Pants on fire
A man hangs washed denim pants to dry under the scorching sun at Dhobi Ghat in Mahalaxmi
Tell me about the Kolis
Prachita Koli presents at the school in Borivli; students interact with Koli after the talk. PICS COURTESY/PRACHITA KOLI
You might remember the quintessential tune, ‘Mi hai Koli’ as your early introduction to the Koli way of life. But the times they are a-changin’. To give children a peek into the fisherfolk community, Dharavi Koliwada-resident Prachita Koli conducted a special audio-visual session at the JBCN International School in Borivli earlier this week. “I wore my best Koli attire and presented a session on the history of the community, why we fish, how the fishing activities keep Mumbai’s ecosystem running, and our age-old folklore. The kids were all ears, and threw many follow-up questions at me,” Koli recalled. Rest assured, Koli came prepared (and dressed) for the job.
Wowed by Valencia
Mayur Jumani jams with a saxophonist on the streets of Spain. PIC COURTESY/MAYUR JUMANI ON INSTAGRAM
City-based musician Mayur Jumani has returned from his Spain trip bearing saxophones, flamenco guitars and bongos. Oh, and they’re all in his portable handheld recorder. Captured from the streets and music halls of Spain, snippets of these instruments have now made their way into Jumani’s new track Sounds of Spain. “I joined random buskers on streets, or simply recorded musicians on stage at venues. I was surprised by how open they all were to the experiment. When I came back home, I cleaned the recordings and put them all together,” Jumani revealed to us. The trip also marked a homecoming of sorts for the popular multi-instrumentalist. “Valencia holds a special place in my heart. Years ago, I was a student at the Berklee College of Music’s Valencia campus. An invitation from the institute was when the seed of this idea was planted. After wrapping up my duties as a guest speaker, I set out on the musical adventure,” he shared. Those keen to tune into this sonic experiment can log on to @mayurjumani on Instagram.
Carry on gunners
A moment from the quarterfinals in London. PIC COURTESY/VIVIAN BRITTO
Declan Rice’s free-kick against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League last week, had a few Indian voices behind it.
“Every second felt like an hour, but when the final whistle went, the stadium roared,” shared Vivian Britto who had the rare opportunity to watch the game live in London. With the second leg tomorrow, the Mumbai fans will gather for a special meet up in Andheri.
Acing the silambam in Dharavi
The young artiste performs a Silambam routine in Dharavi. PIC COURTESY/POOJA ASHOKKUMAR
The traditional martial art form of Silambam made a timely appearance at the Dr BR Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Dharavi on Monday. “Babasaheb would’ve been proud,” said researcher Pooja Ashokkumar, who was witness to a young female artiste’s brave moves at the celebrations hosted by the Jai Bhim Foundation. “The art form shares some characteristics with Kalaripayattu, An artiste usually performs with a stick, and it is a common sight in Tamil Nadu,” she told us. The neighbourhood’s diverse culture had a role to play in the unusual sight, Ashokkumar added. “Living in the heart of the city, and [being] close to his works, the Tamil immigrants in Dharavi share a special bond with Babasaheb’s ideologies. The celebration was a melting pot of cultures in the true sense of the term,” she revealed to this diarist.
Giggles, fun and games in Parel
Moments from the afternoon sessions in Parel Village. PICS COURTESY/Robin Hood Army
Children from the settlements in Parel Village had a hearty time when a group of volunteers from the Robin Hood Army joined their playtime last Sunday. Payal Solanki, one of the volunteers, said, “The Robin Hood Army is a volunteer-based, zero-funds organisation. Every Sunday at 3.30 pm, our volunteers gather in Parel to begin the day’s session with the children. Last weekend, we played easy games like kabaddi and Number Line with the children.” The organisation’s journey in Parel began in 2016, when a few volunteers went in search of children to teach. “What started as a simple idea has become an initiative where volunteers dedicate their time to teaching and mentoring children from the area. Currently, the Parel Village chapter has a dedicated team of 10 to 12 volunteers, with fluctuating numbers, depending on availability,” she added. Since summer holidays are around the corner, the volunteers wanted to give the children a break from their studies. After an afternoon of fun, they parted ways, but not before handing the children a few books to keep them company.
