The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Ashish Raje
In their bubble
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Thirty young and adult flautists, led by musicians Vivek Sonar and Shikhar Naad Qureshi (not in picture), at Marine Drive for the upcoming Bansuri Utsav in Thane.
The original carers of the forest
Adivasi participants at the session
In a bid to incorporate responsible human action in controlling forest fires and managing forest land, Kharghar-based non-governmental organisation Waatavaran recently held a two-day workshop with the tribals of Sudhagad, Karjat and Khalapur blocks of Raigad district. Rahul Sawant from Waatavaran — who has been coordinating the Building Capacities programme — shared with this diarist, “The workshop at Yusuf Meherally Centre in Raigad witnessed a huge footfall of tribal women. They were eager to pair their traditional knowledge with technical training. The sessions were modelled on cultivating self-determination, awareness about forest land rights of tribals, their ownership, employment and livelihood.”
A new legacy begins
(From left) Zohaan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Bangash and Abeer
Another generation prepares to take the stage as Zohaan and Abeer, sons of Ayaan Ali Bangash, join their grandfather, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on a five-city-tour starting today. The sarod maestro told this diarist that the duo had been making progress in their father’s tutelage through the lockdown. “They played their first track called Our love for my birthday in 2020, which was the greatest present for me.” A proud father, Ayaan, added, “They are also so fortunate to be sitting on stage alongside their grandfather. I hope that they build their own legacy and take the universal message of music forward.” Uncle Amaan shared that the kids will rise to the challenge. “I feel so thrilled to be performing on stage with my twin nephews. They are the love of our lives and we feel so blessed to see them start performing with us. I also feel that the standards are quite set, and they are lucky to receive such love.” Their first Mumbai performance at Shanmukhananda Hall in February might just be the dawn of a new age.
Sailing into Mumbai’s history
Joshi hosts students at Elephanta Caves
When a group of 27 students from the US were taken around by city-based archaeology and history buff Riddhi Joshi to explore the tangible heritage of Mumbai, they were wonder-struck. Part of the Semester at Sea — a multi-country programme aimed at promoting global comparative study — these students visited CSMVS and Elephanta Caves. Joshi, a freelance guide with travel agency No Footprints, shared, “The students were stunned by the magnificence of the huge sculptures.” She added that visual arts was an elective subject for most of them, and Mumbai was their obvious choice because of its World Heritage Sites.
Legendary tunes
Shujaat Husain Khan and Rahul Sharma
After two years, the quadrangle of St Xavier’s College will resonate with the music of Janfest’23. The annual classical music showcase that has become an integral fixture on the city’s cultural calendar will feature veterans like Ustad Taufiq Qureshi, Ustad Shujaat Khan, Pandit Anand Bhate and Rahul Sharma, among others. The musical weekend of January 28 and 29 will also mark 50 years of the organisers, the Indian Music Group (IMG). Gauravi Pradhan, general secretary, IMG 2022-23, shared, “For the past two years, people have been missing the fest. We wanted to ensure that we recreate the same atmosphere that they’ve missed. We’re also setting up a wall of photographs, tracing the journey of IMG.”
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