Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Rane

Even the gods need cover

This temple dedicated to Hanuman in Andheri East finds it necessary to protect its deity during the pandemic. Pic/Ashish Rane

Lost and found

Siddharth Dhanvant Sanghavi. Pic courtesy/Farrokh Chothia

After giving us the warm modern-day fairy tale about friendship in The Rabbit and the Squirrel last year, Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi announced that his next, his first non-fiction work, Loss (HarperCollins) will finally be out in October. He told us that this book of essays was for his sisters.

"It is for us to look back at what we had lost, and how these losses had come to define us - they made us stronger, I hope, but also more forgiving. That's what this book was: a kind of forgiveness of our past, an assessment of what remained after the pain had been spent," he said, adding that it became a deeper thing when its publication was deferred from February to October, giving him six more months to edit; "In that, the book changed shape, it became a thing of stillness, a polished stone from the river. The pandemic kissed this book in a seal of peace and tenderness."

Food for thought

George Mohan and Anurag Katriar

The F&B industry has suffered quite a setback due to the pandemic, but the quick service restaurant sector has constantly innovated to move with the times. Over 65 industry leaders, including NRAI president Anurag Katriar, Gauri Devidayal and Riyaaz Amlani, are coming together to share this gyaan, exchange ideas and shed light on the way ahead in the fifth edition of the Fast Food and Cafe Convention that goes online from today.

Co-founder George Mohan shared that it's a one-stop point for all the questions young restaurateurs have regarding the industry. "Since we can't gather physically, the discussions and speeches will be available online for 30 days. Our aim is to promote networking, knowledge and collaboration," he said. Katriar, who will deliver the keynote address, added, "We'll look at the trends, the new norms and the future. It'll be a great source of learning for newbies."

Starting things up

Bill Gates (right) struggling to shake a leg in 1995

Bill Gates has two left feet. That was established on August 25 in 1995, when he did his best to groove on stage while announcing the launch of Windows 95. The track was Start me up, by one of the greatest rock ‘n' roll bands of all time, The Rolling Stones.

The pun was that people were being encouraged to hit the ‘Start' button on what would become an Internet revolution. Gates was one of the masterminds. But it's ironic that the track is doing the rounds of social media at a time when what was the start of an Internet boom has become a full-blown blast. It exposes Gates's limitations on the dance floor.

Rice traditions for Bappa

Rajan Jayakar

When the Pathare Prabhu community moved to Mumbai in the 14th century, they passed down traditions that their successors follow to this day. For Bombay HC solicitor and INTACH convenor, Mumbai Chapter, Rajan Jayakar's family, creating a rice-based design for Ganesh Chaturthi is one such tradition. A tippri, fistful and three pinches of rice grains are the exact measure that Jayakar uses to design the intricate Ganpati pattern.

Rice Ganesha

"I have been doing it for 56 years. My father and grandfather did it too. While we don't know the origins of this practice, we learnt that it was considered inauspicious to do the puja of the idol on that particular day, and so the rice Ganpati became an alternative. For the eco-friendly visarjan, we collect the rice and flowers in a paper bag and immerse it into the sea after a small puja," Jayakar told this diarist.

Is Mumbai ready?

A group dances to Jerusalema

At a time when there's an all-pervasive gloom, a viral dance video is proving to be a musical adhesive for the world. Videos of Jerusalema have captured the imagination with its catchy African rhythms as flash mobs wearing face masks dance to it, while observing social distancing.

It was created by DJ and record producer Master KG, featuring fellow South African and vocalist Nomcebo Zikod, and has earned praise for transcending national barriers. We wonder why Mumbai hasn't joined in this global anthem that has put a little zing into this lockdown thing.

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