The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Shadab Khan
In pole position
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A woman holds a difficult pose during a summer camp of mallakhamb at Shivaji Park in Dadar
In the great master’s name
Being awarded the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award earlier this week was surreal for singer Rahul Deshpande. The eponymous award is named after his own grandfather’s idol, he reminded us. “I recently finished a biopic on my grandfather, Vasantrao Deshpande; master Deenanath Mangeshkar was his inspiration,” he said. To be felicitated with this award is sacred, the singer confessed. During his rendition of the malkauns raga at the same award function last year, an overwhelmed Hridaynath Mangeshkar had walked on to the stage and declared his name. “It is very special and sacred to me,” Deshpande added, “It is like completing a full circle.” The apple and the tree, we’d say.
A sound idea
As the president of the All India Foundation of Deaf Women, Rajyalakshmi Rao, believes that financial independence and the ability to lead life on their own terms are more than just goals for deaf women; they are a necessity. To impart a host of skills to women in the age group of 15 to 35 years, the foundation is setting up a skill centre in Ballard Estate that opens doors on Saturday. “Thirty girls can sit and learn sign language, electronics, computer skills, painting, flower decoration, tailoring or written English. If someone wishes to learn cooking or hairstyling, we direct them to the appropriate classes,” shared Rao. They will also be hosting dance competitions and marriage programmes for deaf women. “We know that Indian society is patriarchal and a deaf woman, especially from an underprivileged background, is treated badly. The idea is to make them independent, cheerful and self-sufficient,” she told us.
Going down art lane
Mumbai’s very own Atul Dodiya will hold the stage as the focus of the BMW Art Talk at the India Art Fair, New Delhi, on April 30. The art fair is scheduled from April 28 to May 1; and the talk marks a key moment when the prestigious platform focuses on an Indian artist. Dodiya will be in conversation with an old friend, gallerist Shireen Gandhy of Chemould Prescott Gallery. “We both started together,” he reminded us, “My first show at Chemould Prescott was also her first show starting out as a gallerist.” Naturally, the talk will be a walk down memory lane about inspirations, influences and anecdotes. “There are quite a few people in Mumbai who played an important role,” he reminisced to this diarist. He also said it will be introspective to look back at the recent pandemic and its effect on artists. “There will also be reflection about the world in general, the art world, and the suffering of people. So many things happened in these two years; these are also to be considered.” Every global event is of interest for an artist, Dodiya added.
Watching bird trappings
A volunteer tags a Brahminy shelduck
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has been appointed by the state government to tag close to 2,000 birds to study their migratory patterns. Dr Sathiyaselvam, assistant director and head, BNHS Wetlands and flyway programme, told us these birds can sometimes migrate from as far as Africa. To keep up with these flight risks, the scientists have come up with a creative solution. “We now use colour-coded and numbered tags which can be easily spotted through binoculars and cameras,” he told us. While bird-watchers can drop an email to bands@bnhs.org about a tagged bird, there is also a new app that allows them to follow up on the birds and updated data on bird spottings.
Carrying the torch
Music traditions are venerated; NCPA is taking a step towards that direction. They have teamed up with the esteemed Shrutinandan music school from Kolkata to promote the traditions of Indian classical music. The launch will take place on April 29 at 6 pm, followed by a classical concert by founder and vocalist, Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty (below). The classical singer has curated a course to guide the next generation of musicians from the city. “Keeping in mind the many contributions from the past, I have conceived a scientific training process to create next-generation, great performers, through my research over the last four decades.”
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