because of her address. Workers at a metal fabrication workshop in Kamathipura “I have touched on issues of housing, how the communal riots of 1993 impacted the people in the neighbourhood, the lore behind the Shri Pochamma Devi Temple in the area, and how you can find beautiful contradictions in a place almost solely defined from one standpoint,” he reveals about his nearly two-year-long project. A man works on a machine in a factory in the locality Pagawad strongly believes in ‘the more local, the more global’, an idea that his small team of six people, all collegians, also adhere to. “I heard an actor mention it in an interview and it has stayed with me ever since. Our group plans to send the documentary for film festivals as well. But before that I wanted people, and more importantly Mumbaikars to know about it,” he shares. An old man looks out from the balcony of a chawl in the area Dabbling in theatre and helming film projects, Pagawad dreams of a lead role in a film someday. “I have always enjoyed watching films by Damien Chazelle, Martin Scorsese and Vikramaditya Motwane. I think it’s only through watching and making films that one can truly grow as an artiste and I hope to be a good artiste someday,” he concludes. RELEASE DATE May 1AVAILABLE ON YouTube
29 April,2025 09:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Divyasha PandaIt is not often that Anne Frank is held up as an example of the nayika in a classical Indian text. “But she has all those qualities. She is precocious, intelligent, brave and outspoken and also quite often infatuated,” shares Aarthy Natrajan. Today, the Kalakshetra Foundation-alumni will present her interpretation of The Diary of Anne Frank at a venue in Mahalaxmi. Anne Frank. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons The story is one that Natrajan has often read and travelled with. “To me, the core of the story is that of a young teenage girl. She grew up and lived in a tumultuous time, but her view of the world is the same as that of a teenager today,” the dancer shares. The gamut of emotions expressed through the incidents in her diary can be expressed through the classical bhavas — techniques expressing emotions. Aarthy Natrajan as Anne Frank. Pics Courtesy/Aarthy Natrajan “You read through the book and feel so connected to her; from complaints about her mother, or the curiosity about people, or her little crushes,” Natrajan observes. This is where the comparison with a nayika in the Indian classical text comes through. The Nayika or the heroine is often central to every Indian epic. “They are classified into the ashtanayikas, according to their archetypes. But in terms of age, they are divided into Mugdha, Madhya and Pragalbha — a teenager, young adult and a mature woman,” Natrajan explains. By this definition, Anne Frank certainly fits the bill. It would be difficult for a dance performance to do complete justice to the book. This required some research. Natrajan spent close to two years reading up, and collecting archival photographs and documents, some of which will be part of a visual slideshow during her performance. The 40-year-old Natrajan adopted four key parts from the book — Frank’s friendships, her parents’ call-up, the intense Holocaust, and her optimism to finish with. “I did not want to use lyrical songs to take away from the narrative of the story. So, we used a bit of the text from the diaries set to instrumental music,” she elaborates. To shape its music, she reached out to Navin Kumar aka Flute Navin in Chennai. “I knew the approach needed for certain portions. For instance, a malahari raga for the patra pravesham [introduction], and for the holocaust, I wanted some elements of a jathi. I left the definition of the structure and compositions up to him,” she reveals. A moment from the performance The Mumbai performance today is a return home for Natrajan, who grew up in the outskirts of the city in the suburb of Kalyan. “Interpreting a modern text might seem idiosyncratic, but it is not new. If you look at it [Bharatanatyam] as a language of expression, you can use it to express anything,” she concludes. ON Today; 7 pmAT G5A Warehouse, Laxmi Mills Estate, Shakti Mills Lane, Mahalaxmi West.LOG ON TO district.inEntry Rs 499 Also check out Malavika Sarukkai unravels the secrets to Aharya Abhinaya and its idiom in the classical form at this talk.ON Today, 11 amAT Dilip Piramal Art Gallery, NCPA, Nariman Point.LOG ON TO ncpamumbai.com Entry First come-first serve Join in to shake a leg at this day-long event celebrating every dance form.ON Today, 10 am onwards AT Eternal Motives Performing Arts Studio, 606, Lodha Supremes, Wagle Estate, Thane West. CALL 7304784075LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.comEntry Rs 49 onwards A contemporary movement performance, Dhrut explores the concept of time dilation in space through dance.ON April 30; 8 pmAT Prithvi Theatre, 20, Juhu Church Road, Juhu.LOG ON TO prithvitheatre.org Entry Rs 350
29 April,2025 09:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram IyengarSarangi maestro Farooque Latif Khan has tuned strings in the presence of legends like Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Rashid Khan. But in 2023, it was 30 little ustads from the city who gave him a jugalbandi to remember. In a Vile Parle studio, music educator Shyama Panikkar and her students sang raag Jaunpuri with Khan, in tandem — taal se taal. It’s not surprising then, that the little maestros will return to the stage this weekend with another brave project, Sur Sufiyana, a celebration of the mystical art form. Farooque Latif Khan (centre) shares insights with children during his visit Between school and the excitement of a summer vacation around the corner, the performers — all below 15 years old — have been flipping through pages of Sufi lyrics lately. But it’s not as monotonous as it sounds. “Sa ga, re ma, ga pa, ma dha, pa ni, dosa!” Panikkar quips over our call. It’s just one of the quirky ways you make classical music forms more palatable for children, she says. Shyama Panikkar (centre) performs with her students With classic Sufi songs like Bulleh Shah’s Mast Qalandar, and Amir Khusro’s Chaap Tilak on the set list, the children have big shoes to fill. Ten-year-old Svanik Jadhav, who tells us he enjoys jazz, African music and “Bollywood tunes that make him do a little dance,” is now rehearsing Raahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Tere Bin Nahi Lagda, for the big day. “I love listening to world music. I think it’s a great way to connect with cultures across borders,” he shares, adding that he’s looking forward to seeing his friends and family cheer him on as he belts out sargams this Sunday. A section of an illustrated manuscript featuring Amir Khusro. PIC COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS “Sufi music is an art form that calls for practice and patience,” Panikkar says. We agree, although we’re not entirely sure children have time for patience these days. “I must admit, it can get hard sometimes to get them in the zone,” she laughs. “You cannot simply sit down and teach them, especially the younger ones. The music must move with them,” she adds. This prancing around the studio, scribbling ideas on whiteboards, and reflecting on ragas and taals somewhere in between, is not how many including Panikkar and this writer, remember their childhood music classes. “I remember how my teacher would make us sing the same phrase over and over again till we got it right. That was nothing short of a struggle,” she recalls. Panikkar’s 45-minute sessions, she claims, aren’t bound by any such rules. “If a child cannot ace a part, it’s always better to give them some rest and try again tomorrow,” she says. Young musicians practise at the Vile Parle studio before their performance There’s one part that catches us off guard though. In a jugalbandi of disciplines, the engineer-turned-music educator has been using math to decipher Sufi music for the children. “The concepts of beat cycles and time signatures are perfect exercises in mathematics,” she says. We’re not convinced numbers are everybody’s jam. Perhaps it will grow on us, as a Sufi would say, with practice and patience. ON April 27; 10 amAT Aspee Auditorium, Malad-Marve Road, Malad West. LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.com (for tickets) @surtaalmasti on Instagram (for queries)ENTRY Rs 800
28 April,2025 02:05 PM IST | Mumbai | Devashish KambleHave you met Chirayu? He’s five years old and on the autism spectrum. Sometimes, he struggles with aggression and violent outbursts. That’s one of the reasons the BMC school that his parents enrolled him in wasn’t keen on having him. But last week, he gave them a sight to remember. With his birthday cake in hand, Chirayu darted across the classroom wearing a wide smile, feeding every child in his path. Kudos to Chirayu. And kudos to Brain Bristle, the organisation working towards helping children like him fit in their classrooms. At Showcase of Wonders today, many more children on the autism spectrum will remind the world that they’re much more than their diagnosis. “Autistic children can be supremely talented. Most of them are. But unfortunately, we’ve viewed them only through skewed representations. You’ll buy diyas [lamps] painted by the children on Diwali, and that’s about it,” says Devangana Mishra, founder. A student learns to read a book; (right) Children perform at a Holi celebration in a city school With the belief that they “might just find the next John Mayer or Ali Sethi in the community”, the organisation has shortlisted bright talent from all across the city. “You never know until you give them a platform, and lend them an ear. The city must see them claiming spaces, and in the best light, to shed their prejudices. There’s no other way,” Mishra reminds us. Having worked on special education curricula in schools in New York and Hong Kong before founding the organisation, Mishra remembers the Eureka moment that planted the seed of the idea. “I was accustomed to seeing autistic children learning coding, robotics and acing their piano recitals as a way to channel their intellect. But when I visited low-income schools in Mumbai, I saw children on the spectrum sitting in the back of the class, clueless and forgotten,” she recalls. The team poses with children at one of the schools under the programme But things have been looking up lately, she assures us. “Parents now come up to us and say, ‘I think my child is special. Kuch pata lag sakta hai? [Can we find out what it is?]’. That’s a promising start. But I wish that other parents showed the same compassion,” she rues. A child on the spectrum is not ‘unfortunate’, and most definitely doesn’t need to be talked to in a patronising tone, she reminds us. With seven schools already under the programme, another eight will soon get an inclusive revamp by the end of June 2025. “Each of the seven schools has a dedicated social worker that we train in concepts like correct terminology, strategically planning lessons, and reinforcing healthy behaviour,” the founder explains. With one in 100 children believed to be on the spectrum as per a November 2023 WHO report, the brain bristlers have a long way ahead of them. Devangana Mishra Could a day-long talent show, a drop in the ocean, really create a ripple effect? “You’ll be moved, most likely to tears, by how talented the participants are. We’re not asking for much. We hope more people show up, applaud the children and leave wondering just why they don’t see more autistic children in the limelight,” Mishra says. We suggest you do. After all, they’re one in a hundred. ON April 28; 2 pm AT Department of Special Education, SNDT Women’s University, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz West.LOG ON TO @brainbristle on Instagram (to register)ENTRY RSVP mandatory
28 April,2025 12:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Devashish KambleA the same time as F Scott Fitzgerald unleashed The Great Gatsby upon the American reader, a quiet revolution was occurring on the Eastern horizon. “It was the perfect synthesis of art, architecture, design and ideas. I would call them pioneers,” shares Raffael Dedo Gadebusch, head and senior curator of the Museum fur Asiatische Kunst, Berlin. Gadebusch’s enthusiasm echoes across the gallery space we are in at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum that hosts the Eckart Muthesius and Manik Bagh — Pioneering Modernism in India. The exhibition, hosted in collaboration with Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Berlin (Asian Art Museum) and the German Consulate General Mumbai offers a glimpse of this revolution. Senior curator Raffael Dedo Gadebusch helms the walkthrough “Mumbai is the perfect place for a finale to this exhibition. It was here in 1934 that Muthesius opened at the first exhibition of modernism showcasing his tubular steel furniture,” Gadebusch reveals. In fact, Muthesius might have also witnessed the opening of Regal Cinema in 1933 when he visited the city. Eckart Muthesius (seated) and Ernst Messerschmidt during the construction of Manik Bagh Palace. Pic Courtesy/Shubha & Prahlad Bubbar Collection By then, the architect was already at work on what remains his magnum opus, Manik Bagh Palace — The first modernist building in South Asia, if not all Asia, Gadebusch emphasises. Completed in 1933 for the Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar II and his young wife, Maharani Sanyogita, the building featured modern ideas in design and architecture such as electrically-operated sheds, thick tinted glasses to balance light, innovative material from wall paints to sleek furniture designs by Eileen Gray, Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix among others. The entrance hall at the Palace with Bernard Boutet de Monvel's portrait of Yashwant Rao Holkar II. Pic Courtesy/Taimur Hassan Collection It was not all European, either. On cue, Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, curator of the Museum, picks out a photograph that showcases the similarities in Muthesius’ design to the Mughal gardens and ideas of its waterworks. A moment from the film by Henri-Pierre Roché The exhibition is a veritable zeitgeist lived through photographs and canvas. Gadebusch guides our attention to one photograph of Muthesius working quietly in the foreground with an assistant standing by. “That’s Ernst Messerschmidt. He worked on the walls and colours of the palace.” Messerschmidt would later work with Bhagwandas Morarji Kamdar, who would pioneer furniture and interior design practices in 1930s Bombay. A photograph of Eckart Muthesius in the gallery In some ways, the exhibition feels like a glimpse of an artistic Algonquin round table. Bernard Boutet de Monvel created portraits to celebrate the royal couple, Man Ray and Emil Leitner would photograph them, Constantin Brâncuși designed sculptures, Ivan Da Silva Bruhns fashioned rugs with overlapping geometric styles that would later appear on floors across Art Deco buildings in Mumbai. A portrait of Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar II by Bernard Boutet de Monvel. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons; (right) Man Ray’s iconic photograph of the Holkar couple As a bonus, Gadebusch guides us to the final room showcasing a slapstick adventure film by Henri-Pierre Roche, better known as the writer of Francois Truffaut’s iconic Jules et Jim. As we watch the slapstick adventure, this writer is quickly reminded of a teenage movie that could be made at home. “It was shot at Muthesius’ family villa in Germany,” comes the revelation. It is no surprise that this was the era that also gave birth to Charles Chaplin and Herge’s Tintin. While the exhibition will return to Berlin in August, the curator hopes that he will be able to showcase it in the real Manik Bagh Palace in Indore one day. “People often talk of modernism arriving in India, but it is important to remember this narrative too; of a young Maharaja who offered patronage to German architects, designers and industries through this enterprise,” Gadebusch sums it up. TILL August 17; 10 am to 5.30 pm AT Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan, Byculla East.ENTRY Museum tickets applicable
28 April,2025 09:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram IyengarWhen the world was busy whipping dalgona coffee during the pandemic, Nikita Dumbani was mixing essential oils instead. It was during the pandemic that Dumbani got interested in perfumery, which resulted in the launch of One of A Kind (OOAK) in 2021, a bespoke fragrance experience where Dumbani would go to people’s homes to teach them about perfume making and create a signature bespoke fragrance, too. Cut to 2025; Dumbani has now opened a minimal boutique perfumery in Khar, where, like at a bar, you have bottles of different fragrances lined in front of you, which are used to create custom concoctions. Whether you choose to craft your own version, or mimic a cult fragrance, is your choice. 2 The aromatic oils are then mixed with alcohol in a beaker Top notes Initially, Dumbani wanted to start a skincare brand. When she began working on it, she realised that one of the initial steps to launch a skincare brand is to find a signature aroma for all the products. This was her segue into perfumery, which she then decided to focus on. She combined research with her love for travelling and signed up for perfume-making classes at places she would plan to explore, be it Thailand or Dubai. She also visited the Attar Bazaar neighbourhood near Mohammed Ali Road to study traditional perfume experiences that this city has to offer. Since the launch, she has hosted live perfume bars at weddings, baby showers, birthdays, and even for events for big-ticket brands. 3 The perfume is then sealed in a bottle and is ready “In times of delivery apps, everyone craves for gratification with a 10-minute-delivery, we are no longer stepping out to do or experience something. Plus, so many international fragrance brands have come to India in the past few years, despite India being home to places such as Kannauj, which makes ingredients for perfumers of the world. I wanted to fill this gap of experiencing something creative and have a product which is made from the finest ingredients from India,” shares Dumbani. All the notes used in her perfumes are created in India. They have one signature perfume of their own, Call of the Valley, which is based on oud oil sourced from Assam. Dumbani also plans on launching candles soon. Nikita Dumbani The experience For truly experiencing OOAK, we recommend you sign up for their perfume-making workshop, which spans a couple of hours, includes theory and a hands-on experience, and you take away 30 ml of a perfume you create with Dumbani’s help. We visit them anonymously on a weekday, and the store assistant dedicatedly takes us through their different notes and samples. Since we don’t have an appointment to make our own perfume, we decide to buy Call of the Valley, priced smartly at Rs 400 for 10 ml. You can customise this, too. They ask us if we like our perfumes strong (we like a good sillage) and create a blend of oils and alcohol (skin grade, the one used in sanitizers) accordingly. The blend is mixed further in a beaker using a simple machine and sealed in a bottle. We are asked to store the bottle in a fridge for a minimum of 24 hours before we use it. You can even print your name on the label. As for the perfume, it’s a heady mix of florals and oud, and it lingers for seven hours on a hot day. Whether you wish to de-stress through aromatherapy, be avant-garde and have your signature scent, or just want to have a fun night out with your girlfriends, this fragrance house is worth a visit. TIME 11 am to 8 pm (on Sundays, appointment-only) AT Shop no 3, Roop Mahal, 4th Road, Khar West. LOG ON TO @ooakperfumesCALL 7208412804 (perfume-making workshop and custom fragrance making, by appointment only)COST Rs 2,500 (workshop price, including a perfume)
28 April,2025 08:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Dhara Vora SabhnaniLet’s be honest, the popular Home Alone series had us in splits only because it was a young cheeky kid with a spring in his step navigating the unusual circumstances. Swap him out for a senior citizen, and we’d probably see long quiet shots and slow tea sips, interspersed with distant gazes out of the window till the credits rolled. It’s time we give this grim sight — which is not unusual in many homes — a makeover. Whether you’re a senior living with children who are frequently away from home, or living solo in the city, take your pick from these communities waiting for a new friend in you. Happy fleet Sahabhaav, a residential-cum-daycare facility believes senior citizens are on a permanent holiday. Staying true to the theme, the space hosts regular karaoke afternoons, dance movement classes and puzzle-solving sessions. An upcoming summer camp curated specially for grandparents and grandchildren will host Zumba, storytelling, art and craft and theatre games.Time 8 am to 8 pm (daycare timings)AT Centres across Andheri East, Andheri West and Ghatkopar Log on to: sahabhaav.com Call: 9699696997 Close to home A session at a housing society in Vashi. PIC COURTESY/HAPPY2AGE on Instagram If your living room is too mundane, and stepping out seems like an ordeal, we suggest giving Happy2Age’s travelling workshops a chance. The group will bring cooking, painting, quiz and yoga sessions to your housing society. Basic requirements include permissions from the society committee and a safe and clean place to conduct the workshops.AT Available across Mumbai and suburbsLog on to: happy2age.comCall: 7588699649 Unlimited masti A moment from a meeting in Vashi. PIC COURTESY/DIGNITY FOUNDATION Sing your heart out, meditate, or paint, but don’t forget to make friends along the way. Eight Chai Masti Centres sprinkled across the city will make for the perfect community bonding hub if you’re a social butterfly looking to unwind in like-minded company. The club regularly hosts indoor and outdoor visits to keep you on the move.AT Centres in Tardeo, Dadar, Powai, Vashi, Thane, Chembur, Mahim, Mira Road and Mulund.Log on to: dignityfoundation.comCall: 02261381100 (Mumbai head office) Learn from home A participant poses with bunny finger caps during a craft session. PIC COURTESY/VARISTA ON INSTAGRAM It’s never too late to learn how to shake a leg, edit a video, or hold the paintbrush. Go Happy Club, an online-offline initiative, might be the perfect choice for individuals who love the comfort of their home. The online Zoom sessions are expert-led and specially paced out to cater to older learners.Log on to: gohappyclub.in Just your type Discuss your old-time favourite movies tunes at daytime activity centre Varista’s relaxed discussions. For those looking to add movement in their routine, the space also hosts yoga, line-dancing and indoor sport sessions. AT B-2, Nita Apartments, Juhu Tara Road, near Santacruz Police Station, Santacruz West.Log on to: varista.orgCall: 9664028237 Two-much fun Senior citizens birdwatch. PIC COURTESY/ADHATA TRUST ON INSTAGRAM Senior citizens can be busy bees too. Adhata Trust’s holistic wellbeing centres in and near Mumbai open their doors for two hours in the day for those above 60 years old to catch up with the community. If conversations are not your forte, the centres also host yoga, Sudoku, Antakshari and storytelling sessions regularly.TIME Revealed on enquiryAT Centres in Mahim, Matunga, Bandra, Sion, Nerul, Palava, Seawoods, Andheri.Log on to: adhatatrust.orgCall: 9326816529 Give it back Children learn from a senior in Andheri. PIC COURTESY/MONA ROHERA If you’re a retired professional with a knack for sharing knowledge, sign-up for this unique initiative that conducts makeshift after-school sessions for less privileged children across Mumbai. An evening spent teaching the ABCs, or the basics of science can go a long way for the underserved students. Held in outdoor spaces like parks and gardens, it’s a win-win, if you ask us.AT Centres across Mumbai and its suburbs Log on to: angelxpress.orgCall: 9920347057 Activity matters A puzzle session. PIC COURTESY/ECHOING HEALTHY AGEING City-based organisation Echoing Healthy Ageing, in collaboration with psychologists, formulates customised cognition-boosting activities like painting and art books and hobby kits. Individuals can choose from at-home one-to-one sessions, online sessions or group workshops for a change of scenery.AT Breach Candy, Malad, Borivli (offline workshops); across Mumbai (one-to-one sessions)Log on to: echoinghealthyageing.comCall: 9867832665 In it together If you or a loved one has a neurological movement disorder, reach out to The Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Society-support groups that are spread across nearly 15 centres. They meet weekly to offer focused assistance, social engagement and emotional support AT Centres across Mumbai. Log on to: parkinsonssocietyindia.com (for timings and queries) Holiday checklist Sugandhi Baliga, geriatric care expert, shares a handy guide to ensure that it’s a happy summer vacation for everyone. Read and remember For seniors: As summer holidays begin, you can keep isolation at bay by staying socially active through simple, meaningful activities. Join local community groups, Call: friends or family on WhatsApp, try out light hobbies like reading or gardening, or even step out for a daily walk. These seemingly simple activities can make a big difference. For families: Families can play a big role in making sure that seniors don’t feel isolated, whether at home or during holidays. Including them in daily conversations, planning trips, or asking for their advice makes them feel valued and connected. Regular phone or video Call: s, sharing photos, or simply checking in can help them feel remembered and involved, even if they’re physiCall: y apart. Most importantly, treat them with patience, love, and respect to ensure they feel like an important part of the family at every stage.
26 April,2025 12:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamblemid-day: Your story switches between different timelines, which is fascinating. What prompted you to take this route?Armin Wandrewala: Right from the start of writing this novel, I knew it would not evolve in a linear narrative, but that I would switch timelines, and perhaps bring it to a circuitous close, which did happen. I did not initially plan to end where I began but that happened naturally. I suppose I wanted to introduce the main characters right at the beginning: hence the novel begins with Alamai, then immediately introduces Almitra and Aabad, then goes back and forth, over the next hundred years. It’s why the chapters are ‘dated’, rather than ‘numbered’. I thought this would make for interesting reading, containing an element of mystery, rather than a linear unfolding. Maintaining a track of timelines wasn’t easy; my legal training helped in that context. I started with the beginning and teased myself to think up the end; the middle filled itself out. A statue of Mancherji Joshi in Dadar Parsee Colony (the area close to the family home ‘Meherabad’). Pics Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons The novel traces the Readymoney family’s journey across locations: Navsari in Gujarat and Bombay (now Mumbai), and the fictional, Lanskui. How does a location shape your writing? AW: Location is very important. I have personal experience of Navsari, so I was able to write about it easily. Surat, Bharuch, and Bilimora were also strongholds of the Parsee community in Gujarat. Then there was a shift from Navsari to Bombay for employment. I’ve written about the evolution of the Dadar Parsee Colony — these were the pockets with a large population of the community. Initially, many Parsees even resided in Fort; the Dadar Parsee Colony was supposed to be for the middle class. It’s one of the most charming enclaves, largely thanks to the vision of Mancherji Joshi. In fact, Parsee baugs — to the best of my knowledge — are not to be found in any city other than Bombay. I was keen to explore the atmosphere of the Bombay of those times: more laidback, lazy, and beautiful.Lanskui, however, is totally a fictional creation, and is based on the stories of ‘gaam’, the agrarian villages, which my mother used to tell me and my brother. Her father had a farm in a village. The lives in these locations were different, with distinct characteristics. These locations became characters for me; each clothed with their unique personality. Rustom Framna Parsee Agiary in Dadar Through which character’s voice did the idea for the novel emerge and when?AW: Two such characters: Ala Ardeshir Readymoney and Almitra de Vitre. Alamai is the matriarch — the ‘Banyan’ is the metaphor for her. In Almitra, I created a counterpoint perhaps, a younger version of Alamai. In her youth, it’s Ala; she later matures into Alamai. The novel unfolds largely through both their eyes. I started thinking about the novel long before I started writing it. At some stage, it lay dormant before I took it up again. While writing this novel, I was approached to write the commemorative book for the JB Vachha High School, which I completed in two months. I carried out extensive research on the history of the Parsee colonies and trust deeds for that. The dwindling numbers of Parsee/Irani Zoroastrians sparked the idea of writing this novel. I thought it would be a tragedy if our unique stories were also lost to time. It was keen to document them, but in a fun, interesting, fictional form. Armin Wandrewala Why a multigenerational narrative?AW: To give shape to changing customs, different ways of thinking, changing mores, even among Parsee Zoroastrians. Also, hardly any of the younger generation — even within the timeline of the novel — would have sufficient knowledge of life in the agrarian villages, even Navsari. There had to be multiple generations to give voice to all those stories. On Today, 5 pm (book reading and discussion)At Jehangir Memorial Hall, JB Vachha High School, Dadar East. The Guide’s Review Lawyer and author Armin Wandrewala’s new novel The Moment of the Banyan (Vakils, Feffer & Simons) explores the lives of the Readymoneys, a Parsee family from Navsari in Gujarat. The story begins with the grandmother and matriarch of the house, Ala Ardeshir Readymoney, and journeys its way into the life of her granddaughter, Almitra de Vitre. When the family moves to Bombay (now Mumbai) in the 1930s, after a death in the family, we observe a slowly evolving city over the next few decades. Wandrewala takes us inside the Dadar Parsee Colony, where a large number of Parsees reside, and familiarises us with old spots that the family members visited, some of which — such as the Rustom Framna Agiary and JB Vachha School — continue to exist. Although the author frequently switches between timelines and perspectives at the beginning, alternating between the stories of the grandmother and the granddaughter, the non-linearity of the novel becomes its strength. It reiterates that memories don’t arrive chronologically. There’s clarity in Wandrewala’s characterisation; therefore, such a structure works. She also strengthens readers’ experience of watching the family from close quarters by writing about specific ceremonies, from first birthdays to funerals, in detail. We are introduced to the typical Parsee food that is served at these — dhan dar patio with fish and pickle on birthdays, fried boi fish and lagan nu custer, among others, at the wedding. We also get to witness how rituals are observed by the community. While doing so, Wandrewala does not shy away from opening conversations about the problems of austerity within the faith. She explores how the matriarch deals with an outsider, a non-Parsee, who becomes a part of her life. The speech of the family members is often peppered with Parsee Gujarati phrases and the stories of the agrarian lifestyle in the gaams (villages) make the book readable. Cost: Rs 700Available At: leading bookstores & e-stores
26 April,2025 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini VarmaSobo Cycle Rides: This midnight cycling club will start their trail from Radio Club and end at Worli.ON Today, 10 pmAT Colaba (Meeting point revealed after registration) LOG ON TO liveb4youdie.comENTRY Rs 249 (without cycles); Rs 699 (with cycles) Pic Courtesy/TreksAndTrails Treks and Trails: The adventure group organises midnight cycling from Colaba Causeway to Worli and back from a different route covering CSMT and Asiatic Society Mumbai. The tour is perfect for regular riders.ON Today, May 2, 3, 9, 10 and 16; 10.30 pm AT Colaba Causeway, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Apollo Bunder, Colaba. LOG ON TO treksandtrails.orgENTRY Rs 399 (without cycle); Rs 750 (with cycle) Velocrush: This midnight cycling group has planned a route that is ideal for beginners who are prefer riding slow. The midnight ride covers areas from Worli to South Mumbai. ON Today; 10.30 pm MEETING POINT Paragon Centre, Maruti Suzuki Service, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli. LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.comENTRY Rs 147 onwards Pic Courtesy/ Wandering Souls Wandering Souls: The trail will start from Colaba and cover Marine Drive, Worli and return to Colaba. They provide both geared and non-geared cycles on rent. ON Today, May 3, 10 and 17; 11.30 pmAT Colaba (Meeting point revealed after registration)LOG ON TO wanderingsouls.inENTRY Rs 749 Pic Courtesy/Mischief Treks Mischief: This platform’s night trail will start from Colaba and end at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It’s an easy route, and is open for beginners. ON May 10 and 17; 11 pmAT Colaba Market, Apollo Bunder, Colaba. LOG ON TO mischieftreks.com ENTRY Rs 299 (without cycle); Rs 750 (with cycle)
26 April,2025 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Minal SanchetiADVERTISEMENT
