Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Balloon Talk

A balloon seller tunes in to his phone as he waits for a customer at Five Gardens in Matunga.

Special day for special talent

A performance by a (centre) specially-abled student at the venue

Genius, they say, can come from anywhere. The grounds of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) saw an exhibition of similar talents on Friday with Light Up Lives Roshni - a unique competition for specially-abled children across the city. Director of the organising forum, Concern India Foundation, Manisha Desai shared, "The aim is to support and develop these children's skills in music and dance bringing them joy and enjoyment, and allowing them to engage with others who are equally passionate about the artforms. Today, we had 70 children across age groups participating in the event." The event was judged by singers Chin2 Bhosle and Abuzar Akhtar. "In a world often limited by differences, days like this remind us of the strength of simplicity, unity and diversity. Through their music, dance and song, the children left us inspired and grateful for the privilege of this experience," she told this diarist.

Prem, according to Makarand

(Left) Makarand Deshpande in a moment from the play

Theatremaker Makarand Deshpande and his Ansh Theatre Group walked out big winners at the recently concluded 32nd Marathi Rajya Vyavasayik Natya Spardha with their Marathi play, Sir, Premacha kaay karaycha! taking home prizes for Best Sets and Lights, followed by a runner-up for Best Director for Deshpande. Having spent his youth in the college and district theatre circuits, the playwright shared, "These are professional play competitions and have very high standards. It is always beautiful to see how the play functions." Incidentally, while the play was submitted to the competition during COVID-19, we did not have a chance to put on a performance. "It was nice to take the play back to the Shivaji Rang Mandir in Dadar, which is a sacred space for Marathi theatre. To watch the play win so many prizes was a delightful experience," he added. Dealing with the subject of love and complexity, Deshpande noted that the performance did leave a mark on a largely young audience. He said, "We had a huge audience largely made of young students, so it was nice to see how much of an impact the play left on them. Many of them later came by to talk to me about some of the key problems I approached through the script. Sadly, love is not taught in our schools or colleges at all. We were barely surprised that they had so many questions at the end of it."

Art from the past

Ladies on a palace terrace celebrate Diwali by Mughal artist Muhammad Afzal, Mughal Delhi, circa 1730 AD. Pic Courtesy/Toddywala's Auction House

For those with an interest in the past, the halls of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel might be the place on April 16. The event by the House of Toddywalla's is hosting their third auction of classical Indian art and antiquities covering 1,100 years of Indian art dating back to the ninth and 10th centuries. From a 11th century Pala, and a Vishnu stele in impeccable condition to a delicate depiction of Diwali in the Mughal court by artist Muhammad Afzal in the 18th century, the collection is diverse and nostalgic. "The auction serves to showcase and offer centuries-old artefacts. An antiquity in the form of gods and goddesses in various mediums be it stone, bronze or a painting can adorn any home and make it more beautiful," shared Malcom Todywalla, co-owner of the auction house. "The auction acts as a means to reintegrate these pieces back into the country's cultural landscape and to rekindle interest in collecting Indian art," he told this diarist.

On the choral trail

The choir, conducted by (centre) Alfred D'Souza, will perform in their famous stained glass window robes

Beginning tomorrow at Mahim's St Michael's Church, The Stop Gap choir ensemble will fill the churches across the city with soothing pieces narrating the stories that lead up to The Resurrection. "This performance is curated for Easter. It is called The Day He Wore My Crown, and is created and arranged by David T Clydesdale," shared Alfred D'Souza, who will conduct the choir with Rohit Raj. The works include pieces by Dallas Holm, Dottie Rambo, Phil Johnson and Tim Sheppard, among others.

Tech solutions

Participants at the competition

Earlier this week, DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering hosted engineering students from across the country at the inaugural edition of UnPlugged 1.0, a 24-hour-long hardware hackathon. "The aim was to get students to find a solution to the issues prevalent in the agricultural sector. Over 45 teams participated and 23 cleared the shortlisting. Despite giving them the same problem to tackle, all 23 teams came up with very different solutions," said college professor and organiser Sanjay Deshmukh.