18 February,2025 12:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Atul Kamble
A man and his dog pause to watch a cricket match during their walk at Oval Maidan in Churchgate
A moment from Anudeep Katikala's stand-up comedy set
Nothing defines Mumbai's melting pot like its many languages. Last weekend, the city witnessed four stand-up comics - John Paul, Bhagat Anukanti, Anudeep Katikala (below) and Sarat Uday put on a regional special in Telugu at the Flat Feet Studio in Andheri. "The best thing about being in a cosmopolitan city is that every language has an audience. With regional languages, people find comfort in their mother tongue. We are planning to host more stand-up shows in Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi too," Ruhi Sachdeva (inset), partner at the Flat Feet Studio told this diarist.
Indian ocean humpback dolphin or Sousa plumbea. Pic courtesy/Shaunak Modi
Ever wonder how many fish there are in the sea? Well, one group of conservationists is looking to find some answers. Teaming up with the Mangrove Foundation of Maharashtra, the Coastal Conservation Foundation's Coastal Cetacean of Mumbai Mteropolitan Region Project now has a new accessible page on the internet.
"The project which started in 2022, is being carried out across the west coast of Mumbai. In the first phase we studied the distribution of coastal cetaceans - namely the Indian ocean humpback dolphins and the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise in Mumbai's waters," shared director Shaunak Modi (inset). The platform will hope to familiarise people with marine mammals and their habitat, he said. "People can expect field updates from our marine mammal research, posts with interesting facts about them, and a platform to showcase work from the cetacean research community in India," Modi concluded.
Students from Elia Sarwat English High School and Junior College enjoy the play
They say Shakespeare is for everyone, and students from low income schools such as Elia Sarwat English High School and Junior College and boys from Ramgarh Vikas Mandal in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park area among others caught the bard's work in Eurythmy. "It was the first time at a theatre for some of them. Our idea was to make this art form accessible to young learners," Preeti Birla (left) Nair, vice president of Eurythmy society, said.
City-based NGO, Salaam Bombay Foundation will host the first edition of Kala Ka Karwaan, a folk art festival celebrating India's cultural heritage with various performances by underprivileged students on February 20. The event will feature cultural performances followed by a day-long art exhibition. "In a world rapidly embracing digital storytelling, folk art traditions remain a powerful, yet often overlooked, medium of expression. By exploring forms like Warli, Madhubani, and Pattachitra in painting, folk rhythms in music and theatre, and oral traditions in podcasting, we want students engaging with history, identity, and social commentary as well," Rajashree Kadam, vice-president, arts and media at the foundation told this diarist.
Participants gather for a previous session by Yaquta Bootwala in Bengaluru
Carving a new spot for art enthusiasts in the city, Creative Fuel Commune is starting a series of community gatherings, called Art Picnic from March 2. "Creativity has become something tied to productivity and skill, rather than just an outlet for expression. I wanted to create a space where people could reconnect with creativity in a way that feels natural and fun," Yaquta Bootwala, founder, shared with this diarist. Art picnic will bring together people for fun stimulating excercises on mixed media arts with a focus on Neuro arts. "A big part of my research is focused around the idea that creativity is just as important for your brain as physical exercises is for your body. The session will allow people to express themselves through art while also giving their brain a workout," Bootwala said.
