Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Love in the time of a pandemicA maskless couple throw caution to the wind near the Gateway of India in Colaba on FridayIdeas for todayRakshak KumarTEDx is a global programme that encourages local selforganised events that bring people together to share ideas that are worth spreading One such session is being organised in collaboration with St Xavierrsquos College in Dhobi Talao on Sunday The theme for it is Unheard Unknown and Unuttered and speakers include filmmaker and disabilities expert Rustom Irani social entrepreneur Avani Singh fashion stylist Lorraine Gonsalves mathematician Sagar Shrivastava and scientist Rakshak KumarLorraine GonsalvesldquoWe wanted to unearth voices that inspire that speak the language of grit compassion and commitment So our theme this year is lsquoUnheard Unknown and Unutteredrsquo to bring to the public domain narratives of individuals who chose to not go by the flow but create their own paths to motivaterdquo Dr Pranoti Chirmuley of St Xavierrsquos who is the eventrsquos staff incharge told this diaristMore power to Indian textilesAn installation that displays the Kathiwada style of weavingIndia has a rich and diverse heritage of weaving traditions that are spread across the length and breadth of the country Karkhana Chronicles is an online exhibition that aims to shine a spotlight on the craftspeople who take this legacy forward It returns for its second edition this weekend and will feature a series of installations and traditional textiles in collaboration with the royal families of Indore Kathiwada Mysuru and BhavnagarThe launch will also feature an online panel discussion this Sunday where speakers including Priyadarshini Raje Scindia of Jai Villas Palace Maharwal Chaitanya Raj Singh of Jaisalmer Fort and Palace Museum Akshita M Bhanj Deo of Belgadia Palace and YKC Wadiar of Mysuru Palace will be in conversation with Mickey Boardman in pic editorial director of Paper Magazine The installations for the exhibition include the Sanyogita saree a reinterpretation of Maharani Sanyogitaraje Holkarrsquos yellow Maheshwari saree Talking about the exhibition Bhanj Deo shared with this diarist ldquoKarkhana Chronicles II seeks to highlight heritage textile art that is not limited to its positive impact on the environment but also the exceptional quality and exclusivity in design that comes along with these textiles Concepts such as circularity that have come into contemporary discourse on sustainability are actually ideas that have organically existed within our traditional production systems for centuriesrdquoMeals for a causeA volunteer distributes food in Aarey on behalf of The Nazareth FoundationItrsquos no secret that the curbs in place to tackle rising cases will adversely affect the vulnerable sections of society To ensure that those who need food and ration donrsquot go hungry citybased nonprofit The Nazareth Foundation has restarted its Covid Lockdown Food Project Founder Cassandra Nazareth shared that they have also tied up with the citizenled network Khaana Chahiye to distribute cooked meals ldquoI can see livelihoods getting severely impacted especially in pockets of Aarey SGNP and Madh Island We are open to donations in cash cooked food packets as well as rationsrdquo she shared Call 9833250255 or reach out to them at TheNazarethFoundation to lend them a handWaste not want not at this cafeAn upcoming eatery that is launching in Dadar is billing itself as the cityrsquos first zerowaste cafeacute Itrsquos called Nude Food and coowner Siddhant Padte told this diarist that given the pandemic they will start off with deliveries only where customers will be given the choice for the packaging They can opt for paper packaging or they can ask for returnable stainlesssteel containers which they can empty and return immediately when the food arrives or return it the next dayldquoItrsquos the same simple mechanism that happens with dabbas though this option is there only for those who order directly from the restaurantrdquo Padte shared He added that they also have their own composting system and that the menu consists of Mediterranean dishes sandwiches handtossed pizzas and pastas They will start taking orders from May 1 though deliveries will be restricted to a threekm radiusA safe space for the mindAs another lockdown confines everyone to their homes certain anxieties might start to creep up once again To create a safe space for people to share these feelings life coach Mehak Mirza Prabhu has come up with the Secret Gathering a free secret online session to help people talk about their anxieties and traumas and try to heal ldquoI wanted to make a safe space where people can talk about what is troubling them They need not reveal their identities eitherrdquo Prabhu told this diarist ldquoFor now people can drop their email IDs in the comments on my Instagram post and receive an invite The dates time and theme will only be disclosed in the invites I send outrdquoPrabhu added