February 2016 – My Favourite Things

Chamba Rumals: Painted Embroideries or Embroidered Paintings?

Posted on February 24, 2016 by sudhagee

It was serendipity that led me to the exhibition on ‘Chamba Rumal: Life to a Dying Art’ at the Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum (BDL Museum) one Saturday evening earlier this month! I call it serendipity for till that afternoon, I had neither aware of the existence of something like the Chamba Rumal nor of the exhibition.

It all started in my Indian Aesthetics class on Krishna Shringara by Prof. Harsha Dehejia. While giving examples of the depiction of Krishna Shringara in art, the embroidered Chamba Rumal was one of the things he mentioned and showed in his presentation. Ruta, one of my coursemates (and who was probably aware of my love for museums), told me about the exhibition on Chamba Rumal during the break. And of course, this meant that I had to go see the exhibition that very evening after class. 🙂

When I walked into the Special Projects Area of the BDL Museum and where the exhibition on Chamba Rumal was being held, the first thing I noticed was the display — large framed pieces hung on bamboo stands. The cool whitewashed walls, and the gleaming kota flooring was just perfect for the vibrant exhibits, which looked like paintings from a distance, but were actually exquisitely embroidered pieces, the Chamba Rumals.

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Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2016, #HTKGAF, KGAF 2016, Rampart Row

The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2016

Posted on February 16, 2016February 16, 2016 by sudhagee

Déjà vu. That’s the feeling I was left with after attending the 2016 edition of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), which was held from February 6th-14th this year.

Over 500 events were organised during this iconic annual festival in the following categories: Children, Children’s Literature, Cinema, Dance, Food, Heritage Walks, Literature, Music, Stand-Up Comedy, Street and Stalls, Theatre, Urban Design and Architecture, and Visual Arts. While I wanted to attend some of the events in the Workshops and Heritage Walk sections, I couldn’t. I could only manage to view the installations at different venues — Rampart Row, CSMVS Museum Grounds and Cross Maidan.

I visited the KGAF 2016 on three separate days. The first was on the evening of the opening day itself. When I arrived at Rampart Row, it was to the familiar sight of college goers with selfie sticks, ‘serious’ photographers with even more ‘serious’ camera gear, families looking forward to an evening together, wailing toddlers… all queuing up impatiently for the security check. Once in, my eyes automatically sought out the installation of the “Kala Ghoda” or the black horse that the festival derives its name from. This installation changes every year and the 2016 version was a visual stunner. Fashioned like a giant chess piece, it was strategically placed in front of a horse-shaped cut out.

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Restaurant Review, Just Binge, Just Bing'g'e Vashi, Nuvofoodies, New Love In Town

Restaurant Review: Just Bing’g’e

Posted on February 8, 2016 by sudhagee

I am a lazy foodie, in the sense, that while I’m very happy to try out new types of food and check out new eateries, I am rarely willing to travel for the sake of food. I’m quite content exploring places near my house or office that keep popping up regularly. I make it a point to at least drop in once just to see what a new eatery is like.

That’s what should have happened when Just Bing’g’e opened in Vashi. I can’t remember where I heard about /came across Just Bing’g’e, but I decided not to go there, even though it was fairly close to my place.

The reason was not related to the food being served, but to the way “Bing’g’e” was spelt. The extra ‘g’ and the inverted commas around it set my teeth on edge. Consider me old-fashioned or boring (in addition to the aforementioned lazy), but I’ve never been able to understand or appreciate ‘creative’ spellings just because it sounds good or seems different or unique. I generally ignore/avoid places, things and sometimes even people with such creative spellings.

Just Bing’g’e got relegated to that category and would have remained there if not for an invite from Pooja of Nuvofoodies for a bloggers’ roundtable or a tasting at Just Bing’g’e. I did cringe when I saw the extra ‘g’ again, but the warm and personal invite from Pooja won me over, and that’s how ended up I visiting Just Bing’g’e in Vashi one evening last month.
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