Cut from the same cloth
A group of women clad in identical pink sarees stands waiting at a bus stop on Swami Vivekananda Road in Borivli West
Bombay Duck chronicles in Bengaluru
The installation at Science Gallery, Bengaluru depicts the racks used by the Koli community to dry their daily catch of Bombay duck, which is integral to their culture. Pics courtesy/Science Gallery Bengaluru
There’s an intriguing sculptural installation currently underway at Bengaluru’s Science Gallery that has a Mumbai link. It tells untold stories of the Kolis, the city’s indigenous fishing community. Titled, How To Cook Bombay Duck In Various Ways, it showcases the drying racks used to preserve excess catch of this fish. Parag Tandel, the artist behind the installation, who belongs to the Koli community, told this diarist, “The Bombay duck is a staple food for the Kolis.
Parag Tandel
My installation intends to depict the importance of this history. Presently, the ocean is being taken over, with things like development projects, or polluted with oil leaks, reducing fish catch in recent years and impacting the community’s food habits and livelihood. The installation is on view till July 2026. In addition, cyanotypes from my ‘Worli Koliwada’ series, of dry seafood recipes from Koli cuisine, are also on display.”
Pink City calling
A scene from the Jaipur Literature Festival 2025. Pic courtesy/@beautifuljaipur
It’s that time of the year when the country’s literature festival nerds get into fifth gear, given the sheer number of events that cram into the coming months. The big daddy, the Jaipur Literature Festival, is back for its 19th edition from January 15-19, 2026, and recently released their first list of star speakers. These include Banu Mushtaq, Shobhaa De, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Jung Chang, KR Meera, Stephen Fry, and Viswanathan Anand, among others. Namita Gokhale, writer and festival co-director, shared, “This promises to be a vintage edition. Our sessions and themes traverse cultures and continents while keeping a special focus on the rich diversity of Indian languages and literature.
Stephen Fry and Shobhaa De
We examine the changing realities of our world, in geopolitical flashpoints, in emergent realities of AI, in the articulation of language and the fluidity of literary formats.” William Dalrymple, historian, author and festival co-director, added that this year’s edition promises an unmatched line-up of genius writers, thinkers, and dreamers from across the world. Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts reminded enthusiasts that “In our 19th year, it has emerged as a cultural movement that connects societies and inspires empathy and understanding.” Set against the backdrop of the majestic Amer Fort, and the Jaipur Music Stage, it offers a different charm from Diggi Palace, the earlier venue that many old-timers still vouch for.
A purr-fect muse for art
The sketch using prompts for Days 12 and 15. Pics courtesy/Dr Anita Babtiwale
Mumbai-based ENT specialist Dr Anita Babtiwale, is using cats as her Inktober inspiration, using the Catober 2025 prompt list to sketch a cat every day.
Dr Anita Babtiwale
“I’ve always loved both cats and drawing. Some of these were done for Cat Cafe Studio in Versova, where they take care of rescued and injured cats,” the doctor informed this diarist.
The young and the gifted
A moment from the performance. Pics courtesy/88-The Piano Academy
Over 50 children aged between four and 15 stole the limelight on October 12 at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), with their musical theatre production titled ‘The Sound of Emotions’. Organised by 88 — The Piano Academy, based in Tardeo, the musical was centred on a young boy’s experience with multiple emotions.
Child artiste Alysha Mehta performs on stage
Founder Shivani Patel shared with this diarist, “Mentoring so many children, mainly young ones, wasn’t easy. The little ones get distracted easily, and have short attention spans. We separated their rehearsal times to make it easier. It was all-hands-on-deck then, but the final performance was fabulous. Parents were elated to see their kids on stage — singing, acting, and doing so many other things.”
