Colourful celebrations
Holi has always been one of my favourite festivals. Not only because of the revelry and kaleidoscopic air of colours flung around, but I enjoy the feeling of symbolically letting go of recriminations, pains, and what-not into the Holika fire. And, with a new spring, we welcome a fresh new beginning of the year ahead ushering in good over evil and positive bondings. Change is constant and the Holi fire reaching for the skies celebrates forgiveness and release of anxiety and stress. The air of love warmth and celebration is infectious and abounds. My Holi was spent at the rambling estate of the founders of the Edelweiss group Rashesh and Vidya Shah, at Alibaug. They planned it to every magical detail and we along with our group of close-knit friends had a beautiful Holi weekend. The hashtag ‘friends like family’ seemed apt for this one. A therapeutic hiatus from the FOMO and rush of Mumbai.
Accolades for inclusivity
I am as fond of meeting friends, attending events and celebrating the Mumbai buzz as any next Mumbaikar! But there is no denying the special feeling of delight that a day of interacting with the invigorating minds of achievers brings away from the ‘mwah mwah’! My vote for the event of the first quarter of 2024 goes to the HDFC Ergo all-day celebration and conference on diversity and inclusion with the slogan ‘LoveAll’. Take a bow Sudakshina Bhattacharya – she conceptualised it – you aced it and how!
Speakers from all communities graced this breakfast event that stretched into lunch and then dinner. I even returned with an award for Role Model of Diversity and Inclusion of the Decade. I was overjoyed but more so at the genuine applause and appreciation I received for my fireside chat with life coach and fitness guru Mickey Mehta discussing my journey in inclusion, accessibility and equal rights. India is one of the countries of the world where ramps and accessibility need urgent attention. I know an orthopaedic surgeon whose clinic is up a flight of stairs with no lift to access the clinic. The abysmal lack of accessibility was the catalyst for me creating my foundation ‘Act Now’, which works in accessibility.
Double whammy
Good causes and altruistic efforts are the most rewarding adrenaline rush. That inimitable buoyancy of impacting lives in a positive way! And what a double whammy it was to shop knowing that the proceeds would go toward great causes adopted by Shaila. Shaila Trust’s spring-summer bazaar at Taj President has become somewhat of a destination every year at this time of the year for ladies to shop their hearts out knowing it’s all for a great cause. The proceeds from this exhibition and sale are utilised for the Charitable Objectives of the Trust. Several NGOs dot the space with colourful wares and are given stalls free of charge. Children coming to Shaila school are given free mid-day meals. Macchimar Nagar is where the trust runs free vocational training like sewing and mehendi classes for underprivileged girls to empower them with self-reliance.
This year the Shaila Fair was special for me because I had invited 10 women entrepreneurs from Odisha to participate in traditional indigenous weaves and crafts sourced from their highly creative local craftsmen. The Trust delineated a separate section for the Oriya entrepreneurs. It was a joyous moment as I was able to help Shaila achieve its goals and promote Oriya handicrafts.
Food for thought
Seems like it was a festival of giving and sharing all month long. I celebrated giving back with Ujaas — a project by Advaitesha Birla. Hosted by Nara Thai and Neha Khiln., the spread of culinary delights celebrated the spirit of sharing and giving. Guests were invited to contribute toward the noble initiative focused on women’s health aligning with the Ujaas goals. This week has been all about sharing and giving — a more altruistic bent to life is the order of the day.
