Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Drawing the red line

In keeping with the colour theme of Navratri's second day, women commuters queue up outside Dombivli railway station dressed in red

Sing in tune, but also with rhyme and reason

Pop-ups in Gupta's (left) book can be illuminated with a flashlight to reveal secrets

As children, most of our classical singing lessons have been about following suit. We rarely understood the whys and hows of music, and bypassed it as the business of the grown-ups. Visual designer Pratyush Gupta's recent creation - an interactive pop-up book series titled Swarpeti - aims to bridge this gap. "I was only six when I was first introduced to Hindustani classical music. I merely repeated what my teacher sang. I couldn't relate it to the world around me. My years of research helped me understand that there are simpler tools to understand music. Swarpeti shares some of these fascinating discoveries," Gupta shared with us. The magical books blend storytelling, activities, sound and shadow theatre to make Indian classical music engaging. Through the story of a crow called Kaga, the first book in the series explains the origin, significance and essence of the seven swars or musical notes.

When Mona becomes Mausi

Shona Lisa (left) and Lisa Mausi. Pics courtesy/@resha_weaves

We aren't the only ones who - on being tickled by meme art - have wondered if creators can read minds. "But it's the most relatable language in the age of the Internet," said Krishna Maniyar (inset), head of marketing, ReshaWeaves. With his team, Maniyar recently created memes that reimagine Mona Lisa as a saree-clad woman from across India, including Lisa Tai from Maharashtra, Shona Lisa from Bengal, Lisa Mausi from South Delhi and Lisa Bomma from Telangana.

On her travels, she wears traditional sarees in region-specific styles. So, Lisa Mol flaunts a gajra and Mausi shows off her pearls. As suppliers of natural fibre products, the platform wanted to address independent women who appreciate quality and humour.

A 360-degree take on the mind

Mumbai-based Humsafar Trust will be joining MH 360°, a mental health festival, next month to mobilise the LGBTQiA+ community, demystify conversations around mental health, and ensure accessibility. "Our primary focus is HIV prevention, but the mental health of our communities - which can be overlooked - is also a priority. This partnership is a way for us to initiate the conversation within the community and offer resources," Tinesh Chopade, advocacy manager, Humsafar Trust, told us. The festival comprises panel discussions, workshops and cultural events and takes a 360-degree approach to emotional well-being by acknowledging neurodiversity and social intersec-tionality.

Dining with Kareena and Saif

Saif and Kareena at The Lovefools. Pic Courtesy/Instagram

This diarist learnt that a few guests at Bandra's The Lovefools got all starry-eyed when actors Saif and Kareena Kapoor Khan walked up to them and asked if they could share the table. The celebrity couple had visited the restaurant for a lazy weekend brunch along with their son, Taimur. "Saif's favourite was our signature Umami twist. It's a umami lettuce wrap where we add our signature foam. Kareena liked our Malaysian curry so much that she insisted we add it on her birthday menu. They were open to trying out our baked items, too," shared co-founder and chef Sarita Pereira. Pereira and her team ended up planning Kareena's birthday, which fell on September 21.