29 October,2020 06:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
A member of the Vasudev community, wandering minstrels who sing Bhakti songs, helps his co-singer put his mask on at Thane East on Thursday.
A member of the Vasudev community, wandering minstrels who sing Bhakti songs, helps his co-singer put his mask on at Thane East on Thursday. PIC/Sameer Markande
Nothing Anonymous performs at a previous edition of the festival
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When NH7 Weekender debuted in 2010 as the first full-fledged multi-stage rock music festival in India, it sent ripples not just across the country, but even abroad, with one British publication calling it the 'Glastonbury of the East'. While some might say that epithet is an overstatement of facts, there's no doubt that the event has built a loyal fan base over the years, bringing a host of international artistes down to our shores to share the stage with local musicians. But this year, like everything else, the event has moved online, changing its tagline from 'The happiest music festival' to 'Happy at home'. Gunjan Arya, CEO of Only Much Louder, which organises the event, assured, "The fest will feature its signature programming mix of international and Indian indie musicians, albeit online." The digital avatar will be unveiled on December 5 and 6. But let's hope that things get back on the ground next year.
The joy of being part of guided tours and discussions at museums and art spaces isn't something we'll be able to witness anytime soon. But all thanks to technology, we can recreate these experiences and a two-day online event by city-based interdisciplinary arts organisation Art X Company and Paytm Insider might do that for you. The initiative is called Ghar Se Museum and will take place between November 27 and 28. "Six months into the pandemic has seen the acceptance of the digital medium, for work and recreation, and has opened up a lot of avenues for personal enrichment. The event will feature various sessions and formats and will give you a chance to experience India's art, culture and heritage first hand," founder Rashmi Dhanwani, shared.
Many of us associate Bhanu Athaiya as being the first Indian to win an Oscar, for her work as the costume designer for the film Gandhi in 1982. But how many remember that she had been a promising modernist painter? An upcoming auction in December promises to reinforce this side of the multifaceted talent, putting her works under the hammer.
"We were taken aback by both the technical expertise and the avant-garde nature of some of them," curator Indrajit Chatterjee of Prinseps, which is hosting the event, told this diarist.
Comedian Vir Das recently posted a sardonic video on social media that sought to remind people about the perils of rampant consumerism. In it, he pretended as if he was excited about opening up a parcel he had received, except that this box turned out to be a Russian doll of sorts since it had multiple smaller boxes inside, the last of which contained a '500 note. "They gave just money and cut out the product. How efficient is that?" he asked in a sarcastic manner, raising a pertinent point about indiscriminately purchasing material objects.
Anyone who thinks that the dangers of the pandemic are behind us needs to get their head out of the sand. There is still no end in sight, and frontline workers are continuing to put their lives at risk for the sake of others. "It is clear that police personnel, healthcare and ASHA workers, first respondents and COVID test workers are in need of essential safety protection," said Nipa Badani of Face First Shields, a company that manufactures high-end face shields with German polycarbonate. That's why she, along with the Natasha and Adar Poonawalla Foundation, has now started a fundraiser to help these heroes stay safe on duty, providing them with her firm's protective gear. Want to lend a hand? Log on to ketto.org.
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