Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Doggie's day out

A woman takes her furry friend on a boat ride near Gateway of India.

Capturing the right moment

Soni's photograph features the Brokpa nomad Tsering atop a rock near his remote village in Lubrang in the Eastern Himalayas

Photographer Mayank Soni is set to begin the new year on a new high. Earlier in December, this newspaper had featured his photography exhibition capturing nomadic life in the Himalayas. Now, the Goregaon-based photographer has been selected among 20 other finalists for the Indian Photo Festival Portrait Prize to be held in Hyderabad till January 7. "I am delighted since it is one of the country's more prestigious photo festivals," remarked Soni, adding that the platform offered him an opportunity to expose his work to a larger and international audience. The festival has chosen Soni's photograph titled Twilight of Transhumance, taken during his visit to Lubrang to meet the Brokpa nomads of the Eastern Himalayas. The photograph, he said, emerged during his trip to visit Tsering, a nomad, in his village. "The village is nestled in the laps of the meadows with stunning views of snow-capped peaks. I choose this frame as it reflects the calm, peace and remoteness of the place. I love shooting at twilight as it adds drama to an otherwise dull grey sky. The rocky outcrop seemed like the perfect place as the nomads often choose such a vantage to keep an eye on their flock," he said.

Mayank Soni

Rail to reel, and more

The Mumbai Division of the Western Railway (WR) has found a new way to make ticketed travel "cool" with a new campaign. The Mera Ticket Mera Imaan campaign is calling for submissions in the form of short videos that highlight the importance of the practice. "We have received more than 15 video entries already and we will declare the winners on January 26," Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer, WR, told this diarist. Users can use #meraticketmerimaan while posting their videos online to participate.

Hail the signboard maestros

Tanya George; (right) Vivek Kadam with his latest work. Pic Courtesy/ Tanya George

Recently, city-based typographer and type designer, Tanya George was in for a brush with nostalgia while running errands in Mahim. George took to Instagram to share her excitement upon finding a painter working on the signboard for the Bristol Bakery in the neighbourhood. Vivek Kadam, 61, is one of the many sign painters that have painted store names, road signs, and other motifs on walls across the city for decades. Over a short chat with this diarist, Kadam revealed that he has been in the business for more than 40 years now. "My father was an artist like me. He graduated from the Sir JJ School of Art, and I would often accompany him to his work sites," he added. Sharing his thoughts on the diminishing art form, Kadam remarked, "These [modern] techniques are a double-edged sword. Flex prints are all the rage right now but they start fading in three months' time. Our hand painted signs stand unaffected through decades. You cannot beat that."

Number crunchers

The event saw a footfall of nearly 450

Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental arithmetic Association (PAMA), a Taiwan-born global non-profit organisation, gathered nearly 450 young mathematics enthusiasts from 15 countries in Vashi last week for the PAMA Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition. "Participants solved six papers of mental grade three, focusing on activities such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This rigorous testing format aimed to assess the contestants' proficiency in fundamental arithmetic skills," informed Abaji Dattu Kale, president of PAMA India. He added, "The competition not only showcased the talents of young mathematicians from around the world, but also reinforced the importance of abacus education in nurturing well-rounded individuals."

Let's fam-jam all the way

A moment from the fair's recent trial run

After a slew of flea markets, gigs and festivals in the city, childbirth educator Seema Kazi Rangnekar's Frolic Fields will come as a breath of fresh air, especially for children and young parents. The two-day festival scheduled to take place next month at JVPD Grounds in Juhu, will host creative workshops, family cook-offs, dance lessons for parents and children, and even a meditation retreat. "I noticed that there exists a gap when it comes to spaces where young parents and their children can have fun at the same time. Young parents tend to find it hard to plan things around work. Our goal is to be a holistic family event that will leave our attendees with memories to cherish forever," Rangnekar told his diarist.