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Hula hoop, we say!

This cost-effective and fun way to exercise comes to the city through a one-hour workshop taking place at Bandra tomorrow. Go for it!
by Medha Kulkarni

Do these sound familiar?

“I will go for a jog every day.”
“ I will do yoga on my own at home.”
“I will YouTube fitness videos and follow them at home.”

Urban India is quite firmly caught in the throes of the fitness mantra and that’s a positive sign. However,the nature of our lifestyles and work leaves us with very little to really do anything about it. There’s a percentage of people who regularly attend the gym or various other fitness classes, but this percentage is still a minority. The rest of us try to eat as healthy as possible and frequently decide to do some form of fitness activity. But let’s be honest – most of our plans never come to anything.

hula hoop workshopThe main reason for this is lack of motivation.While we are very keen on being fit, it’s very difficult to really follow a fitness routine on your own at home. Maybe this is why hula hooping is fast gaining popularity. If you want to get into shape via a fun exercise activity, go for Leona Rodrigues’s hula hooping workshop at Bandra today.

What is hula hooping?
A hula hoop is a hollow hoop, which comes in various diameters. It has till recently been relegated as a toy and indeed, children have great fun hula hooping. However, the health benefits of hula hooping have quickly catapulted it to the top of fitness routines.

Hula hooping has a variety of health benefits. It’s an excellent workout for your abs and waist, it makes your spine supple and flexible, and burns calories effectively. Just 30 minutes of regular hula hooping every day can produce striking results in barely six weeks. The best part? It’s an inexpensive way of exercise – buying a hoop is one-time investment and it’s a lot of fun.

Once you master the basic technique, you can hula hoop away excess fat in any part of the body!

The workshop

If you are interested in learning to hula hoop, make your way to Bandra tomorrow, where Leona will conduct a one hour session at St. Joseph’s Convent High School Hall, Hill Road. Leona will not only teach you how to hula hoop, but will also answer all your hoop-related doubts. The best part about this workshop? At Rs 500, it will cost less than a movie out.

Hoops will be provided at the workshop and if you’re so inclined, you can even buy one from Leona to practice at home. Leona has been hula hooping for years and has conducted several workshops till date.For more information and registration, call 9867322077.

(Pictures courtesy natalieplaton.com and Hoopgaga )

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Bringing butterflies back to Mumbai

A new initiative by a city-based NGO, OASIS, hopes to attract butterflies – and colour – back to the city.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

In a city starved of green spaces and facing greatly diminished nesting areas for birds, any initiative that strives to welcome our feathered friends into the hustle and bustle of the city must be welcomed with open arms.

A few weeks ago, on June 5, World Environment Day, city-based NGO OASIS started a new initiative for Mumbai city, specifically targeting its public gardens, in an attempt to create ‘butterfly parks’ at various spots in the city. The initiative, called ‘Bring back butterflies’ aims to attract at least some of the 150 species of butterflies seen in Mumbai, to the city’s public gardens and parks.

Dr Puja SukhijaSpeaking to The Metrognome, OASIS’ (Organisation of Aware Saviours In Society) Dr Puja Sukhija (in pic on left), whose idea this initiative was, said, “In 2011, we had conducted a project on roughly mapping the flora and fauna of Mumbai. Under this, students took a survey of the birds in certain areas, and while the survey was being conducted, we all realised that we hadn’t spotted any butterflies.”

Cut to 2013. Dr Sukhija envisaged a plan to convert the city’s public gardens into butterfly parks, with the help of school children from the nearest schools. “The idea is to plant saplings of such nectar-rich plants as lantanas, that attract the Grass Jewel Butterfly and the Blue Mormon. The Grass Jewel is among the tiniest butterflies in the world, while the Blue Mormon is most commonly found in India and Sri Lanka,” she explained. “We submitted our plan to the Environment Department, State of Maharashtra, and they were very happy with the idea. We have been sanctioned Rs 3,00,000 by them to plant saplings in as many BMC gardens and public parks as possible. We already have upwards of 15 gardens and we are largely focussed on BMC schools’ participation.”

The initiative largely hinges on identifying the best gardens after contacting the BMC, then looking for schools in the vicinity and getting Sapling plantation drive at Kharstudents on board. “We first speak with the students in school, then we take them to the garden and show them the site,” Dr Sukhija says. The planting of saplings is done on pre-determined days, and monitoring of the outcomes is done regularly.

The funds generated by the Government are used for such activities as digging, paying labour, maintenance and purchasing saplings. “We also need funds to conduct educational talks in schools and create awareness. So far, the response has been great – children are extremely receptive to the idea. We are now looking at having college students enroll in the initiative, so that we can scale up the project to include data collection, monitoring and general maintenance,” Dr Sukhija says.

Would you like to be a part of the ‘Bring butterflies back’ project? Contact OASIS on 9820403344 or write to them at info@oasisngo.org.

 (Pictures courtesy commons.wikimedia.org, OASIS) 

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Baulish delights

A total fun weekend awaits Mumbai’s music lovers, as the Bauls of Bengal perform at various spots in the city.
by Medha Kulkarni

This weekend promises to be an absolute treat for music lovers across the city. From July 13 to 15, different locations across the city will play host to an introduction to the Bauls of Bengal with Lakshman Das Baul.

The word ‘Baul’ has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit words ‘Vatula’ (madcap), or ‘Vyakula’ (restless) and used for someone who is ‘possessed’ or ‘crazy’. The Bauls originally were a nonconformist people who rejected societal norms to form a sect where music was their religion. Baul is the name that is given to the genre of folk music developed by this sect.

baulsLakshman Das Baul is a disciple and the adopted son of renowned Baul master and composer Shri Shudhir Goshai of famous Joydev-Tamaltala Ashram in Birbhum District. He is a young performer well known for his magnificent energetic performances. He accompanies himself with Anandalahari and Dotara while he sings. He has performed in many parts of India. After the demise of Shri Shudhir Goshai, he has looked after the Joydev-Tamaltala Ashram, where he lives with his wife and son and the Mother (the companion of Shri Shudhir Goshai). He has been collaborating with the renowned master Parvathy Baul.

The music of the Bauls is not only a stunning art form, but is also an oral documentation of history as the Bauls are storytellers at heart. The nomadic people travel the country singing and performing and enthralling and entertaining, but it is an art that is unfortunately increasingly under the threat of extinction. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience this art and also to support it and ensure it’s survival.A rich repertoire of knowledge, this art promises to mesmerize it’s audience.

Here is the itinerary for this event :

July 13 7 pm to 8.30 pm, Vivekananda Auditorium, Ramakrishna Mission, and Khar West.

July 14 11 am to 12.30 pm, New Acropolis Centre, A-0 Connaught Mansions, opposite Colaba Post Office, Colaba AND 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Sangeet Mahabharti,10th Road, Opposite Amitabh Bachchan’s Bungalow, Juhu.

July 15 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Comet Media Foundation, 301 Meher House, 15 Cawasji Patel Street, Fort.

(Pictures courtesy ushaharding.blogspot.com, epaper.timesofindia.com)

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Music and love for the soul

Catch this lovely 2009 French film this evening, on love, music, fidelity and work-life balance at the Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.
by Medha Kulkarni

While the incessant rain makes most normal activities quite difficult, they also magnify the pleasure in others. Watching good cinema is one of them and if you agree, then head to Prithvi Theatre on Wednesday evening to catch the screening of French film Mademoiselle Chambon.

Mademoiselle ChambonThe film is being sceened at the theatre in partnership with Insitut Francais. Mademoiselle Chambon is a 2009 romance-drama film directed by Stephane Briz. The 101-minute long film revolves around the life of Jean, his loving wife and son who live a simple, happy life. Things begin to change when his son’s homeroom teacher Madamoiselle Chambon requests Jean to volunteer as substitute teacher and gradually starts to fall for her delicate and elegant charm. His ordinary life between family and work starts to falter.

The film is carefully constructed and depicts this moving tale of unexpected romance with elegance and subtlety. Stéphane Brizé’s directorial style is marked with patience and delicacy, sensitive to the rhythms of this special relationship full of misconstrued signals and ambiguous feelings. It’s a soft, elegant film and is a perfect way to spend a rainy evening.

Watch the film’s trailer here:

Like all screenings at Prithvi Theatre, entry is free but seating is limited. And since Prithvi Theatre is extremely strict about timings, please make sure you reach at least five minutes before the screening as you might be denied entry if you are late. The screening starts at 7 pm.

 

(Pictures courtesy cachecine.blogspot.com, filmsdefrance.com)

 

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Things to do in Mumbai today

This Saturday promises to be a fun ride if you like serious cinema, curating architecture or just talks on creativity.
by Medha Kulkarni

It’s been raining and probably will over the weekend, but that shouldn’t stop us Mumbaikars from enriching our minds, should it? Especially today, when three wonderful events are being held in the city.

If you’re inclined towards cinema, or architecture or just like to hear others talk about the serious work they do, today is a good day for you.

Once upon a time in Nagaland

children from nagalandIndia Foundation for the Arts is organising an informal conversation with animation filmmaker Aditi Chitre and primary school teacher Seno Tsuhah about their work with the children of Chizami, Nagaland, followed by a discussion with Sumana Chandrashekar, Programme Executive, IFA, about the organisation’s various programmes.

Aditi believes that visual art in Nagaland has not been encouraged enough either in the classroom or at home. She received an IFA grant to conduct experimental storytelling and illustration workshops for 12 children from Chizami village. This created a liberating environment in which the children could express themselves in new ways. The workshops culminated in two exhibitions and a book of illustrated short stories. Seno Tsuhah also works with North East Network, a women’s rights organisation since 1998 as a team leader in Nagaland. She has been involved in community mobilisation, organising, capacity building and advocacy on issues related to livelihoods, environment, peace building and women’s rights. She was one of the core members of NEN that has built the NEN Resource Centre in Chizami, providing a creative learning space for the community.

The event is free and open to all, but seating will be on a first-come-first-serve basis, at False Ceiling Gallery, 111 Bungalow, Dr Ambedkar Road, next to Pali Village Cafe, Bandra (W). Contact Jigna Padhiar at 9619842954 for details or get more information here. The event starts at 6 pm.

Artisan tales

film screeningIn 2001 an earthquake shook the foundations of Kutch, Gujarat. While accompanying a team of volunteers in their relief efforts, Neha Gandhi (founder of Matsya Crafts, Mumbai) was exposed to the age-old handicraft tradition of the region; its depth, beauty and sheer vibrancy shook her to the core and thus was born Matsya Crafts.

Matsya crafts is a unique organisation with a commitment to rural art and craft. The main goal of the organisation is to preserve, revive, and expand the rich tradition of rural handicrafts by working closely with artisans, helping them develop quality products that appeal to contemporary tastes buds. Furthermore, it is also actively engaged in such projects as organising craft tours, undertaking craft documentation and organising film screenings to educate as many people as possible about the beauty of rural art and craft.

One such film screening is being organised today at the Matsya Studio. Tanke Bole Che is a documentary film that has been made by and about the artisans at Kala Raksha, Kutch, in collaboration with Nina Sabnani, an animation film designer, and seeks to educate the viewer about the life and work of these artisans in a fun manner.

“It’s a powerful yet beautiful film and it is incredible how these simple artisans have used their strengths and embraced technology to harness this medium of communication,” says Neha.

Entry is free and open to all. The screening will be followed by an informal Q&A round where viewers can address their questions to Neha. The event will be held at Matsya’s Juhu Studio. Get further details here. 

Curating Architecture

MoMAThe Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, helmed by Tasneem Zakaria, has organised some wonderful events and talks in the recent past and the one today promises to be an excellent one as well – a lecture on’ Curating Architecture as Critical Practice – From Independent to Institutional Contexts’ by Pedro Gadanho (Curator of Contemporary Architecture at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York) will be organised  at the museum today at 6 pm.

Established in 1932, MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design was the first curatorial department devoted to architecture and design ever created in a museum context. From its inception, it has built a collection that today includes 28,000 works ranging from large-scale design objects to works on paper and architectural models. This collection is also the main platform from which many of the Department’s exhibitions are organised, so as to offer the public new interpretations of modern and contemporary architectural production. In this lecture, Gadanho will confront this institutional vision with the notion of a critical practice of curating architecture.

The lecture will be held in the Origins of Mumbai Gallery at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. Tea will be served at 5:30 pm, followed by the lecture at 6 pm. The lecture is free and open to all, but if you plan to attend, do RSVP with the event organisers by email at ccardoza@bdlmuseum.org.

(Pictures courtesy www.elizabethannedesigns.com, www.kohimaeducationaltrust.net, www.centralpark.biz, www.indiamike.com)

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Never too old to sketch

That’s what drives the landscape and portrait sketching workshops for adults at the NGMA, with some Rabindranath Tagore thrown in.
by Medha Kulkarni

Summer time is vacation time. There are a plethora of all kinds of workshops and events for children. But what about the adults? Why isn’t there ever a hobby class or summer workshop for adults?

This summer, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is set to right this wrong by organising workshops specifically for adults. As a part of The Last Harvest exhibition curated by noted art historian Prof R Sivakumar to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore on May 8, 2012, the workshops aim to provide a hands-on, practical insight into Rabindranath Tagore’s style of painting and his use of mediums and their execution.

The workshops start with a tour of the exhibition, and a discussion on the works before splitting into two separate art workshops. The portrait-sketching workshop will be conducted by Parul V Mehta and the landscape sketching one will be conducted by Geeta Kapadia. Both Mehta and Kapadia are practising artists and have exhibited in galleries in India and abroad.
The interactive sketching workshops will open up a new avenue through which Tagore’s works can be studied while highlighting the importance of portraiture and landscapes in his works. Aside from the sketching lesson, participants will also gain a detailed understanding of Tagore’s humanistic qualities and his various achievements in the field of arts in India and internationally, juxtaposed with little-known facts about his personal life and family, glimpses of which can be seen in the works.

The workshops will be held at the NGMA every Wednesday from May 8, 2013 to June 5, 2013 from 11 am to 1 pm. The workshop is free and open to all although seating is limited (20 people per session) so it’s best to register beforehand. You can email Parul at parulvmehta@gmail.com to register. All sketching materials will be provided to the participants.

 

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