The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Satej Shinde
Beat the summer blues
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Great idea to shield the kid from the April heat, we say, but this mommy from Borivli should read up on smothering accidents.
Booked for therapy
Trisha De Niyogi. Pic/FB
It can’t be denied that what’s happening around us impacts our mental health. But we’re happy to learn that publisher Niyogi Books in collaboration with Indian Novels Collective has floated a potential coping mechanism. Till May 13, they are offering one title from Indian translated fiction every day at the price of R1, that can be downloaded on Amazon Kindle.
Chitra Mudgal is one of the authors whose titles are on offer. Pic/Wikimedia Commons
“The best thing to do right now is to read. As physical books can’t be delivered, we thought why not give e-books to people, and something different from what they already read. We considered translated literature because it helps in discovery,” shared Trisha De Niyogi, director, Niyogi Books. We’ll bookmark this.
Farewell, Mario’s greatest critic
Mario and Habiba Miranda. Pic/Mario Gallery
We’re saddened to learn that artist and Sir JJ School of Art alumnus Habiba Miranda, partner of late Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda, passed away last week, days before the latter’s birth anniversary on May 2. As tributes poured in on social media, architect Gerard da Cunha, who also looks after Mario Gallery, told this diarist that he’ll remember Habiba as a supportive partner with a great artistic sensibility. “I have been dealing with her for the past 13 to 14 years. She was very good with colour, and Mario, with black and white — they made a great team. She was his greatest critic,” he shared, adding that Habiba kept the legend grounded. He also noted that she gave him a free hand at managing the gallery. “Once we tide over this pandemic, we will organise a memorial for her,” he assured.
Ray of nostalgia
Come May 2, the world will be celebrating legendary director Satyajit Ray’s birth centenary. But in the city, the celebrations have got an early start, with entrepreneur Srila Chatterjee’s furniture and craft-based online concept store Baro Market paying an artistic tribute to Ray with an array of unique artefacts, including souvenir posters, cushion covers, ceramic plates and more.
Satyajit Ray
“What made Ray special was his profound humanism. We believe that what this maestro did was what we strive to do — he spoke in his own language and kept his lens on his own country, but his message was universal. He cared so much about his craft that much of it was done by him,” Chatterjee told this diarist.
A cushion cover inspired by the director’s Feluda series
She added that to mark his birthday, they’ve focused on all the products that are related to him in their collection. “Most special of them all are five historic, vintage and actual film posters from the time of release,” she said.
Feed Mumbai’s dabbawalas
The 5,000-plus community of dabbawalas, who used to feed the city daily in the pre-pandemic days, had just begun to get back on their feet, when the second wave hit them. “We aren’t getting any help from the state. We had just started earning again, making ends meet somehow, but now, that’s stopped. Our situation is grim,” shared Kiran Gavande, general secretary, Mumbai Dabbawala, which has initiated a fundraiser for the community. Pitch in and lend them a hand at bit.ly/help-dabbawala.
A case for a fair music ecosystem
As part of World Intellectual Property Day that was observed yesterday, the Indian Performing Rights Society launched IPRS for Fair Music campaign that will be on till April 30, to encourage the building of a healthier ecosystem for music in India. “We felt what better day than today to discuss the various issues being faced by people in the music industry — musicians, composers, artistes and creators. We will be organising activities with a variety of speakers about issues including how those who use other’s intellectual property must respect it and procure licences to use it. If there is no healthy ecosystem for creators, investments will decrease and people won’t create music,” CEO Rakesh Nigam explained. The virtual sessions will include conversations with different stalwarts from the industry, and talks on copyright laws and music licensing.
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