Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Darjeeling railway gets stampedThis diaristrsquos earliest memories of snowcapped mountain peaks are that of the Kangchenjunga as seen from the DarjeelingGhoom toy train that operates in West Bengal So we were pleased to learn from our inhouse railway archivist that the UNESCO has launched a stamp to honour the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway The development is a proud moment for chroniclers of Indiarsquos rich railway legacy According to UNESCOrsquos World Heritage List the 8848km gauge track is one of the three mountain railways opened between 1881 and 1908 in India and to this day it bears an oldworld charm that attracts tourists from across the world With this happy news we canrsquot wait to hop aboard againA home for festsA previous edition of Thespo that will be one of the fests listed on the siteItrsquos been a trying time for the cultural events industry In a boost for them Festivals from India FFI is set to be the first online platform festivalsfromindiacom designed to showcase Indiarsquos cultural festivals The initiative is made possible by the British Council as part of its Festivals for the Future programme and developed by ArtBramha Johnathan Kennedy director Arts India British Council said ldquoIndiarsquos innovation in arts and culture festivals are the countryrsquos DNA The enterprise of festivals drives the creative economy shapes inclusive communities and reflects the innovation of the festivals scene We hope the FFI platform will be a gamechanger in strengthening the arts festivals sector and bring new audiences to visit and appreciate the rich diversity inclusion and astonishing creativity of Indiarsquos festivalsrdquo Rashmi Dhanwani partner ArtBramha added that FFI aims to create a safe platform for festivals and for audiences to reconnect with as well as discover new ones ldquoWe plan to launch by the yearend Gender equality inclusivity and skills development will be key focuses for usrdquo she revealedBraving the tumultuous pandemic Lower Parelbased Qualia has made it to the 50 Best Discovery List of The Worldrsquos 50 Best Restaurants for 2021 which maintains a prestigious record of some of the most outstanding eateries across the globe Chef and founder Rahul Akerkar told this diarist that the achievement is doubly special because of how difficult the past year has been ldquoTo stay motivated and hopeful that this too shall pass and not compromise your ideals and the way you work is fantastic As a creator and chef you do something in a particular direction as it means something to you and to be recognised for that is very reassuring Itrsquos a great pat on the backrdquo he added Our congratulations to the teamMahal of memoriesMoti Mahal in Bandra PicFacebookDespite having held its fort in a rapidly changing neighbourhood for decades Bandrarsquos old favourite haunt Moti Mahal is allegedly paving way to a multistoreyed building As the news made the rounds on social media patrons went on a nostalgia trip reminiscing first dates fun birthday parties romantic proposals and the good olrsquo days Foodie and author Kunal Vijayakar recalled making a trip from SoBo to Bandra mdash those were preSea Link days mdash with his friends to grab a plate of Moti Mahalrsquos butter chicken ldquoThey had the best butter chicken and kebabs It was a landmark that people would refer to give directionsrdquo he shared The last time he visited was 10 years ago with actor Boman Irani and his wife He said ldquoWe were in Bandra and thought that we must visit it for old timersquos sake and to have some butter chicken and a drinkrdquoKunal VijayakarMF Husain unrestrainedMF Husain Untitled oil on canvas 1972 Pic courtesyAstaguruArtist MF Husainrsquos iconic antiwar painting from 1972 will make its auction debut at AstaGurursquos upcoming Modern Indian Art Auction ldquoThis is an extremely significant work from Husainrsquos oeuvre Spanning eight feet this composition is an iconic antiwar painting showcasing his emotive response to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 which resulted in the IndiaPakistan conflict It gives us a unique perspective into the artistrsquos political intellect as well as his artistic masteryrdquo shared Sneha Gautam vice presidentclient relations at AstaGuru Other artworks that will go under the hammer include landmark pieces by artists SH Raza Krishen Khanna Bhupen Khakhar Anjolie Ela Menon and Jamini Roy among others