Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

In it together

A specially abled man and woman share a moment while waiting for a cab outside Churchgate station

Dheemi drawings

Diya Mary Joseph's art on a DIY mount

When we spoke to architecture student Diya Mary Joseph a year ago, she had no plans for her Dheemi Local Hai series for which she spent her train commutes documenting passengers through brush pen sketches. Last Saturday, we learnt that in a coming-full-circle moment, Joseph independently held an art exhibition in the compartments of trains, from Bandra to CSMT to Panvel. She shared, "When I was compiling the artworks, my colleague suggested why not showcase them in the same space the series began and for the people I documented." Displayed on a DIY mount board and hooked to the overhead handles, Joseph continued to people-watch as curious travellers engaged with her work. Moving out of the white cube space couldn't have been done in a better way.

We are floored by Athangudi's designs

(Left) Contents of the table-top game that can engage two to four players at a time; (right) One of the Athangudi mansions that have inspired the game

A lesser-known region in Tamil Nadu will be showcased in Mumbai next weekend. Athangudi - a village with 2,000-odd inhabitants is known for its furniture and tiles. This area in Sivaganga district stands out for the architectural brilliance of its mansions - structures that use Athangudi tiles. Packed in a box, the heritage of the village will travel to Meeplecon 2023 - the country's biggest and only board game convention. Girin Nayak, founder of the company XOtoXO Games, told this diarist, "Although the floor tile placement activity has gained some popularity on the Internet, it's mostly sought after by locals who are aware of Athangudi's culture. Many hoteliers and holidayers, who might have spotted these tiles in commercial establishments, have reached out to me. The convention gives us the opportunity to take the game beyond its regional limits."

Mapping the magic of Byculla

Sameer Kulavoor (left) The Khada Parsi statue at Byculla

If you are a city chronicler, you would notice that different parts of Bombay charm us differently. But sometimes a neighbourhood may fall behind if beholders stay unfamiliar with its vaults of virtue. Byculla is one such locality. So, in a unique effort, Bombay Duck Designs, Bombay Sweet Shop, JAK Printers and Subko - in association with Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum - released a specially designed map of the place last Saturday. "We started working on this map in 2018, but it got delayed because of the pandemic. Our studio was earlier located in Mazgaon, and it is during that span that we realised how the treasures of the area, having low accessibility, remain hidden from public view. Many city-dwellers are not aware of Mustafa Bazar, old settlements in the region, and the area bordering the museum. We want people to discover these parts," said Sameer Kulavoor, illustrator at Bombay Duck Designs. The map is currently available at the Bombay Sweet Shop and all outlets of Subko.

Sounds good

A staffer sports his superpower. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM

Diners who keep revisiting Mirchi & Mime have shared with this diarist that apart from the food and ambience, it's the staff that lights up their day. The Powai-based restaurant is set to open a new outlet in Andheri on Valentine's Day. About the expansion, co-founder Raja Reddy, said, "Many people would frequent the Powai outpost from parts on the Western line. They had to reserve tables in advance. We thought of opening a branch here to cater to that crowd, and further our vision of employing as many deaf workers as we can." We feel the day of love should be celebrated with such steps towards inclusivity.