Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

The real powerpuff girl

A young girl tries out the dumbbells at a public gym at Five Gardens in Matunga

They hit a 100 to support Aarey Forest

Performers at a previous cypher

For the last 100 weekends, the Youth For Aarey group has gathered in Aarey Forest as a campaign to raise awareness. This Sunday, they will have some new voices from Street Hip Hop step up in its support. "As a community, we host several cyphers across the city and the state. Hip-hop is the expression of reality, and we cannot walk away from the reality of threats to the environment," shared Shafi Shaikh, organiser for Street Hip Hop. The rappers will host a free cypher for youngsters to participate in, with new anthems and raps about climate change and the need to protect the forests.

Shafi Shaikh and Tabrez Ali Sayed

"There is a desperate need to protect the greenery of this city. It is something every youngster should take part in," he added. For Tabrez Ali Sayed, member of Youth For Aarey, it is the best way to catch the attention of a new generation. "We have been part of the Save Aarey movement since 2015. This is the reason why we started the Sundays for Aarey campaign. This weekend marks our 100th edition, and we reached out to invite the hip hop community. After all, we need new voices for a new generation," he told this diarist.

Water, water everywhere

A view of the flooding in the pond. Pic Courtesy/Instagram

The July leg of the monsoon has yet again disrupted the landscape of the city and its suburbs. From halting public transport to creating urban floods, the monsoon season is both a boon and a bane for Mumbaikars. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered schools and colleges to shut down on Thursday, with heavy waterlogging bringing traffic to a complete standstill in several parts. In the midst of this chaos, Pradip Patade, a dedicated nature enthusiast and marine researcher, shared his recent experience during a nature walk in the serene Maharashtra Nature Park located in Dharavi.

Pradip Patade

The park's pond, usually a tranquil spot, has alarmingly swelled to levels of 4.67 meters, nearing the height of the Mithi River that flows near its boundary. Patade expressed his concerns, "If the rains persist at this relentless rate, the water from the river would cause the pond to overflow. This could potentially cause flooding in the BKC area. Adding to the city's woes, the drain lines leading towards the seaside are at risk of choking due to an expected high tide of 2.47 meters. This could worsen the already extensive waterlogging, turning the city's streets into rivers and bringing everyday life to a grinding halt."

Say it with flowers

The team rehearses ahead of the performance. Pic Courtesy/Ainosh Aibara

Stories, myths and legends come together in city-based playwright Omkar Bhatkar's upcoming multimedia performance, The Blue Flowers. Bhatkar will premiere the show at the Manifest 2024, a unique dance film festival that will be held in Pondicherry this weekend. "The piece dives into the theme of searching for something blue, symbolising the longing for home, exile, lost family, love, and the impossibility of attaining it - much like the elusive sky," the playwright shared. Inspired by the Neelakurinji flower, which blooms once every 12 years and is found in the hills of Kerala, the performance explores the universal desire for belonging, he said, adding, "I drew inspiration from poets like Mahmoud Darwish, Isabelle Eberhardt and the scientist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure." While performing at the festival is a rare opportunity, Bhatkar noted that the challenge for the team was to blend different forms of media together.

Opening the court for everyone

A previous charity tournament

Sahil Gurbuxani is using badminton to send out a message of inclusiveness. The 17-year old state-level shuttler is hosting a charity badminton tourney to help children experience the transformative nature of sport. "Badminton has helped me learn many things that I would not have otherwise," Gurbuxani (inset) shared.

Participants at the tournament

To help less privileged children experience the same, he will be hosting a charity badminton tournament, SMASH-A-Thon at the Willingdon Sports Club in Tardeo today. "There are over 10 municipal schools associated with the Akanksha Foundation, as well as the Gateway School, Mumbai. Some of the children are from an underprivileged group, while others have cognitive impairments. I wanted to bring them all together and help them experience the joy of playing the game," he shared.