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A cosy birthday
At author Amish Tripathi’s birthday evening at ‘Cozy Box’ we almost got swept away by the overwhelming crush of people nudging shoulders – so much way beyond ‘cosy’ that we almost did an about-turn. The entire city seemed present, so the ‘hellos’ and ‘good evenings’ got us engaged into the bonhomous mode!
And then it turned out to be an evening not only because of good friends and conversations, but especially because my date Jammi Jamwal didn’t run away midway as he is wont to do. And also because we managed to grab a nook and discuss books and Amish’s works and share laughter with select friends – the stuff joyous evenings are made of. The stuff memories are made of. The evenings of empty hellos where you wonder where you lost a whole evening to meaningless fleeting interactions (if you can call them that) are eminently missable.
Then Amish came and hung with us too – at our table – which was the only exclusive table where dinner was served and enjoyed like a nearly sit-down dinner. Bhavana Roy, his sister and co-author of his last book, is a special friend for me. The kind of friend who makes an evening special.
Social agendas
The run-up to December has been coined by Mumbai-ites as ‘Decembering’, an appellation that describes the run-up to Diwali, Christmas and New Year which makes it a festival marathon with hardly a break. As my friend Anjali puts it, “So much socialization is happening! Where is there any time?!” True! I catch power naps in the car and add energy supplements to my diet to keep pace with work and social agendas!
The Taj Mahal Hotel played host to a cancer fundraiser, with an auction of contributions of artists’ works and artefacts, along with designer Maheka’s ramp-walk of her creations for the fundraiser. It was the large heart of the maximum city which had everyone feverishly bidding to help the cause of cancer cure for the Tata Memorial hospital.
The theme of the evening was ‘Modern Maharanis’ and Mumbai’s beautiful page-three ladies and society divas spangled the evening dressed to the nines bedecked in jewels and maang tikkas- that was their interpretation! However, the high point of the evening was the large heart of the City Maximus, evident in enthusiastic and magnanimous contributions in every way, towards the cause of cancer cure and needy patient welfare for the Tata Memorial Hospital.
It used to be a North Indian custom, but Bollywood and its romantic Karan Johar element has made it an all-India thing. Wives keep a stringent fast for the welfare of their spouses and, with the sighting of the full moon, in nostalgic revival of their early romance, break the fast with a meal together. Shaila Foundation celebrated Karwa Chauth with feasting, pomp and ladies of all shapes and sizes splendoured in bridal finery, jingling their bangles and tinkle-belled anklets in energetic enthusiasm to bhangra beats.
Dance and design
I was privileged to be honoured as their chief guest and, along with Aruna Oswal, had to judge the winners – of the best dancer, the best ethnically dressed and we agreed as to the winners who had the most rambunctious fun and joie de vivre in their steps.
Pallavi Jaikishan is a veteran designer with an everlastingly contextual and chic appeal to her couture. Bhairavi Jaikishan, her daughter takes after her as creative, but with a style individual and quite her own, making of them a symbiotic duo. The stuff they turn out never goes out of style I’ve seen. So Bhairavi’s new Diwali collection at Maison White, hosted by Priya Bhimani, had Juhu’s chic lot flocking in to pick up new showstopper pieces for the festive season. It had me wondering as to where do these ladies keep their goodies – I find my clothes pouring out of walk-in wardrobes and now my office bench has my new festive collection that I’ll don this season!
(Write to Nisha JamVwal at nishjamwal@gmail.com)