Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Heaven Can Wait

One of the casualties of coronavirus has been the grand post wedding celebrations planned by Madhu and Ravi Ruia for their recently married son Rewant and daughter-in-law Karishma, in Al-ʿUla, Saudi Arabia

With growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disrupting all manner of schedules, big and small, one of the casualties has been the grand post wedding celebrations planned by Madhu and Ravi Ruia for their recently married son Rewant and daughter-in-law Karishma, in Al-ʿUla, Saudi Arabia, which is said to be “an oasis in the desert valley” and one of the most important building blocks of the country’s new tourism thrust.

Rewant and Karishma Ruia at one of their receptions.

This week, a politely-worded letter informing guests of the same was sent out, jointly signed by the groom’s and bride’s parents. “As you are all flying from around the world to be with us, the safety and health of our guests is most important to us,” the missive states. “We would have loved to have you with us next week, not only to celebrate Karishma and Rewant, but also to experience the beautiful and history-rich Saudi Arabia.”

As reported, the Ruia heir-apparent and his willowy bride had planned to fly a swathe of their international friends to the historic walled city of Al-’Ula , which dates back to the 6th century BC, and is a UNESCO world heritage site, for a destination wedding celebration unlike any that had been witnessed before.

The plans have not been shelved though. “We look forward to being able to share a later date with you when we can all be together in Saudi Arabia,” the letter concludes.

Painting a Future

“Painting is only the first step. By giving slum dwellers a sense of pride in their houses and colonies, we also manage to educate them on hygiene, sanitation and garbage disposal,” says artist and social worker Rouble Nagi, who has painted thousands of slums and streetscapes across the country in vivid colours. One of her projects, the Jaffar Baba slum in Bandra, can be viewed as a riot of colours for those crossing the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Nagi, who attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London, says she realised early into her career that she wanted her work to benefit people. Towards this goal, she founded the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF) in 2010 and since then, has worked among Mumbai’s disadvantaged slum dwellers as well as village folk across the country, to ensure that they live amidst hygienic and aesthetically-pleasing conditions and that their children get education and secure useful employment through skilling techniques.

Rouble Nagi

Once she takes on a project, she says, RNAF collates a database of the children in the slum colony and works with them through balwadis to ensure that they attend school at least till Class 12. It has also held art camps for financially needy children, inspired villagers in many states to adopt saplings, undertaken a Paint Dharavi initiative and set up the Misaal campaign to paint dwellings of slum inhabitants, to bring colour and beauty into their lives.

“The turning point,” says the daughter of a defence personnel whose mother had worked with army welfare associations, “was when I held my first art camp in Chembur”. “I was distributing art material to children and when I handed a five-year-old boy a colour pencil. He asked, “What’s this?” I was startled because it hadn’t occurred to me till then that a five-year-old wouldn’t know what a colour pencil was! It made me question what kind of world of privilege I inhabited and that was the start of my real work among the underprivileged.”

As for what motivates this mother of an eight-year-old, she is clear: “No amount of money can ever give one this kind of satisfaction. The best legacy, and one which I’m working towards, isn’t money. It’s when people remember you from their heart and shed a genuine tear for you once you’re gone!”

Overheard

“Bombay mein rehkar aisa lagta hai jaise city abhi under-construction hai, or humein possession pehle hi mil gaya.”

-Environmental activist Zoru Bhathena’s comment on the current state of the city on his FB timeline

Music and Bonhomie

Tuesday evening saw German Consul General to Mumbai Dr Jürgen Morhard and his wife Petra host an intimate group of friends at their SoBo penthouse to lend a musical ear to British born rock and blues guitarist Steve Cooke (married to a German, hence the connection) who heads a popular Led Zeppelin tribute band.

The circle of the couple, avid golfers and supportive of young girls playing tennis, is said to extend from India Inc leaders in Mumbai to politicos in Pune to royals in Jaipur.

Petra and Jürgen Morhard with Cooke

Tuesday night saw the likes of musician Adnan Sami, diplomat counsel Vinod Advani, radio host Hrishi K, Capt Allwyn Saldanha and Reliance corporate honcho Steve Pinheiro settle down over Prosecco, fine wines and a sumptuous dinner to enjoy Cooke’s performance, which is said to bear an uncanny resemblance to Zeppelin frontman Roger Plant. The born-again Christian writes his own songs and is slated to be back again in Mumbai later this year to headline a concert.

Besides the rock vibes, the highlight of the evening is said to have been Sami’s three-year-old cherub of a daughter, dancing away to the rock music with abandon under a starry Mumbai sky.