12 February,2025 06:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
A woman tends to a handicraft stall at the Mahalakshmi Saras Exhibition at the MMRDA Grounds in BKC.
You can only imagine how much more chaotic the cartoon series Tom and Jerry would have been if it was set in India. But thanks to students of the Indian Performing Arts group of St Xavier's College (Empowered Autonomous), Dhobi Talao, we know exactly how its theme song would sound. As a tribute to the classic's 85th anniversary on February 11, the young musicians gave the original opening tune a Hindustani classical twist complete with a tabla and a bansuri. "We riffed off each other's sounds until we found the sweet spot. The backing vocalists singing a sargam lent a beautiful touch to the composition," said percussionist Rishabh Sharma, group head. Those keen to hear the rendition can log on to @rishabh7.__ on Instagram.
Walking Project India, an advocacy group for better pedestrian infrastructure, has launched a new 20 sketch series titled Walkability Metric that will highlight key factors affecting pedestrian movement in the city. Programme manager, Vedant Mhatre explained that the idea is to build a conversation around the issues plaguing the Mumbaikar, with a focus on factors such as pavement width and surface quality. "Art conveys powerful ideas that formal presentations often struggle with," shared Mhatre. "We wanted to use visuals to engage both citizens and authorities, and help them understand pedestrian-friendly infrastructure." Created by artist Jaidev Tripathy, the sketches, based on the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) 103 guidelines, train an artistic lens on everyday pedestrian struggles in the country such as tree gratings, poor intersection design, entrance ramp obstructions, and more. "We hope it encourages people to demand safer streets," Mhatre concluded. Those interested can check out @walkingprojectindia on Instagram.
While it is known for its shopping avenues, the bylanes of Colaba turn into a festive celebration this time of the year. Community member, Suhas Kolabkar shared, "We have been settled in these lanes for over 250 years." The annual Khandoba Yatra on February 11 was a highly anticipated event. During the event, the resident Koli fishing community gathers on Magha Poornima to carry a palanquin of their deity, Khandoba, through the neighbourhood. As part of the celebration, participants throw haldi and dry coconut onto the palanquin and at each other, creating a vibrant spectacle. Kolabkar, shared that the celebration is historically built around the five lanes of Colaba. "Along the way, we meet people at different locations, waiting with haldi and coconut to join in," he shared. The yatra drew over 1,000 participants, including tourists.
Last weekend, students at Anjuman-I-Islam Ahmed Sailor High School in Nagpada got a glimpse into the fascinating world of migratory birds and wetlands through a documentary screening organized by Vanashakti, a city-based non-profit NGO dedicated to the cause of environmental conservation. The session highlighted the critical role wetlands play in supporting biodiversity using visuals of flamingos, pintail ducks, and other migratory birds in the Mumbai skies. "The students were mesmerised by the vast biodiversity in the city, and showed keen interest to learn more about the environment" shared Vicky Patil manager at Vanashakti.
There might be time for former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson's debut performance in India with Lollapalooza in March. However, fans and Directioners have already begun the celebrations. OneD India Official, a One Direction fan club will host a fan event in the city on February 22 with quizzes, sing along sessions and fun games ahead of the pop star's visit. "Louis' concert is a huge moment for Indian Directioners. The excitement has been building for months. We are planning our outfits, organising meetups and counting down the days to the big show. Hosting this event ahead of the concert was our way of bringing everyone together, hyping it up and celebrating the fact that we're finally getting to see one of the boys perform live in India," Ashmeet Singh Saluja, founder of the club, shared.
Ashmeet Singh Saluja
