Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Keeping track of the city

A railway gangman makes his way across the tracks, near Borivali station.

Who does this gem belong to?

Look what went viral on the Facebook and WhatsApp space for cricket lovers earlier this week. No, not Virat Kohli's resignations (India after the T20 World Cup and RCB after IPL-14), but an autographed team sheet for the Mumbai v Maharashtra Ranji Trophy game at Satara in January 1965. The only missing autograph is that of Mumbai's former Test bowler Umesh Kulkarni. We presume the genial Umesh would be happy to sign it but who would send it to him? That's a million dollar question because like a lot of things on social media, the source is untraceable. Our in-house cricket nut seems to believe that this sheet could be from the office of Satara District Cricket Association. The mystery continues.

Kala Ghoda gets a different canvas

Work in progress. Pics Courtesy/The Artist; Tarq

If you're in Kala Ghoda, chances are that you'll be able to spot a series of freshly painted murals on the huge windows that dot Gallery MMB of Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai. Commissioned by Goethe-Institut, the artist behind the artworks - which will be on display for at least a year - is Sameer Kulavoor. He has taken inspiration from the tension between form and function, materials and textures, and art and design in the decades-old heritage district that also houses an increasing number of shiny new businesses.

Sameer Kulavoor

Before starting work, the artist took rounds of the area and found that beyond the heritage aspect, there's a lot more about Kala Ghoda that caught his fancy. "Ever since the Kala Ghoda Art Festival made the area an alternative venue, it has got a bit gentrified with a lot of businesses and cafés being set up. This has led to interesting mash-ups structurally, visible in adjustments to the old structures. For instance, you see ornate pillars, but right next to it you'll find plain metal supporting structures - it's a juxtaposition of art and function," he revealed.

All eyes on Uzbekistan

Bodybuilding may have been in the news recently, for all the wrong reasons (read: the Sahil Khan-Manoj Patil controversy) but here is something uplifting and off that track. Mumbai's Hiral Sheth has smashed the glass ceiling. Sheth was elected general secretary of the Indian Body Builders Federation (IBBF) in December 2020, the first woman to hold such a senior post in the federation. Sheth used to work in an administrative capacity at Talwalkars and claimed the grand old man of bodybuilding, Madhukar Talwalkar, brought her into the IBBF fold. After a relatively low-key few months given the pandemic, the big challenge is the upcoming World Body Building & Physique Sports Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Sheth brushes off the gender question though she does claim she is enthused by ‘women's empowerment'. Currently though, it is Tashkent taking up her time as the 90-strong Indian team readies for the October 1 to 7 challenge. Sheth will be part of the desi contingent as an IBBF official too. "Currently, we are buried in paperwork as high as the Uzbek mountains," she laughed. The Indian squad has 70 competitors and around 20 officials, with support staff.

Art for our times

Ravinder Reddy, Untitled (head), 1990- 1991. Pic Courtesy/AstaGuru

Contemporary art in India is teeming with dynamic creativity. And at its upcoming auction Present Future, on September 28 and 29, AstaGuru will showcase a comprehensive perspective of such art practices that will influence the future of contemporary art, shared Ankita Talreja, contemporary Indian art-senior specialist at the auction house. With 120 lots of paintings, sculptures and installations to go under the hammer, it will feature 87 artists such as Bharti Kher, Thukral & Tagra and Ravinder Reddy, among others. "The idea behind curating India's largest contemporary auction is to showcase the diversity and innovation that artists are adopting," Talreja revealed.

There's good news for our strays

"We get a lot of emergency calls informing us about stray cats and dogs getting injured or falling sick late in the night, sometimes around 3 am or 4 am. Often, these animals are found too far away for us to reach, or their carers can't bring them to us," shared Priya Agarwal, co-founder, YODA - Animal Rehab Centre. The need of the hour is a 24-hour ambulance for stray animals, she claimed, adding that they are raising funds to get such an ambulance that will be fully equipped to tackle on-road emergency treatments. To look out for the safety of your furry friends, call 9820200531 and lend YODA a hand.