Rodevra Republic

There are times when certain experiences keep bothering you and one finds it difficult to come to terms with them. I have had a couple of them in the last few days, and thought will share them with you. Even with a strong moral compass, we sometimes seek external validation. I had been to the barber shop last week, when the first incident happened. It is an ordinary saloon, one which I have been patronizing for several years, not just because it is close to my house, but for the comfort this sense of familiarity gives. Am sure there are better ones, but here I  know everyone and their method of working. There is free and flowing talk around that provides you your information needs and gossip for some time. The TV is on continuously playing some comedy serials.  Hygiene is largely suspect, but I take it in stride with all the other things it makes up with. There is this one barber I generally prefer going to. He is an elderly, experienced person who does a thorough job. He is o...

If art evokes emotion, music qualifies as a most evocative art form, as it can bring out the most complex emotions. Today's edition of 'Saturday Art' is one such piece. It is deeply expressive and a profoundly emotional work. What makes this piece so overwhelming lies in the way Chopin weaves emotional complexity into the music. The opening orchestral introduction is dark and brooding, setting a tone of longing and restlessness. When the piano enters (at 4:25), it doesn’t burst in with bravado but with a poetic intimacy, almost as if the piano is speaking directly to you. I wish to share some background on how I first encountered this piece. I was a member of the British Council Library, which was at one time behind the LIC building at Nariman Point. It also had a Records (LP) library where you could borrow records just like books. I was in my twenties and having got interested in Western Classical music had once picked up this Chopin LP. While there is grandeur in Beethove...

This story about my doctor was prompted by my recent visit to him. This is not really a story but more about my various experiences with doctors, some of them being quite unique and may make interesting reading. My doctor is an elderly gentleman in his seventies and distinctly old school, which means he relies more on clinical examination then tests. He prides himself on his decades of experience, that during the first few minutes of observation of the patient itself, he says he can tell what is wrong. His approach to treatment is also very conservative, preferring lighter doses even if it takes a longer time to get well. You will understand from this he is against phone consultation and wants to see the patient before suggesting any line of treatment. It follows he is also highly critical of patients claiming to know what is wrong with them based on what Google tells them or based on WhatsApp posts. He once had a very large clinic with a spacious waiting room and a biggish consultatio...

Hexagonal pattern found in the black olive tree Can you guess where this unbelievable hexagonal pattern occurs in Nature? This fascinating natural geometry that holds much artistic significance is exhibited by the black olive tree.  Its branches tend to grow in a layered, almost cloud-like structure, forming intricate, repeating hexagonal patterns. This hexagonal tendency is not unique to the black olive tree—it reflects a broader principle of nature’s efficiency, as hexagons are one of the most space-efficient shapes, allowing for maximum coverage with minimal material. From an art perspective, these hexagonal patterns evoke a sense of order and balance, juxtaposed against the organic irregularity of nature. This structured yet spontaneous formation can be linked to fractal geometry, where complex patterns emerge from simple, repeating forms—a concept explored in both abstract art and architecture. Artists inspired by the black olive tree might reflect these patterns in paintings,...

Grant Road fish market This story is on request from a friend on the fisherwoman I patronize. This was supposed to be my Sunday Story, but I have advanced it, being Women’s Day today. I am seeing them in a new light, as these are women who work hard to make a living. Moreover by providing us fresh fish, they satisfy one of our basic needs. The respect and regard for them has swelled up on Women’s Day and I fear by tomorrow it may wane off, hence advanced the story to today. So if you were expecting an entirely different kind of tryst, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. As a community essentially from Mumbai for several generations, we give a lot of importance to fish in our food. Our regular haunts to the fish market at Grant Road are looked forward to activities. We are on first name basis with most of the fisherwoman there. They are an extremely friendly lot and are genuinely happy to see us. However before you entertain any other thoughts they call us ‘bhau’ or ‘dada’. They perch g...

Madame Récamier This story is of the unique relationship between Juliette Récamier  and Chateaubriand and qualifies as one of the most famous platonic love affairs in French history. Their bond, spanning over three decades, was marked by deep affection, intellectual companionship, and unwavering devotion. What prompted me to write about is that, when I was young in my twenties, I had read about Madame Récamier from the writings of André Maurois, a French writer. I was fascinated by her and even practiced pronouncing her name in French, something like, “muhd-uhm-ray-KAM-yay” . Recently something came up when all those memories surfaced. Juliette Récamier (1777–1849) was a famous French socialite known for her beauty, wit, and influential literary salon in Paris. She attracted some of the greatest thinkers, writers, and politicians of her time, including Chateaubriand, Benjamin Constant, and Madame de Staël.  Salons were gatherings of like-minded people to discuss art, politics ...

Soona Mahal, Marine Drive Those who have inherited old furniture or stayed in old buildings would surely have come across Art Deco designs. It is a vibrant and eclectic design style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s with its origins in France. As a design movement it lasted up to the 1960s and most likely we would have seen and experienced it, but probably not known it specifically as Art Deco. The most striking examples are the Liberty Cinema, Regal, Eros, the buildings facing Oval Maidan and of course the ones on Marine Drive. Matunga too has a good Art Deco presence. The now re-done Metro Inox theatre is an excellent example of  Art Deco interiors right up to the minutest detail. The name to reckon with for shaping Mumbai's  Art Deco landscape is G. B. Mhatre. Art Deco is characterized by geometric patterns, bold colours, symmetry, and very fine workmanship using high quality wood and modern materials of the day such as chrome, glass. It gives a feel of sophistication, lu...