Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Anurag Ahire

Animal farm

A man feeds a crow while a dog looks on at Marine Drive

Resilience by the dock

Sassoon Dock has witnessed something surreal in the past week: a mural by Australian First Nations artist Miriam Baadjo, and Bhil artist Gangu Bai, who hails from Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. The painting was a part of a project called Dreams in Her Scapes - which initiated a dialogue between the two women practicing Indigenous art forms from their respective communities.

Sohil Belim

Speaking to mid-day, Gangu Bai says, "The mural is inspired by our community and nature. In Bhil art, dots represent stories and memories, with distinct patterns for deities and ancestors. I appreciate the similarities and differences I found in Miriam's art." Miriam, too, found the collaboration with Gangu extremely enriching, from an art point of view. She explains, "I was impressed with Gangu's more precise dot techniques and her focus on animals and plants."

Multiple organisations came together for this venture, including the St+art India Foundation, the Australian Consulate-General in Mumbai, Asian Paints, Mumbai Port Authority, and Agency Projects. Paul Murphy, Australian Consul General to Western India, says, "This collaboration between Australian First Nations artist Miriam Baadjo and Bhil artist Gangu Bai beautifully reflects the shared wisdom of two ancient cultures, offering a platform for dialogue through a contemporary lens."

Of Pawn2King and after Ding

The chess abstract

This is what is called putting your finger on the pulse of the moment. Freelance sports journalist Nandakumar Marar, who dabbles in creative design, had made an eye catching art work in appreciation of D Gukesh winning the Candidates Tourney in April this year, qualifying to challenge Ding Liren for the FIDE World Chess Championship. A green towel was the canvas as Marar stated of his design, "These are pulses arranged atop the green towel. Sesame seeds, sago pearls make up the chess board. Sesame seeds were also used for the pawn figure. Corn kernels placed as the crown on the head, signified the Candidates champion that Gukesh became then. The fireworks taking off on either side were made using masur dal, sago in the middle... My attempt overall was abstract to convey a chess achiever. It was titled Pawn2King."

A queer sense Of humour

Comics Navin Noronha from Mumbai and Anshita Koul from Berlin are on a four-city tour that will be in Mumbai on December 28 and 29, at Broadway Blues, Lower Parel, and at Thane's Bookspace respectively.

Double Bill(iyaan) on December 28 and 29 in Mumbai and Thane

The pair quip that their show - Double Bill(iyaan) - does talk about the queer experience both in India and being a Indian queer person abroad, but that it is not all that they are. "Most stand-up comedies are still spaces of toxic homophobic jokes that are not truly funny - they are just crass, crude jokes that people get to make at our expense," says Noronha.

Koul, who is now working and earning majority of her living as a comedian in Berlin, brings her own insight into being a queer woman to the table. "I believe we do need shows like this because it ensures a safe space for a queer comedians who might have the talent but don't have the confidence." As we end our interview, she quips, "Thank you for not asking us how we knew we were gay." Maybe a sign that journalists need to brush up on their etiquette while speaking to the members of the LGBTQiA community?

‘Three-star' appearance continues in Brisbane Test

Just like in the Perth and Adelaide Test matches, the Australian and Indian teams have one player each with three initials before their surnames - SPD Smith and YBK Jaiswal. In Brisbane, during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, the Australian team had leg-spinner MacGill, whose initials are SCG. Interestingly, he played for New South Wales so the Sydney Cricket Ground was his home turf.

Steve Smith and Yashasvi Jaiswal. PICS/GETTY IMAGES

In the Chennai Test of 1979-80, Australia included AMJ Hilditch in the XI while India fielded CPS Chauhan and SMH Kirmani. In 1985-86, GRJ Matthews and SMH Kirmani were in the playing XI in Australia. In most Tests of the 1967-68 series, there was EAS Prasanna and MAK Pataudi for India while in the 1980-81 Sydney Test, there were three - CPS Chauhan, SMH Kirmani and RMH Binny. And by the way, SPD for Smith is Steven Peter Devereux while YBK for Jaiswal is Yashasvi Bhupendra Kumar.