Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Raje

Towering through the mist

Monsoon clouds blanket the top floors of the skyscrapers in Worli. '

Artist's call at CSMT

Selected artworks will be displayed on the third floor of the CSMT heritage building

A section of the heritage building in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) will soon house artworks by artists from Mumbai. Walls of a new gymnasium constructed on the third floor of the building have been earmarked to promote art and culture. "The Central Railway is hosting a competition among artists and students. Best artworks will be displayed in the building," shared Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway. While there are no restrictions to the creativity, the artworks must be morally decent to be displayed in public. "It must also align with the building's original architectural design, incorporating elements of modernism inspired by Indian culture, to enhance the aesthetic essence of the ‘Heritage' Building," he added, "The artworks selected will add to the merit of the artist's portfolio. After all, their artworks will become a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for years to come." Keen artists can submit their ideas via email to submitart.csmt@gmail.com.

Dr Swapnil Nila

German colours for Mumbai monsoon

Officials of the German Consulate General Mumbai sport umbrellas matching the colours of the German National Flag. Pics Courtesy/X

The German Consulate General Mumbai delighted social media with a video featuring officials under umbrellas that coincidentally matched the colours of the German National Flag during Mumbai's downpour. Thomas Pfeifer, Vice Consul shared, "My colleagues and I were leaving the office with umbrellas open. One of us realised that we were walking in the German flag colours and decided to film a short video!" He shared that despite the weather, colleagues find a way to reach the office, where they process visa applications with a cup of chai and samosas or jalebis. Observing rainclouds from office windows is a cherished pass time. "Some diplomats are experiencing their first monsoon, experimenting with boots, storm-proof umbrellas, and casual flip-flops," he added. Personally, Pfeifer enjoys monsoon workouts at Priyadarshini Park and runs on the tracks, enjoying the gentle drizzles.

There's a talent jam in Andheri

A moment from a previous meet-up

Music Jammin, a new music community in the city, is gearing for its 167th jamming session at Spartan Cowork in Andheri West today. Founded by music enthusiast Ojas Joshi, the aim of the community is to blend passion with profession, encouraging creativity and connection.
Shrikant Pujari, a representative of Music Jammin, told this diarist, "The idea is to inspire individuals to pursue their passion in music and art alongside their careers. These jamming sessions encourage people to meet, explore their talent and find their individual voices. Both singers and non-singers are welcome here."
Those keen to be a part of this inclusive and equal platform for young and upcoming talent,
check out @musicjamminmumbai on Instagram .

DC and Marvel through Indian lens

Soumya Das with Ron Marz

In his YouTube series, Comics Pe Charcha, New Jersey-based Soumya Das likes to find connections between Indian comics and their counterparts from the Marvel and DC-verse. "I started it on the insistence of my friend and videographer Steven Brown," the author of graphic novel series, The Violated, told us. The first episode features Ron Marz, co-creator of Green Lanterns, DC Comics. "When someone shares how they have used Indian symbolism and aesthetics in their work, it fills me with pride. The goal is to shed light on our representation in the industry, and create informative content on topics like AI and self-publishing," Das shared. Another episode features Jan Duursema, who is known for her work in Star Wars comics. "I will soon release episodes with Tom Mandrake [co-creator of Black Mask] and Graham Nolan [co-creator of Bane from Batman]," he revealed to us. To watch the episodes, head to The Hierophant Entertainment.