The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce.
Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
God comes first
A pandit performs a puja for the owner of a new bike in Shivaji Park. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
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Trunk call to Krishna
Yesterday was World Elephant Day, and the heart-warming story of Mumbai's elephant whisperer, Anand Shinde and his extraordinary bond with an elephant was released in the form of an animated film Foreststory, Chapter 2: Krishna.
When we caught up with the founder of Thane-based Trunk Call, he said, "I first met Krishna as a photojournalist when visiting Kodanad Elephant Centre, Kerala. He was my guru who taught me everything I know about the elephant world. I felt a genuine connection with the beautiful mammoth. His death was a deep personal loss, which also kick-started my journey into elephant conservation. Yesterday we completed six years of this journey and I'll always miss Krishna." This film was created by Swapnil Phadke and his team.
Mehfil for a cause
Fans of Urdu and Hindustani literature, poetry and music, there's an interesting line-up of events to tune into, while supporting a cause. The Delhi-based relief initiative Umeed Project is hosting a six-day programme called Shayarana Umeed, featuring Danish Husain, Mehak Mirza Prabhu, Barbie Rajput, Yahya Bootwala, among others.
Proceeds from the sale of tickets will go towards backing the project, which has helped over 4.5 lakh people with essentials. "Despite our best efforts, funds have been drying up. The artist community has helped a lot. There are some great performances, workshops and interviews lined up," said co-founder Chirag Mediratta. Log on to skillboxes.com/events/shayarana-umeed to do your bit.
Kamala ki kamaal
Her hard-nosed debating style has kept Trump-hailers on their toes for a while now, and that's possibly one of Democrat Kamala Harris's strongest attributes that got her the VP candidature.
But this diarist was won over by her easy charm on the Mindy Kahling show while making dosas, admitting how her mum too, like most South Indian ammas, were obsessed with their plastic spice mix dabbas. No surprise that she regards her maternal grandfather, PV Gopalan and mum, Shyamala, as key influencers in her life. Be it her grandfather's enlightened decision to allow her mum's move at 19 to study in the US or her mum's campaign for breast cancer care, both exerted tremendous impact on her evolution as a mercurial decision-maker.
Already, US publications are going the extra mile to celebrate her Indian roots, including one report that revealed both mum and grandfather had lived on Pedder Road, during the latter's posting in Mumbai (then Bombay).
Khaki tunes in hospital
A 71-second video has been causing a buzz of late; it features Sonya Deshmukh, Assistant Police Inspector, attached to Mulund Police station. He was admitted to Fortis Hospital Mulund 11 days ago. Being asymptomatic, he had taken a flute along to kill time. But his oxygen levels dropped, and he had to be shifted to the ICU, where he remained for nearly eight days.
Earlier this week, his health improved and he was shifted back to the general ward where he tried his hand with the flute. "I am learning to play it through Youtube videos. This has become a stress buster not only for me but for patients around. The doctors have told me that this practice will benefit as exercise for my lungs," added Deshmukh.
Oz salute for Mudgal, Pradhan
Music is an art form that frequently crosses borders, evidence of which lies in a project called Bridge of Dreams. It was initiated by Australian saxophonist and composer Sandy Evans, when she received the Churchill Fellowship to visit India in 2014, and collaborated with celebrated vocalist Shubha Mudgal and tabla player Aneesh Pradhan, among others.
The project has now been nominated in the Performance of the Year (Jazz/Improvised music) category of the Art Music Awards 2020 organised by the Australian Music Centre. Speaking about the collaboration, Mudgal told this diarist, "Sandy, Aneesh and I would individually or jointly compose a set that we would perform with Sirens Big Band, [harmonium player] Sudhir Nayak and [tabla player] Bobby Singh. It was also later recorded and published as an album called Bridge of Dreams."
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