Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Suresh Karkera

What a view!

A hot body at an open-air gym and the waves fringed by tetrapods at Mahim beach vie for our attention.

Musicians, it's time to listen up

Last year, digital music distribution platform OK Listen had started a singer-songwriter contest where they called upon musicians to compose an original track. They are now back with the second edition of the same contest, and the platform's co-founder, Vijay Basrur (inset) shared, "You may or may not be able to play an instrument, that's fine. All it needs to be is your own composition, in your own voice, and which you need to send us a video recording of.

Two runners-up will win a properly produced track that will reach streaming stores, and also a video asset that will go up on the YouTube page of Compass Box Studio, our partners. They will also win other goodies, while the winner will also get a guitar and a one-song label deal with Big Band Indie, who will produce and market the track." The judges are artistes Hanita Bhambri (below), Dhruv Visvanath and Shalmali Kholgade. The deadline is October 10. Visit @o.k.listen on Instagram to find out more about how to apply.

Old and special

How are you doing to celebrate World Elders Day this October 1? City-based initiative Women's India Trust (WIT) has got its female workforce to create hampers that are available to buy for '300. They contain a bottle of WIT's famed strawberry jam, a pack of cloth serviettes and a hand-stitched case that holds both spectacles and a mobile phone. Buy one to gift it to a senior you love or let the good folks at WIT donate one on your behalf to three institutions that support the aged. Gool Udwadia, the organisation's to-be-chairperson, told this diarist that the response to a similar initiative for Children's Day inspired the idea. "It's not a large amount and will encourage people to help out," added Neeta Joshipura of WIT. Call 8657768210 for inquiries.

Why there are 21 reasons to love modak

Most of us are aware of the long-standing Ganesh Chaturthi tradition of offering Lord Ganesha 21 modaks. But why the number 21? This week, Dr Sherline Pimenta, founder of storytelling platform Kathanika, will narrate the backstory of this tradition to children, through a virtual storytelling session hosted by the Bhau Daji Lad Museum.

"By the end of the story, I feel like all the kids will start feeling hungry. So, to make it more interactive and fun, I'm going to get them to make modaks, through a fireless cooking tutorial," she said.

The puri kahani of the Met Gala

It's not just some of the outlandish outfits that celebrities wore to the Met Gala in New York that made the headlines this year. The menu for the banquet also raised eyebrows, since it featured completely plant-based and sustainable items for the first time, including jerk corn with coconut confetti and awaze jar noodles. But the one dish that caught our eye were the panipuri crackers. Yes, an avatar of the classic Mumbai street food made it to the gala event, and talking about it, city-based chef Ajay Chopra shared, "Like really, wow! The great humble water ball, puffed crisp bread and whatever else it was called internationally has finally found its place in the panache world. Come to think of it, it has a better texture than many crisps around the world." We concur.

Little by little

As part of their Mumbai Plastic efforts this year, the folks at NGO Project Mumbai are encouraging young children to donate plastic and e-waste items on October 2 and 8. "This year, we're urging people in buildings and societies to get their children to give away such waste. As an incentive, all kids who choose to donate will be given a recycled plastic pencil box," said Shishir Joshi, founder of Project Mumbai. Those wishing to donate can head to projectmumbai.com and register before September 26.