A Week in Mumbai: Culture, Causes, and Fashion
When I got married and complained about my mother-in-law, my mother advised, “You’re the outsider. Make the effort. Win ’em all.” This counsel has stayed with me, and it came sharply to mind this week at the Japanese Emperor’s Birthday and Japan’s National Day celebrations at the Taj Mahal Palace’s iconic Ballroom. The evening began on a convivial note, marked by elegant formality and polite conversation, until a rather urgent MC announced that the event had concluded and requested guests to disperse.
Moments later, the Deputy Consul General walked the floor reiterating that the event had formally ended. Now here’s the surprise — this was not midnight, nor even eleven. It was 9:30 pm. Having lived in Japan during my time in Ibaraki Prefecture with the Hattori family, bordering the Pacific northeast of Tokyo, I have experienced Japanese hospitality at its most gracious — intuitive, thoughtful, and deeply respectful. This early closure felt unexpected, though in hindsight it may simply reflect official protocol rather than intent. And yet maybe next time the Japanese Consulate in Mumbai may wish to keep to Indian time?
Remembering my mother’s words, I suppose that when in Rome — or India in this case — one adapts to local rhythms. Many guests, myself included, retreated to the Sea Lounge to gently wean ourselves off an evening that ended sooner than expected, salvaging conversation and camaraderie in a more relaxed setting!
Running for a Cause, Staying for the Spirit
Contrast this with the warmth on display at Gul and Sheila Kripalani’s Terry Fox Foundation brunch, marking the 25th Silver Jubilee of the Terry Fox Run in India. Flagged off at dawn by Jackie Shroff, the run raised funds for cancer research at the Tata Memorial Hospital. The Terry Fox run, which began in Canada in 1981, is held annually in over 60 countries and is one of the world’s largest one-day fundraisers for cancer research.
The post-run brunch reflected the spirit of the cause — unhurried, generous, and deeply personal. Gul and Shila came a few times to check on me, and I felt warmed. Conversations lingered, plates were refilled, and the afternoon slipped easily into evening. Socialites, members of the consular corps, doctors, survivors, and long-time supporters mingled without hierarchy, bound by a shared purpose that continues to resonate decades after Terry Fox’s original Marathon of Hope. There was something reassuring about the lack of hurry — a reminder that meaningful causes deserve time, not just attendance.
Fashion, Forward Motion
But the week, in many ways, belonged to fashion — or more specifically, to ELLE. The magazine marked 30 years in India with a celebration that also announced its expansion into real estate, signaling a confident evolution beyond print. Led by India Business Head Mahesh Nambiar and Aashti Bhartia, the ELLE Fashion Soirée unfolded at the neo-botanical Glass House at Soraia by Dhaval Udeshi, set against the Turf Club’s familiar expanse.
I remember ELLE India launching in 1996. It was one of the more exciting international fashion magazines to enter our shores! And the magazine has since played a significant role in shaping the contemporary style discourse in the country, with young girls looking for direction on contemporary style trends. The international editorial flew in for the occasion, lending the evening a kind of global energy. Editorial Director Ainee Nizami Ahmedi and Publisher Nydia Dias hosted with confidence and ease, striking that balance between celebration and intent.
Style and fashion were rampant through the edgy ensembles sported by the fashionistas who sashayed down the red carpet! It all felt expressive rather than performative. There was a playfulness in the ensembles worn by designers, editors, and influencers, an experimental energy that was at once self-aware and eye-catching. Fashion, at its best, is a language that reveals our fabric rather than a costume we wear.
Kala Ghoda: Art in the Public Square
The 26th edition of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival opened this week with the theme Ahead of the Curve, focusing on innovation and future-facing creativity in a digital tech world. I dropped in briefly at the inauguration to congratulate Festival Director Brinda Miller and to take in the atmosphere at Cross Maidan, the festival’s main hub, having missed the swish opening party at Taj’s Rendezvous, which happened while I was still in Switzerland.
The scale and width of public engagement were immediately striking — families, students, artists, and curious passersby from Mumbai’s different geographies moving freely through the space, engaging with art without intimidation. Since its inception in 1999, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival feels like one of India’s largest multidisciplinary arts festivals, which is more inclusive and also gives space and viewership to more kinds of arts. I especially enjoy the indigenous art kiosks. There is a distinct emphasis on free and open access to culture and music and various disciplines, and I’m beginning to feel that it should be twice a year rather than once?
Large-scale installations and geometric sculptures invited dialogue on urban space and civic life. The white, dinosaur-skeleton-like structure at the entrance was impossible to ignore — playful yet provocative, anchoring the Maidan and drawing people in. I chose this spot for my solo pic! I look forward to returning at quieter hours, when the crowds thin and the conversations deepen. I’ll share some of those moments — the unexpected discoveries, the conversations overheard, the art that lingers — when we meet again next week.
