Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Love in the time of cellphones

A couple playfully wrestles over a mobile phone at Nariman Point.

Slow and steady

A photograph by Gopal MS from the zine

At any given time of the day in Mumbai, hundreds of commuters are in a mad scramble to board local trains. So, to think of trains as a way of slowing down might seem contradictory, but it's actually not. In his new zine, The Slow Issue, photographer and city chronicler Gopal MS (@mumbaipaused) captures how train travel slows our pace while still keeping time. In around 100 photographs taken over the course of five years, Gopal highlights key but overlooked descriptors of railway stations in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and other cities that quietly celebrate the familiar, leisurely experience of train travel. "When you're sitting in the train, you move at a slower pace, get a chance to meet people, share space and talk with them, unlike any other interaction. The photos show travelling by railway in a new light. Trains are also a greener and more economical option," he shared.

A new chapter to save our heritage buildings

Soona Mahal, Marine Drive. Pic Courtesy/Art Deco Mumbai

Mumbai resonates with this diarist through a multitude of symbols. Sometimes it's food, familiar sounds or the sea, but mostly it's the buildings with a beating heart. And when we spot an old iconic building in shambles, the loss of tangible heritage hits us hard. A book that will soon be published by Art Deco Mumbai Trust, the digital repository of Mumbai's architectural vault, inspects effective repair methods. About The Swastik Court Handbook, founder Atul Kumar, shared, "The book will serve as a guide for all residents. It will aid them in the repair and preservation of 20th century buildings that use cement and concrete as their construction material."

Rest in fashion

A rule-breaker and a revolutionary - this is how the world remem-bered UK-based designer Dame Vivienne Westwood who passed away on Thursday. She was 81. From running her iconic boutique, Sex, to popularising leather bondage gear, and turning up at Buckingham Palace without underwear for the damehood honour, Westwood ushered in modern punk and a new wave of fashion. Couturiers Gaurav Gupta and Vaishali S from Mumbai hailed her as a legend. "I've always been in awe of her. She introduced grunge, punk and brought sexual energy to fashion. She was and will always be a legend who pioneered fashion through art, culture, design and politics," Gupta shared. Calling her the "liberation of fashion", Vaishali said, "She is one of those unique figures who allow a whole system to move ahead. She interpreted the punk movement as breaking free of social structures and dressing in totally un-admitted codes."

(From left) Vaishali S; Gaurav Gupta

Brush with Dharavi

A painting by kids of Dharavi Art Room

So much is said about Dharavi; yet so, little reflects what the kids residing there feel. At Fluxus Chapel, an art space in Bandra, the ideas of kids from the Dharavi Art Room are taking centrestage. Titled ABCD: Art from Bombay's Capital Dharavi, the exhibit opened yesterday. "There are some works by our college-going students pursuing art too; these will be on sale to help them with a monthly stipend. The artworks are a first-hand archive of their neighbourhood, which is constantly in a flux. It allows them to observe their locality and perhaps identify changes they could make for the better," said founder Himanshu S.

Breaking good

B-Girl Barb. Pic Courtesy/Instagram

B-boying might just be the trend to watch out for in 2023. The city enjoyed a major win as performers B-Girl Barb (Siddhi Tambe), B-Boy Tornado and Flying Machine walked away with accolades at the 2nd National Breaking Championship recently. Tambe's win marks her second consecutive triumph at the championship. "I tried to improve myself this year, and practised harder. I often practised alone, and travelled quite a bit to gain knowledge," the 19-year-old Mumbaikar said. For B-Boy Tornado, who bagged a silver for breaking, the tournament was a good learning experience. "The year ends with silver; hopefully, I will improve next time," he added.