Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Baby StepsA woman finds a vantage spot on the steps of the Asiatic Society of Mumbairsquos library at Horniman Circle to photograph two little posers on WednesdayJab we met at the Poetrsquos CornerItrsquos bad enough that this diarist hasnrsquot aced the Fastest Finger First game to get her jab in any centre of Mumbai or even Thane But when seasoned Brit author and actor Stephen Fry tweeted a post that he had his second dose at Westminster Abbey it made us go green with envy He tweeted ldquoA happy return to Vaxminster Jabbey for my second doseKeats and Shelley were watching ldquoIf winter comes can spring be far behindrdquo the latter wondered Well this year yes apparently rdquorsquo Turns out the UKrsquos National Health Service had converted the Poets Corner at the famous landmark into a vaccination centre in March It made us wonder if such an option would ever open up in Mumbai The Town Hall Mumbai Universityrsquos campus That would be the dayWith the city as her museFrom left Astral and Soaring prints on canvas from The Lockdown SeriesMumbaibased artist Akshita Gandhi will soon see her collection titled The Lockdown Series displayed online via the Gallery Percheacutee The gallery is displaying 10 chosen pieces that were inspired by the aesthetics of Mumbairsquos colonial architecture ldquoThis is a special show for me because under our current circumstances we artists are blessed with the power of our imaginationAkshita GandhiThrough our work we can travel into parallel dimensions and through time In this series I have used photographs I had taken of Mumbai and Zurich before the pandemic changed the world and worked on them digitally adding a surreal touch I wanted to remind viewers that during the direst times it is possible to believe and dream mdash no one can take that away from usrdquo she shared about her inspiration The show titled Architecture of Elsewhere will be on display at the virtual gallery until July 15 Head to gallerypercheecom to check it outA new generation of ecowarriorsAs is evident from the ongoing discourse surrounding the role of global warming in amplifying the severity of Cyclone Tauktae the youth today are an informed bunch especially in matters concerning the environment New research commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature to mark International Day for Biodiversity on May 22 confirms this observation The report mentions a 65 per cent increase in the number of Twitter mentions amplifying concern for nature worldwide with mentions of nature and biodiversity increasing from 30 million to 50 million in the last four years The number of naturerelated searches has been growing driven primarily by Asian countries such as India a 190 per cent increase There has also been a 71 per cent increase in searches for sustainable goods globallyChampioning the adolescent causeWe had previously mentioned on this page about nonprofit Project Mumbairsquos SAMVAAD mental health helpline that was launched during the pandemic Now the group has chosen to focus on the specific needs of adolescents ldquoCallers can select categories that are suited to their needs such as grief domestic abuse and adolescent issuesrdquo said Tanvi Sambrani its project officer Call 18001024040 to seek helpSay it like SonaliThe Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy has shared a series of videos featuring actor Sonali Kulkarni who shares tips to preserve mental wellbeing The videos have been shot in Hindi English and Marathi to make them more accessible ldquoI have been advocating for mental health awareness for nearly 15 years now and especially the importance of seeking professional help The pandemic has turned the world upside down Domestic violence is on the rise as is caregiver fatigue Such issues go largely unaddressed These videos are an attempt to change thatrdquo she told us To watch and share the videos visit CMHLPIndia on Twitter