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This cat studio-cum-café in Versova has a new look and menu
By the time we reach Cat Café Studio in Versova on a weekday afternoon, things are already in motion — the staff, the customers, the clinking tall glasses and plates. Everything, except the cats. They’re lounging on hungry patrons’ laps, atop bookshelves and in their new mini kitty condos. They seem to be the only ones staying true to the essence of the Aram Nagar address, for now. Patrons tuck into snacks in the company of the cats in the play area A popular adda for cat lovers seeking a quick snuggle, and a temporary home for indies rescued from the suburb, the studio, which started in 2015, shut its doors early last month for a makeover. “When the community learnt about the plans, they really came through. Four of our cats were adopted and many more found foster homes,” says brand manager Lamya Kapadia with a wide smile. The rest, we’re told, enjoyed a mini staycation at the café’s sister concern, the Feline Foundation, just down the road. A doodle depicting a stray cat’s journey by artist Karen Williams adorns the wall of the new space. PIC COURTESY/KAREN WILLIAMS ON INSTAGRAM The major upgrades to the play area include new pet furniture, which most of the nearly 15 cats seem to have already approved of by taking long naps on it. “The vision was to give visitors a glimpse of how the furry friends might look in their own living rooms,” Kapadia says. Jacky, a two-year-old ginger, seems to be demonstrating just that, by stretching himself out on the central table. We are convinced that everyone in this part of the town is an aspiring actor. On a serious note, the team has also extended the tile flooring to cover the full space for efficient disinfection and keeping unwanted external infections at bay. Cats take a nap in their new condo As we stroll through the space and study, we spot a large framed doodle that depicts a cat’s journey from the street to home. The team reveals their upcoming plans. The shiny new home will soon host a new series of open mics, paint-with-cats sessions, educational talks and… something else — sorry, we’re momentarily distracted by the kitten that is now scaling Kapadia’s shoulder. The cats are up and running, to the excitement of the young couple on a date, the collegians catching up and the team of caregivers, who were all eagerly waiting for this moment. Amid all the feline theatrics, it’s easy to forget that this is a café too, a reimagined one at that. We reluctantly tear ourselves away from the cats, to the café space with a new, larger kitchen set-up and a menu fresh off the press (although the staff will happily serve the grub in the play area). Among Instagram-worthy picks like the katsu chicken sando and sourdough avocado toast, we opt for the vegan nuggets (R285) and the veggie tofu ramen bowl (R245). A window into the live kitchen keeps us engaged. Vegan nuggets The ramen bowl comes with springy noodles, an aromatic broth and a generous serving of veggies and sliced tofu that is soaking in flavour. We might have inhaled the noodles with less grace than we’d like to admit. Thankfully the café’s most judgemental residents are in another room. We bite into the nuggets next. They’re not your usual jackfruit or tofu stand-ins for animal meat. Bhaskar Narwani, the brain behind the new menu explains that it’s a soy derivative that retains more moisture, spiced with chilli and garlic. These golden-brown nuggets pack a juicier bite than most mock meat experiments we have tried before. Espresso tonic We end the day with the tonic espresso to pre-empt the impending post lunch haze. The beverage is light, fizzy and keeps us company as we browse through the café’s merchandise corner. As we prepare to say our goodbyes to our newfound furry friends to brave the sun again, the espresso begins to lose the fight. The food coma kicks in hard, and we accept our fate. We’re in Aram Nagar, after all. What did you expect? Veggie tofu ramen AT Cat Café Studio, Harminder Singh Road, next to Kamla Mehta College, Aram Nagar Part 1, Versova, Andheri West.TIME 12 pm to 10 pm (Mondays closed)CALL 8291490907 Find your matchHead to these animal shelters and adoption centres to bring home your new furry friend Lamya Kapadia >> Welfare for Stray Dogs AT Tokershi Jivraj Road, near Rushabh Tower, Sewri West. CALL 08976022838 >> Animals Matter To MeAT CTS Ashram, Plot 166/167, Madh-Marve Road, Malad West. CALL 9920737737 >> Freedom Farm AT Unnathi Woods Road, Vijay Park, Kasarvadavali, Thane West. CALL 9324610601 >> Yoda MumbaiAT Chikuwadi Road, off Marve Road, Malad West.CALL 8899997704 >> Save Our StraysAT Khandelwal Apartment, 17th Road, Krishna Nagar, Khar West. CALL 9820141310
07 April,2025 09:17 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamble
Attend screening of documentary film 'Writing with Fire' in Mumbai
In a world driven by caste and patriarchy, Khabar Lahariya is a news portal that is run by marginalised women of India. Their lives have been chronicled by documentary filmmakers Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh in their film, Writing With Fire which will be screened at a suburban venue later this week. Rintu Thomas, co-director of the film, talks about what inspired her to film the lives of the reporters of Khabar Lahariya, “When we were invited to meet the reporting team of the news organisation in Uttar Pradesh, we were deeply moved — not just by their journalism, but by the radical act of being themselves in spaces that were never built to hold them. These are marginalised women navigating caste, patriarchy and a digital world, all at once — and doing it with clarity, humour and a sense of purpose. These were themes that aligned with our own interests as filmmakers.” A journalist uses her smartphone camera to research for a story Sushmit Ghosh, the co-director of the film, talks about the problems they dealt with, “The journey was both intense and incredibly rewarding. We spent four years filming with and alongside the journalists, often working in media-dark parts of Uttar Pradesh. In those early years, taking on a long-term project like this came with real financial risks. On ground, there was the obvious challenge of navigating spaces imbued with deep trauma and violence. The risks were real, but so was the clarity of purpose and that’s what carried us through.” (From left) Karan Thapliyal, Sushmeet Ghosh, Meera Devi and Rintu Thomas at IDFA Film Festival. Pic Courtesy/ IDFA, Amsterdam Thomas encountered many incidents that touched her. She talks about one such experience, “I remember filming one of the journalists just after she’d interviewed with a sexual abuse survivor. She stepped away, took a breath and immediately shifted to a phone call with her daughter about her tuition fees. That moment — of holding pain, power and care simultaneously — stayed with me. It reminded me why I do this work: to witness and honour that complexity, not simplify it.” The film was screened at multiple festivals like Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) and spaces like Kochi Biennale. Ghosh talks about the awards, “It became the first Indian feature documentary to be nominated for an Academy Award and to win the coveted Peabody Award.” Suneeta (in yellow), one of the journalists, conducts an interview Karan Talwar, co-founder, Harkat Studio, comments about this screening, “We dive deep into journalism or positions of power. Such documentaries are not seen anywhere online. They remain hidden, and so we want to bring them to the surface.” ON April 9; 7.30 pm At Harkat Studio, Bungalow No. 17, Versova, Andheri West. LOG ON TO altshows.comENTRY Rs 150
07 April,2025 09:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Minal Sancheti
Watch this performance in Mumbai to know about masnavi form of Urdu poetry
One almost expects theatremaker Jameel Gulrays to quote Mirza Ghalib, and say ‘Hain aur bhi duniya mein sukhanvar bahut acche… (there are better poets in this world)’ when asked about his upcoming performance at Prithvi House this week. The veteran will take stage tomorrow to showcase the form and nature of the masnavi, a forgotten form of Urdu literature, at the Juhu venue. “Like most linguistic traditions in India, storytelling in Urdu literature is diverse and layered,” explains Gulrays. As part of the Urdu Mehfil and Katha Kathan series at Prithvi Theatre, the veteran has sought to bring attention to this multi-faceted nature. “Very few people are familiar with Urdu literature, even through poetry. There were forms such as the qasida — used to praise someone or a marsiya, a song of sorrow that have faded out,” he says. Among these is the heejo, made famous by Mohammed Rafi Sauda. “A heejo was a song that was written to criticise or make fun of individuals. Sauda once wrote a poem on a British official, who was so enraged that he wanted the poet killed. So, artists offending officials is not a new thing,” the 76-year-old laughs. Jameel Gulrays The subject of the performance is Mirza Shauq Lakhnavi’s Zehr-e-Ishq. The 19th century poet was among three others — Hakim Hussain, Daya Shankar ‘Naseem’ and Mir Hassan — who were best known for the masnavi form. The couplets from the song were also famously picked by the late composer Khayyam in the song ‘Dekh lo aaj humko jee bhar ke’ for the film Bazaar (1982). “Masnavi refers to a genre of poetic storytelling where each poem comprises of couplets within a particular metric scheme. It can be based on any theme, story or narration,” he explains. This one, though, is on love. “Shauq’s work was so passionate that the legend goes that many couples would commit death by suicide upon hearing it in performance. The British government banned its performances at one point in time — sounds familiar, doesn’t it?” he laughs. This ban caused the form itself to slowly recede from public memory. Gulrays with Naseeruddin Shah during a rehearsal before Jashn-e-Sahir Incidentally, all three poems by Shauq Lakhnavi are about love. Why so, we wonder? “Ishqiya mera mizaaj tha ladakpan se,” comes the pat poetic reply. Considering the musical nature of the form, it is also closely reminiscent to the opera. Singer and vocal artiste Madhavi Ganpule has been associated with the Katha Kathan and Urdu Mehfil sessions at Prithvi Theatre since its inception. “In that sense, it is a very Indian form. Indian storytelling tradition has always been oral and poetic. Whether that is in Marathi, Hindi, or even Sanskrit. The Ramayana, for instance, is an epic poem written in stanza structures and metre,” Ganpule expands. The performance allows the initiative to expand on these literary forms in ways that are more than scholastic. “It is easier for people, old and young, to understand these forms and literary concepts when it is wrapped around a story,” she adds. A view of the audience during a previous reading session The curation and staging of the performance is anchored by Gulrays. “We are trying to expose people to Urdu literature from different angles, as well as different writers. We need readers and listeners to look beyond Mirza Ghalib, Ismat Chughtai or Saadat Hasan Manto to understand the depth and verve of Urdu literature. Hopefully, it is working,” he shares. ON Tomorrow; 7 pmAT Prithvi House, Juhu Church Road, Juhu. ENTRY First-come first-served basis
07 April,2025 08:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
Vivienne Westwood's take on tartan, and fashion tips for how you can style it
When British fashion house Vivienne Westwood came calling, Mumbai’s fashion fraternity eagerly braved the unseasonal drizzle, oppressive humidity and serpentine traffic jams to show up. And, for this date with one of the most enduring, revered and influential names in the design world, they came dressed in their Westwood best — the most telling sign of which was the omnipresence of tartan. And that isn’t surprising considering that tartan was a hallmark of the British designer, who was known for her rebellious take on fashion and ability to “turn the fashion world on its head by merging chaos with high fashion,” notes fashion designer Sanjana Bubber. Westwood’s fascination with tartan was an outcome of her anti-establishment rhetoric, especially because the fabric was a visual symbol of rebellion — tartan had been banned by the British government in 1746 and only saw widespread acceptance in the 19th Century, adds fashion designer Harshvardhan Rai. “What made Westwood’s take on tartan even more subversive was her maximalist approach, which stood in stark contrast to the more restrained aesthetic of the time. She also fused tartan with sharp English tailoring, to create pieces that were, at once, immaculately crafted but unmistakably her own,” he suggests. Alaya F pairs a tartan with pearls to create contrast. Pic Courtesy/AlayaF n Instagram; (right) Pashmina Roshan sports a tartan. Pic Courtesy/Pashmina Roshan on Instagram While Uorfi Javed, Pashmina Roshan and Alaya F all channelled Westwood’s tartan on the red carpet, you too can make this fabric your own, and add a fresh spin to your daily looks.SEE PHOTOS: LFW 2025 concludes with gala celebrating 25 years of the fashion extravaganza Gender benders A structured tartan ankle-length skirt is the most fashion-forward way to wear this fabric, says Bubber. “True to Westwood’s legacy, a tartan skirt can flout gender norms and can be dressed up or down, depending on the vibe you’re going for — while a white crop top or a crisp white shirt can create a pretty ensemble, a black leather jacket with hardware and buckles worn with boots can lean in to Westwood’s punk roots,” she explains. Tartan can also be layered for an impactful look. Wear a tartan vest or shirt over neutral basics to incorporate this fabric into everyday outfits without letting it overwhelm you. The colours you pair your tartan separates with can make all the difference to the outcome, says Rai. “While white and light neutrals can soften the look, black adds structure and contrast, while denim is an unexpected but a delightful pairing,” he shares. Vivienne Westwood. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons A matter of proportion Whether you wear your tartan piece or whether the piece wears you, depends on proportion, says Rai. “If you want to wear the fabric from head-to-toe, opt for a mini dress or a mini jacket and skirt set to avoid looking frumpy. Another unlikely combination that works even when it feels like it shouldn’t is tartan and florals, which harkens back to the English eccentric look. To keep the outfit from looking too dated or like a costume, wear modern and slightly edgy accessories such as ankle boots or a studded purse,” he clarifies. The most accessible way to wear tartan is in the form of accessories — a tartan scarf, tie, bag or shoes can instantly liven up the rest of your outfit. Harshvardhan Rai and Sanjana Bubber Lean into Westwood Bubber suggests wearing tartan the way Westwood intended it — in a fitted corset or a bustier, which you can pair with modern elements such as high-waisted trousers or ripped jeans. You could also experiment with a tartan dress in an updated avatar, such as an asymmetrical hemline or an off-shoulder cut. Pair it with statement heels or combat boots. For a truly Westwood throwback, wear your tartan with pearls to create a high-low contrast. Tartan suits are a great way to stand out, whether for men or women. In the case of streetwear, tartan hoodies and sweatshirts pair well with slim jeans, chunky sneakers and high boots.
05 April,2025 10:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Anindita Paul
Indulge in Catan while you relish the board game's themed dishes this weekend
Remember the days when friends, families and neighbours would gather after meals, huddle over a dusty board game and embark on a night of intense revelry? Yes, we miss that time too. While the city’s nightlife culture might have replaced those golden days of fun, you will be quite amiss to think that the passion of playing board games has died as well. For one, Borivli resident and board game enthusiast Gaurav Ganesh Jhawar’s session, The Settlers and Suppers of Catan not only intends to take you through the engrossing landscape of Catan (formerly Settlers of Catan), a board game based on the trade dynamics of medieval times but also treat you to a menu especially curated on the game’s elements. “It is a way for me to combine two things I love the most — board games and hosting people. Whenever we talk about board games it is either something very nerdy like Dungeons and Dragons or something basic like Snake and Ladder. I wanted to show how there is a whole spectrum of easy-to-play, medium strategy games that can be an invigorating alternative to the usual weekend party scenes,” the 29-year-old explains. Gaurav Ganesh Jhawar With the second session of the game scheduled today, Jhawar tells us that he did a couple of trial runs to see how people are picking on the game before deciding to start a community. “Usually people between the age of 20 to 30 years turn up for the session but the game can be played by anyone. In our house, I play these matches with my six-year old niece, my 53-year-old mother and 77-year-old grandmother, who, by the way, is quite an ardent player,” he reveals. Designed by German board game designer Klaus Teuber, the game is set on the fictitious island of Catan where four players (can extend till six) try to dominate the land by building settlements, roads and cities while acquiring and dealing in resources like wheat, sheep, wood, brick and ore. The menu is inspired by these elements. “The idea is to play the game while also nibbling on a dish that’s literally inspired from it,” Jhawar informs. From sourdough topped with ricotta cheese and hot honey, to a kiln-fired kulhad pizza, soup sticks with wood-fired hummus and dark chocolate brownie bites with almond rocks — we are leaving you to match these home-made treats to the game’s five important elements, the resources. With plans to extend the series to other games like Azul to hosting summer-special sessions for kids, Jhawar has some big ideas to get people back to the allure of board games, replete with an immersive experience. “We have a medieval orchestra compilation playing in the background to add to the atmosphere but it is essentially a jam where people pitch in with their preferred songs as well,” he shares before signing off. With that, it seems like we have our weekend plan sorted. ON Today; 7 pm onwardsAT 1202, Tower-1, Green Ridge, Chikuwadi, near Shimpoli Metro Station, Borivli West. LOG ON TO district.in COST Rs 1,500 onwards
05 April,2025 09:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Divyasha Panda
Going on holiday this summer season? Enjoy these books while you are travelling
. Notes from a Small Island: Bill Bryson’s humour comes alive in this memoir from his stay in Britain, through Dover, all the way into John O’Groats. He writes about little differences and preferences that separate the British way of living from the American — the ability of British locals to get excited by hot beverages, the English distances, open moors of the north, guesthouses, the small pleasures in puddings, cake, seaside rock, milky tea, and HP sauce. Although some of Bryson’s ideas are of an older time, one stays back for the English quirks and charm. Also read: Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome Bill Bryson. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons . Sunita De Souza Goes to Sydney and Other Stories: Travelling to a new country can remind us of what it means to be an outsider in a modern world. Roanna Gonsalves’s short story collection helps us navigate this emotion. She zooms into the lives inside the homes of Indian immigrants in Australia, as they search for their voices in a continent so vastly distinct from their own. These stories are packed with ordinary events — looking for Sichuan peppercorn for a recipe, learning about tea towels that wipe dishes, engaging in a long conversation with a beautician in the city. We learn about dreams as well as trials of the old and new immigrants.Also read: All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld Roanna Gonsalves. Pic Courtesy/Speaking Tiger . A Fortune-Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels in the Far East: What happens when a fortune-teller you met in Hong Kong warns you against flying so you don’t run the risk of dying? When Italian journalist Tiziano Terzani was advised so, he took the prophecy as an opportunity rather than a mere word of caution. In his book, he offers a lucid account of his travels across Asia (through Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Japan) by land and sea, once even on an elephant’s back. Terzani believes that the short span of a flight cannot offer an understanding of the world the way, for instance, a long train ride with a local family does.Also read: A Beginner’s Guide to Japan by Pico Iyer Tiziano Terzani. Pic/Getty Images . Out of Africa: A classic memoir by the Danish writer Karen Blixen, who went by her pseudonym Isak Dinesen, takes us to her coffee farm at the foot of the Ngong Hills in Kenya, where she lived for 17 years. Dinesen writes about the natives, her lover after a broken marriage, and the stories she narrated at the farm. Readers are with Dinesen when she waxes lyrical about the beauty of the place — the long stretch of Eucalyptus trees, 129 buffaloes emerging out of the morning mist, and flamingos at the lake. Her prose is evocative and stunning.Also read: Looking for Transwonderland by Noo Saro-Wiwa Isak Dinesen. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons . Travels with Charley: In Search of America: A desire to reconnect with his country takes the novelist John Steinbeck on a journey across America, with his French poodle, in a truck with a camper top. They travel from Maine to California. Along the way, Steinbeck encounters a host of fascinating characters as he searches for a nation and, introspectively, for himself. He notices how different one state is from the other in the way people treat each other, witnesses a startling event in Texas, meets potato pickers from Canada, irrational border authorities, and a diner waitress. He often wonders if progress resembles destruction. Also read: The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux John Steinbeck. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons All titles are available at leading bookstores and e-stores
05 April,2025 09:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
Attend this unique workshop to dive into the art of writing erotica
The season of penning love letters might be behind us, but if you have a way with your words, writer-translator Bhushan Korgaonkar knows the perfect release for those untamed ideas. At a beginner’s erotica workshop, Korgaonkar will deep-dive into the intimate craft of eroticism, fundamentals of writing erotica, storytelling techniques, open discussions and a Q&A session for all those questions you’ve been too shy to ask out loud. ON Today; 3.30 pm at Piroja Studio, Navpada, Vile Parle East. CALL 9892009357 ENTRY RS 650 (registration mandatory)
05 April,2025 09:38 AM IST | Mumbai | The Guide Team
Want to know more about Mumbai? Attend these online lectures about its evolution
The city of Mumbai is growing and ever evolving and no matter how much we claim to know about this island, there’s more to it. The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is conducting a series of online sessions for six days on the history of the city titled The Logy Of Mumbai. The lecture will be conducted by Dr Kurush Dalal who is an archaeologist, historian and culinary anthropologist. He explains why the session is called the Logy of Mumbai, “When we have a name for any subject we have the word ‘logy’ at the end — Geology, Biology. So, what does it mean? The word comes from the ancient Greek word ‘Logos’, which means study. The word ‘logy’ has been taken with a hyphen before it, and Logy of Mumbai are ways we can look at the city through the lens of different sciences and subjects.” Kurush Dalal. Pic Courtesy/Riddhi Joshi The key topics of the session are Archaeology, Iconography, Biology, History, Geography and Geology of Mumbai. He adds, “The online session is going to look at all these factors pertaining to Mumbai’s signature whereabouts and history.” The talk is open for people keen to know more about the history of Mumbai. “This is not an advanced level course where you won’t be able to keep up unless you’ve pursued three PhDs. We are trying to reach out to the lowest common denominator, which is everybody, and still bring facts that are unique, new, interesting and fun.” At the end of the course, the participants will be given a certificate by the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. The changing landscape of the city also makes us curious about what this city once looked like. Dalal points out what makes this series different, “Typically, when we look at the history, we look at who did what to whom. Here, we are looking at the fish around Mumbai, the plants, which animals have become extinct, which are still there, what is the story of the geology of Mumbai, where has it come up from, and how did Mumbai form when there was no life on our planet.” He adds, “This will also be about how Mumbai has evolved, especially in the short couple of hundred years when humans are very active, we have changed completely.” The session will include subjects like the Geology and Geography of Mumbai, the Anthropology of Mumbai, the History of Mumbai and the Foodology of Mumbai. ON April 7 to 12, 7 pm to 8.30 pm (all days) LOG ON TO @asiaticsocietymumbai (for registion) COST Rs 1,500 (members); Rs 2,000 (non-members)
05 April,2025 09:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Minal Sancheti
This Bandra-based children's choir will take the stage for a cause this weekend
If life had a background score, the glorious swell of a children’s choir would be saved for those rare moments of revelation. Much like when we were endlessly scrolling online earlier this week, and a video clip of a young group harmonising an angelic tune suddenly cut through the noise. Gleehive, the children’s choir born in Ranwar, Bandra, nearly four decades ago, has been silently nurturing voices in the hip suburb. This week, a new batch of young choristers is rehearsing for a special showcase for a cause. Director Dawn Cordo, a Berklee College of Music graduate, has composed countless jingles, arranged choir music for two decades, and even performed alongside maestro AR Rahman in 2010. But ask her for a story, and she’ll tell you about Celeste Cordo. Dawn’s mother, and founder of the choir, Celeste, now 66 years old, started the choir with the vision to bring children in her neighbourhood together through music. “Music classes dotted the lanes of Bandra back then, but they all functioned in isolation,” Dawn recalls. The showcase will also feature a young woodwind section The Cordos’ idea proves just as transformative for the children’s choir today, as it did decades ago. “When they sing now, they’re never alone. One child’s weak area is balanced by another’s strength. They all lift each other up,” Cordo points out, adding that the concept of a strict system with certification and grades never struck a chord with the family. As eight-year-old member Lisa Fernandes puts it, “Simply getting a ‘Good job!’ from Celeste and Dawn at the end of a tough song is my favourite part.” The thought reflects in the upcoming show’s theme, Every Drop Counts. While the young vocalists harmonise on songs like Why We Sing, a group of adult choristers from the Cadenza Kantori choir will chime in with jazz standards, Broadway classics and a few surprise tunes that might ring a bell. “The theme works two ways — firstly to remind us that every member of the community counts, and in a more literal sense, that our water bodies need immediate attention,” Cordo reveals. To that end, a collection stall at the venue will encourage spectators to donate dry waste to be recycled. A lighthearted moment from a rehearsal in Bandra At the Bandra venue this weekend, the director will have an eye not only on the children in her choir, but those who come visiting in the audience. “The repetitive rhymes children watch on their iPads nowadays aren’t doing much more than keeping them addicted to the screen. Experiencing live music has profound positive effects on a child’s development,” she remarks. “Sometimes, the arrangements are challenging but hearing our voices in harmony is the best feeling ever!” confirms 13-year-old member Mariah Miranda. Dawn Cordo Is there then a right age to join a choir? While Cordo sets that number at five years old, she insists it is never too early to listen to one live. “My mother tells me that when I was only nine months old, I crawled to her choir rehearsal at home and watched it till the end. I was always sceptical about the story until I recently embraced motherhood myself. Sure enough, at 18 months old, my son now waddles right into my rehearsals,” she laughs. If life had a background score, a children’s choir would swell in right about now. ON April 6; 7 pmAT St Andrew’s Auditorium, St Dominic Road, Bandra West.LOG ON TO @thegleehiveENTRY Rs 600 onwards
04 April,2025 09:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamble
Want to know more about Patola weave? Attend this session in Mumbai
The Patola weave will take centrestage at a session by Dr Urmila Mohan, anthropologist of material culture (PhD, University College London). The academic will highlight this popular weave from a socio-cultural perspective in a session titled Patan Patola to Rajkot Patola. She explains, “Learning about silk patolas is a way to enter into the larger story of Indian handlooms. This illustrated talk builds upon themes of design, heritage, and the importance of textile collections to introduce Rajkot Patola, a form of silk weft ikat that emerged in Rajkot, Gujarat in the early 1950s, and how it has developed into a modern artisanal form.” A trade textile pattern recreated in weft ikat by Dinesh Makwana; (left) a couple weaves a saree in Rajkot The form has evolved from Patan Patola to Rajkot Patola. Mohan elaborates about this journey, “Prior to the 1950s, the only type of Patola in India was the double ikat Patan Patola, a historic silk textile whose complex and laborious making process meant that only a few could own it. It would take six months for one family to make a saree, and customers would have to commission these pieces in advance. Rajkot Patola weavers, on the other hand, make single ikat versions of traditional patterns [where only the weft is patterned] that are more affordable.” Mohan aims to connect the cultural part of the textile form, “This talk will tease out the threads of how both Patan and Rajkot forms are valued and defined through their aesthetics, worth, social and technical factors, Geographic Indicators (GI) patent, and how makers in central Gujarat acquired socio-economic mobility over the last few decades. Altogether, this is a study of how a modern craft form emerges by engaging the imagination and efforts of various groups from weavers to textile collectors to cultural producers.” Dr Urmila Mohan. Pic Courtesy/jugaadproject on Instagram Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and director, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum talks about the museum’s collection of Patola textile, “The Museum has a small but interesting collection showcasing the rich textile traditions of India including Kinkhabs or brocades, Bandhani, Himroo saree, Paithani and three examples of Patolas which have been documented through a collaboration with Google Arts and Culture. We are pleased to present the talk by Dr Mohan now that the Museum has reopened to the public in January 2025. These lectures and talks are aimed at encouraging critical engagement with our collection for a scholarly as well as general audience.” ON April 5; 5.30 pm to 7 pmAT Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan, Byculla East.LOG ON TO @bdlmuseum on Instagram (to register)ENTRY Museum entry ticket applicable (Rs 20)
04 April,2025 09:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Minal Sancheti
Book review: Strictly meant for dog lovers
My Dog by Olivia Wakeford is a sweet, slow-paced book that tells the story of the strong bond between a dog and boy. It is a beautiful story of friendship and love, and shows how a dog can help and heal you while you’re going through an emotional turmoil. Being a dog lover and owner of three dogs, I could relate to each aspect of the story. The main character, Rhys, goes through many changes after losing his mother including a new city, new school, and new family. Through all these tough times, his dog, Worthington, remains by his side. But, because his father is not a fan of dogs, Rhys has to hide Worthington and keep him a secret. However, keeping a secret dog is not easy. I can’t even keep my dogs still for a second! If I was in Rhys’s place, I would have chosen my dog over my parents. However, if I could change one thing about the book, it would be its pace. Even though it was a great, adorable read, it was a little tough to get into the story at first, but after a while it gets easier. Overall, it was really heart-warming, and I found it to be a great read. I would definitely recommend it to all dog lovers out there. COST Rs 259AVAILABLE At leading bookstores and estoresBy Tushtta Patel, 13 years, Kalina
04 April,2025 09:06 AM IST | Mumbai | The Guide Team