Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

Say it with roses

A woman strikes a pose at the Gateway of India with roses in her hand.

Eating well since 1974

The store is abuzz with visitors all week. They helped countless customers, especially senior citizens with doorstep delivery during the multiple lockdowns in COVID-19

Fifty years ago, my husband had brought a full chicken from Eat Well for a family meal but as a newly-wed I wasn't familiar with how to cut it! He returned to the shop where Parag's father, late Dattatrey Phadnis got it cut, and saved my day," recalls Nayantara Mahajan. She, like thousands of old-time customers, are toasting to the legacy and comfort that Eat Well Cold Storage in Mulund's buzzing MG Road has had in their lives. The store completes 50 years tomorrow, and Phadnis senior, must be smiling from the heavens as his sons, first Sanjay, and now, Parag and Pravin, continue to keep customers content, ever since they started as the first cold storage in the eastern suburbs. When MAFCO was looking for distributors, his visionary father saw promise in an idea despite refrigerators being uncommon in suburban homes.

"Naturally, the first decade was challenging; we sold items like green peas, dairy products and mango pulp. By the mid-1980s, Venky's had arrived. People started working and travelling overseas, and choices had expanded. Our sales soared as we began to stock their products and other ready-to-eat fare. The 1990s till mid-2000s was the best phase," he recalls.

Brothers Pravin (seated) and Parag (second from left) with their some of their dedicated staff. Pics/Fiona Fernandez

In 1992, the family opened Sahil Foods in Mulund East that is now run by Sanjay. "We overcame the supermarket invasion because ours is a one-to-one, personal relationship; today, the third-generation customer shops here," he smiles with pride.

Rightly called a "khazana" by his customers because you can get everything from homemade pickles and Goan prawn curry (the day's special when we dropped by), to fresh fish and meats, traditional puran poli and English desserts. The inspired, cyclic curation gives it an edge over brand-heavy retail supermarts. "Home chefs reach out to me, or vice versa. We keep it fresh, diverse and move with the changing times. Korean cuisine is trending, as are ready foods, so we look into these preferences as well," informs Parag. Social media, app-based deliveries and online payments have ensured that their customer base has now fanned out to Dadar and Kalyan across the eastern suburbs.

With eight dedicated staffers, many who have been around for decades, what's the secret survival mantra, we ask: "Our customers are our ambassadors; it's their trust that keeps us going."

The Iceman cometh

Vishwaraj Jadeja skates at a previous competition

For Vishwaraj Jadeja, this India visit is not just a vacation. A veteran of close to 250 races and 15 medals, the skater is making the most of his fundraising visit to prepare for the upcoming Asian Winter Games in February 2025. Though very few people would associate India with the sport, Jadeja remarked that the country has its own natural resources that aid speed skaters. "I usually head to Ladakh, and explore the mountains as part of our altitude training programme. It is the cornerstone of our regimen. Since we have the Himalayas in our backyard, I anchor my programme from here. I feel proud about that," he told
this diarist.

The voice of solidarity

Mary Sullivan's A Fine Line, 2023. Pic Courtesy/Mickael Do Couto, Mary Sullivan

Artists can heal the wounds of a broken world. The Artists' Film International (AFI) in collaboration with Forma hosted at Project 88 is proof. Starting July 11, the gallery will host screenings of 12 films by moving-image artists created by partner institutes across the world. The films are anchored in the collectively chosen theme of solidarity, shared gallerist Sree Goswami. "As a gallery, we have chosen Aarti Sunder's Ghost Cut-Some Clear Pixels Amongst Us, as our selection," she added.

Robot-walk Down Under

Gaurav Berwal (in green) runs final checks on a robot. Pic/Ashish Raje

For the young students of Omotec Institute in Juhu, the upcoming Australian Open First Tech Challenge (FTC) is a chance to push the boundaries on technology. Two teams of nine students each will be participating in the Asia-Pacific segment starting July 12. "The tasks are to pick up the pixels or round markers and place them on the board. If you create mosaics depicting an image, you receive extra points. It is basically a competition that judges your ability to marry art and technology," shared Gaurav Berwal, one of the mentors. The two robots are built under the height of 14 inches to enable smooth movement across the hurdles of the arena. "The theme is Centrestage - a reference to theatre and drama. We have to bring that through our creations as well," he shared.

The unsung entrepreneurs

Zainab Tambawalla; (right) An illustration of a fruit seller by Tambawalla. Pic Courtesy/Instagram

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Zainab Tambawalla would vouch for it. What started as a commission has turned into a personal mission for the Mumbai-based artist. Her recent series, ‘Ladies Special' series looks at the beauty and enterprise among the women of Mumbai. "When I started looking for women on the streets of the city, there were few who agreed. As I kept working, I noticed how most women were selling domestic stuff like fruits, vegetables or flowers. I also noticed their beauty, something I would have missed, had I not paused and observed them," she told this diarist.