How this library in Bandra fosters a creative space for all age groups

Sanat Mukherjee narrates a story from the Mahabharata

The Maharashtra Mitra Mandal Library celebrates its 13th anniversary today. Popularly known as the MCubed library, it is nestled in a quiet lane amidst the bustling streets of Bandra. What began as a children's library in 2011 expanded within a year of its opening, into a space that houses books for grown-ups as well. The team at the library has since witnessed a welcoming community of supporters. Their journey, however, wasn't always smooth.

Rajiv Eipe and Priya Kurian were the first two Mehlli Gobhai award winners; (right) Canato Jimo

Vaishali Shinde, co-founder of the space, opens up, "During the pandemic years, we faced a major setback, especially since the space is community-driven. We had to shut down the library. Getting back on our feet was tough. An initiative like this cannot succeed unless people come together and participate." Shinde is relieved that the situation has since improved. "We have been fortunate that the community has helped with raising funds, providing furniture, coming down for events like our author meet-ups and movie screenings. It's truly coming back to its earlier stage."

A moment from the Common Room evenings

Since 2022, the library has also hosted an award ceremony, supported by the Mehlli Gobhai Trust, to acknowledge the work of an accomplished illustrator of children's literature. The Mehlli Gobhai award includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, along with a certificate and a statuette. The award was named after the painter and abstract artist, "The man who found art everywhere", as writer Jerry Pinto called him in his book dedicated to Gobhai's life. Pinto wrote the title as a quiet meditation, drawing on his conversations with the artist, Gobhai's early days, his work as an illustrator for children's books, his family, and the story of his pet loris. This year, the award will be presented to Canato Jimo for his book, Afo and I. "Usually, we invite publishers to send three entries. A panel of judges chooses the winning entry from these books," reveals Shinde. "This is the third year of the award. We present it on the day of our anniversary, and prior to the ceremony, the winner conducts an illustration workshop for children."

Vaishali Shinde and Vibha Kamat

Shinde tells us that she and co-founder Vibha Kamat are constantly trying to innovate to anchor children towards creative activities, while holding their attention. For instance, they now celebrate authors' birthdays to make the experience of reading fun for young readers, in addition to their storytelling sessions. "We have started a new initiative for grown-ups, too. It's called the Common Room, where every Friday we have activities like movie screenings followed by discussions. We also encourage talks by people from our community who have been doing great things in their day-to-day lives," she concludes.

Kids and parents participate in an art and craft workshop

AT Princess Building, near Bandra Gymkhana, D'Monte Park Road, Bandra West.
FROM Monday to Sunday; 10 am to 8 pm
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