Lit by the lake
Powai Lake shimmers under vibrant fireworks and festive lights on Diwali
Look ma! It’s a kandil
The illustration reimagines The Ambassador Hotel as a kandil. PIC COURTESY/@omi_crayon
There is festive symbolism all around town, if only one has a keen eye, as proven by Mumbai-based artist Omkar Patil, who has created over 20 digital artworks so far, each one reimagining buildings around the city as Diwali kandils. “I’m working on a series reimagining unusual or unique architectural structures through digital illustrations, turning them into something playful and unexpected. I like to look at familiar things from a completely new perspective. Sometimes it’s day-to-day objects, random photos, or anything that can be transformed through illustration, without overpowering the original image. When I was planning an idea for Diwali, the idea of turning [The Ambassador Hotel] into a kandil clicked, and that’s how this Diwali illustration came to life,” Patil shared with this diarist.
Where the sawfish rules the sea
The students pose with the rostrum of the sawfish. PIC COURTESY/@pradippatade
The last week was an eventful one for students and volunteers who joined Pradip Patade (below), founder, Marine Life of Mumbai on a trip to Alibaug. “Every year on October 17, we celebrate World Sawfish Day to support the conservation of the species. There are very few records of the species. This year, Ajay D Nakhawa, scientist, CMFRI (Versova) organised an educational trip to teach students about the conservation process,” shared Patade.
Nakhawa added that the trip to Khanderi Island off Alibaug was for a specific reason. “Khanderi quite literally means saw. The island has a temple for Vetal Dev, to whom many rostrums of the fish have been dedicated by fishermen. In 2017, we conducted a research trip to document the bones and rostrum that date back to years. The trip helps students, as well as fishermen learn about the endangered species,” he said.
Once upon a plague in Bombay
A view of the book, Love and Crime in the Time of Plague (left) Anuradha Kumar. PIC COURTESY/Speaking Tiger
Author Anuradha Kumar has a long-playing love affair with vintage Bombay. When we checked recently, she informed this diarist of another thriller set in the 1890s. Love and Crime in the time of Plague (Speaking Tiger) is the latest from her Bombay Mystery series. The first, The Kidnapping of Mark Twain, took readers on a rollercoaster ride with the fictional disappearance of the famed American author while on his visit to the city in the 1890s. This offing will feature the same characters, Maya Barton and Henry Baker. “We’re in September 1896, and Bombay finds itself overwhelmed with something darker: the first cases of what will soon be identified as the plague, are reported. While the administration manned by British, and Indian officials takes measures on a war-footing, these steps, by their disrespect of traditional ways of living, soon antagonise orthodox elements in the city. This opposition, centred around the ‘Native Society’ in this novel, takes on varied forms, like violent attacks (and hate messages) on those seen as supportive of the administration. Maya, Henry, and Abdul come together to track down the leading elements of the Native Society,” Kumar reveals.” She adds that there is a parallel mystery too, where Maya attempts to find out the secret about her parents. And like last time, there are several real-life characters, whom she has fictionalised, including Allan Octavian Hume and Dr Annie Besant.
The last of the treasure trove
Armin Wandrewala’s collection of books
The news of Parsiana, the dedicated chronicler of Parsi community life in the city, ending its 60-year news cycle came as a shock to the community. But a six-decade collection of books needs protective hands. “The newspaper had an annual subscription. So, they offered subscribers the option of either getting their money back in cash, or books of equivalent value from the Parsiana bookshop,” shared author and lawyer Armin Wandrewala, who picked up three rare titles.
“While the subscribers are almost all from the community, I must say that the books are rare. For instance, one book I picked up was My Mother Used to Say, which is a compilation of Parsi sayings and phrases with explanations. In fact, some of these find their way into my book, The Moment Of The Banyan as well,” she shared. Non-members looking to purchase a book can write to info@parsiana.com or log on to parsiana.com for the book list.
