The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Aditya Thackeray at a session in Vashi
We that are young
Aaditya Thackeray tries a gadget at a session in Vashi where he addressed a crowd of 1500 youngsters. Pic/Sameer Markande
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When Bombay celebrated Bombay's best writing
Ranjit Hoskote, Brinda Miller, Atul Kumar (left, back row) Pics/ Pradeep Dhivar
Bombay was there. And, so was Mumbai. From the classy chic Altamont Road senior to the Boho Bandraite and everyone in between interested in the city's history and good writing, was at the Sir David Sassoon Library lawns on Saturday evening. The Kala Ghoda Festival session that saw the release of two titles by city chroniclers was spilling over with attendees. Meher Marfatia’s Once Upon A City, a book presented in association with mid-day and inspired by her fortnightly column in Sunday Mid-day, was released by Gerson daCunha, who also launched translator-critic Shanta Gokhale’s Shivaji Park, Dadar 28: History, Places, People.
Ameen Sayani regaled the audience sings a line from Pepsi Cola at the end of the session
A standing ovation welcomed the grand old man of Indian advertising and theatre. The launch was followed by a discussion on the importance of oral history chronicles in mapping neighbourhood histories, moderated by Tinaz Nooshian, editor-in-chief, mid-day, as the audience, who had braved a 200-metre-long traffic jam, listened to the speakers. Gokhale oscillated delicately between then and now, sharing a warm anecdote about Shankar, Shivaji Park's once-famed barber to how the BMC springs "beautification" surprises on unsuspecting residents today.
Tinaz Nooshian, editor-in-chief, Mid-day was the moderator of the panel discussion
Marfatia was at her frank best when she admitted that the complex fabric of Dongri was intimidating to approach, one of the 50 neighbourhoods that she has mapped for the book. In the crowd sat cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote, artist Brinda Miller, curator and art critic Nancy Adajania, industrialist, environmentalist Cyrus Guzder, publisher Maneck Davar, sculptor Arzan Khambatta and theatre veterans Burjor and Ruby Patel.
Shanta Gokhale, Gerson daCunha and Meher Marfatia at the release of their titles
The most famed member of the audience, radio czar Ameen Sayani, would've slinked away had he not been asked to say a few words. And so he did, breaking into an impromptu Gujarati natak track called Coca Cola, that reminded everyone why they love this city.
Industrialist and environmentalist Cyrus Guzder was spotted in the audience
Tinaz Nooshian, Shanta Gokhale and Meher Marfatia prior to the session
Ranjit Hoskote shares a video byte about Once Upon a City at the Sunday Mid-day standee
Audience members interact with author Meher Marfatia
A panoramic aerial view captured from the first floor of Sir David Sassoon Library of the audience at the session
Home chefs food truck drives in
This diarist has learnt that Bar Bank Juhu in association with the Food Blogger Association of India will be launching a home chefs food truck on February 13. It will be called #FBAIKITCHEN and will open with Jyoti Vishnani's Sindhi cuisine. "Mumbai is a melting pot for different cultures and open to trying out regional cuisines. The idea was to collaborate with a well-known figure in the food industry who recognises and appreciates local and homegrown talent," says Bar Bank owner Mihir Desai.
Our own Greta
Climate activist Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur has created waves globally. Now, the eight-year-old will be coming to Mumbai on two occasions — to give a TED talk in Worli later this month as well as attend an event in Bandra in March where she will campaign for Clean Mumbai, climate change and to save Aarey Forest. "The future of Mumbai lies in the hands of children and the youth," a spirited Kangujam told this diarist.
It's story time
Earlier this year, storytelling platform Tape A Tale launched a national-level slam, Steller in colleges in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The first round saw more than 2,000 entries with over 500 performances. Seven storytellers — Mudra Joshi and Ratna Patil from Mithibai College, Vanika Sangtani from Jai Hind College, St Xavier's College's Debalina Chaktravarty, Masooma Sakriwala from Sophia's, Nikita Chitre from IIT Bombay and Jasmine Bakshi from Kelkar College — from the city have made it through the first round and will battle it out in the next ring, this Saturday.
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