Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Bipin Kokate

A striking idol
Artists Akash Kambli and Dhanshree Salunke put finishing touches on a Ganesh idol playing carrom at Girgaum, for the Maghi Ganesh Jayanti festival.

BDL Museum reopens today

Last week, we had reported on this page that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya will be reopening its doors to the public tomorrow, February 16. Today, the Dr Bhau Daji Lad (BDL) Museum is set to welcome visitors, too. "We are very happy to be opening after such a long time. We are following all the required protocols to ensure the safety and protection of our visitors. We are planning to host an exhibition in early April on Sir JJ School artists from our collection as the Museum and the School had a symbiotic relationship. We will also be active on our social media platforms so that people who are stuck at home can continue to enjoy our collections and learn more about them," director Tasneem Mehta told this diarist. The museum will stay open from 10 am to 5 pm on all days, except Wednesdays.

Note-worthy art

Nehru Centre Art Gallery in Worli is gearing up to welcome visitors for the first time after the pandemic, with an exhibition called Saaj Shringar featuring artist Gopal Swami Khetanchi. It has paintings that depict divine women holding a musical instrument. Speaking about his inspiration, Khetanchi told this diarist, "I love music; there is some song or the other always playing when I paint. That's why I thought why not combine my two passions." Head to the gallery between February 16 and 22 to check out his work.

A shot at love

A study that a dating app conducted among its users in Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Pune has thrown up some interesting revelations about how people view dating during the pandemic. While 54 per cent men said that they would cancel their date with people who are opposed to the idea of getting a vaccine shot, 67 per cent of the men replied that they have no such reservations. Moreover, 56 per cent of the women and 49 per cent of the men said ‘yes' when asked if they would get vaccinated themselves. "Millennials today are willing to step out of their comfort zones, but that doesn't necessarily transcend into changing themselves completely to cater to what the society at large and their family or friends want them to be," said relationship expert Dr Rachna Khanna Singh, while decoding the study.

All for the love of Mumbai

One of the photos that's part of the contest. Pic/Aslam Saiyad

Cycle Chala City Bacha is a group that was formed after there was an upsurge of cyclists in Mumbai during the lockdown, in order to sustain that momentum. They organised a contest called Romancing the City to mark Valentine's Day, to show how it needn't necessarily be about showing love for your partner. People were asked to send photos of landmarks and other places in the city, with the caveat that a cycle must be in the frame. Three winners received medals and a certificate, while two lucky winners received a bicycle each. "There was also a cycle rally that was held in Thane," added organiser Firoza Suresh.

A salute to desi cookbooks

We are living in an era when India has opened its doors to cuisine from all across the world, be it Italian, Thai or Japanese. But consequently, a lot of traditional recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation are at risk of fading into oblivion. This diarist has learnt that a group on social media, called Angat Pangat, seeks to change that equation. Saee Koranne-Khandekar, its founder, revealed that the idea is to encourage people to return to ingredients they have forgotten or never used. The group has now started an initiative called Cook from Cookbooks, where participants are being encouraged to post photos of dishes they have created after following recipes in traditional Maharashtrian cookbooks including Gruhini Mitra and Rasachandrika. They also need to post the recipe with details about the book and its author. "If you have any specific association with a cookbook, we'd also like to hear about that," Koranne-Khandekar (in pic) added.