On home turf
Horses and trainers practise their respective routines at the Mahalaxmi Race Course
When melodies meet tradition
(From left) Amaan Ali Bangash, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Bangash at Royal Festival Hall in London. pic courtesy/London Philharmonic orchestra
The Royal Festival Hall in London echoed with a newfound vigour during India’s Republic Day celebrations as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and sons, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash performed alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya. The performance included a concerto composed by the Ustad, titled Samaagam. “The aim was to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western traditions so that they could flow into each other without artistic compromise. Maestra Lidiya Yankovskaya is one of the most amazing conductors I have worked with,” Khan said. Remarking on the experience, Ayaan Ali Bangash shared, “It’s always a challenge for us to come out of our comfort zone, because Indian classical music is an oral tradition, while concertos are all written down. So, this gives us a window to improvise, but we have to be extremely sensitive to the score, and the requirement of the piece. Collaborations like this give a very expansive message altogether.”
From London to Mumbai, with love
Alexandra Katie takes a ride in a local train
Ever wonder what you miss while flying from one city to another over the clouds? That question led Londoners Alexandra Katie and Ellis Gerry to hop into their 1984 Campervan and drive down to India.
Ellis Gerry at Causeway Hairdressers in Colaba
Gerry shared, “We wanted to see what lies between points A and B on a journey. We wanted to travel over land and experience culture, food and religion, and how these changes happen sometimes gradually, and other times, in more extreme ways.” Driving down the Wagah Border into Amritsar on to Mumbai, the duo have already enjoyed a movie at Regal Cinema, caught the Ustad Zakir Hussain tribute performance, and visited a barbershop. Talk about life on the road.
Majestic return
Visitors browse books at an earlier edition of the book fair
Majestic Book Depot in Vile Parle, will host the 41st edition of its annual book fair from February 7 to 16 at Lokmanya Seva Sangh. The 10-day fair will feature a vast collection of books across genres along with interactive sessions, including a talk by literary critic Ganesh Devy. “The book fair is also known for the conversations we have with people here. In the past, we have had classical musicians like Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Pandit Ravi Shankar attend the event,” Ashay Kothawale, proprietor of the book depot, told this diarist. While the fair will be open to people throughout the day, patrons can catch the talk shows in the evening at the venue. “We’ve been working for many years to preserve the culture in Vile Parle, and rightfully so, the fair has become a major event in the neighbourhood. People are attached to the fair, especially those that have been attending it since they were children,” he revealed before signing off.
Canvas that heals
A child draws a sketch as part of the competition
On World Cancer Day, the community health department of Prince Aly Khan Hospital in Mazagaon, organised an exhibition of drawings created by children from 12 schools as part of an inter-school drawing competition on cancer awareness and substance abuse. “The idea is to spread awareness in schools and slums about lifestyle patterns that can prevent the occurrence of cancer,” Savita Kurade, manager of the community health department said.
Festival vibes
The students of Vijaybhoomi University are organising the first edition of Jamrang, an inter-collegiate fest where students from over 100 institutions in the country will showcase their talent across fields from February 20 to 22. “The name of the fest honours our roots in the village of Jamrung in Karjat, where the college is located,” Shayne Gomes, event coordinator, shared. “It has been an incredible but tough experience. All of us have worked very hard and are excited to host the event,” Kanha Dang (right), student, admitted.
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