Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Breaking dawn

Egrets take a stroll on Sassoon Dock in Colaba while two fishermen inspect their catch.

The Mumbai-wala feeling

Boot house and double-decker bus are part of the zoom art creations

Amid the many year-end wraps and throwbacks, this diarist particularly liked Thanekar Pranjali Anaji Chavan's zoom art that highlights the lost or theatrened iconic elements of the city - Premier Padmini (the OG kaali-peeli), BEST double-decker bus, and Boot House from Hanging Garden. "Since I was a child, I used to hail a kaali-peeli or board a double-decker. We would play inside the Boot House which, now, may get demolished," the 26-year-old told this diarist. The zoom art, which also features Gateway of India and dabbawalas, among others, has reached two million views as of today. "If you observe the borders of each illustration, you will notice I've given a specific look to it because I wanted to make it look like a memory book," she explained.

Thanekar Pranjali Anaji Chavan

Game on in Vile Parle

Board games enthusiasts engage in a tournament at the space

Catan is believed to be the second most loved game after Monopoly. In fact, many famous personalities like Aamir Khan swear by it," said Ronak Chitalia, founder of Vile Parle's Bombay Board Game Club, explaining why he has decided to host a three-day board gaming tournament in the city, starting January 25. "We have had it in the plans for a while now. But the game is very popular, especially in Maharashtra and Gujarat. There are many who take interest in it. So, we needed logistics in terms of space and board game copies to make it happen. Just like we have Comic Con and other community gatherings, this tournament is designed to bring board gaming enthusiasts together," he added. The tournament has nearly 128 registered participants till now; and many others will drop by just to watch and connect over their shared love for board games. Those interested can drop a message on 9769573347 for tickets.

Take a walk for power

Beyblader Anthony Mendes, who was on a quest to get fitter in 2023, will now introduce a community that will practise the method that worked best for him - power walking. "I have noticed that walking does not burn many calories. While in this case running would have been an ideal option, we're all aware that not many pathways in the city are built to be run on and can lead to severe injuries," Mendes explained over a call, adding, "There is no age group that I am targeting. Anyone above 18 years is welcome. However, currently we're only including people from Andheri to the group simply because this will be a daily activity, and not everyone will be able to travel for these sessions." The walks will be held twice a day every week (8 am to 9 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm) at Ramdas Garden near Azad Nagar. Revealing another plan for the year, Mendes said, "In March, we will also introduce a community that will curate events to attend under R500 in the city. This will be done keeping in mind the people, especially students, who find it difficult to find events to attend within their budget."

New stage in the spotlight

What sets the performance arts apart? For comedian Sumit Sourav, it's the presence of a live audience. The artiste is set to launch a new performing arts space, Kala Performing Center, at one of the epicentres of all the comedy action in the city - Khar. "I wanted to create an inclusive space for artistes. And by artistes, I mean not only musicians and stand-up comics, but also podcasters and Youtubers who wish to drop by and shoot newer forms of content at the venue," Sourav shared.

A vinyl extravaganza

At a previous Pink Floyd-themed vinyl night

If you're the old-school type, this month might just be for you. Adagio, a favourite haunt among music enthusiasts, has introduced 12 themes for 12 months for its Thursday Vinyl nights. "This month, the theme is that 1970s sound. We'll be playing four albums in both the Chembur and the Bandra branch," said founder Aman Gujral, adding that it is the perfect way to begin the new year, given that they ended the previous year with Pink Floyd from the 1960s. "Every month will be a different theme, which we will announce one month prior. For instance, in March we have planned Rang Barse; where we play music by bands which have colours in their names because March is when we celebrate Holi," he revealed, adding that they will also introduce open mics for the Chembur branch and Zeppalathon VI (Led Zeppelin music marathon) in the first half of the year. "Another highlight is the music prescription therapy session where people will tell us about life and we will prescribe [recommend] music," he shared excitedly.