Intense & beautiful Women’s Day
Women’s day, women’s month—what difference does it make? Should it not be woman’s year all year and 365 days of the year where role sharing in homes, respect for women and celebrating achievements of a wife whether a homemaker or a lady at work becomes a norm!?
That was the quintessence of Elsie Gabriel’s Women’s Day celebration. It’s a marvel how she discovers these unsung heroes—or should I say heroines—even though I prefer the gender neutral hero! Presented by the Young Environmentalists group, the evening at ‘Yuhi’ in Powai was an intense one where accomplished women spoke about their triumphs and profoundly about their vulnerabilities, their setbacks and their victories as they received accolades for their achievements.
Yours truly also received a woman achiever’s award alongside the intrepid cop Priti Bhushan Hire. I find Elsie merits an award herself for orchestrating these awards year on year and more importantly being a resolute single parent, a dedicated deep sea diver, and an unwavering champion for so many women of substance.
Trust women to triumph
In the spirit of celebrating women, the NGO Shaila Trust invited me to moderate a discourse illuminating women’s journeys and exploring those imperceptible barriers they encountered that their male counterparts might not have, as well as the counsel they would offer to younger generations about navigating the tensions between authenticity and adaptation in male-dominated realms.
It was a rapt audience who sat engrossed as director David Dhawan’s wife Lali Dhawan articulated eloquently about balancing a career in Interior Design while supporting her husband and sons, actor Varun Dhawan and filmmaker Rohit Dhawan. Binita Asher, celebrity make-up artist for luminaries of Bollywood, reflected on how dramatically circumstances have evolved for women since she first embarked on her career dominated by unions and men, while Neelu Kaul captivated all with compelling insights about life as an army wife and its distinctive challenges and profound joys.
Winner brunch of the year
But the pinnacle event of the week, the month, and arguably the most memorable gathering of this year was developer Niranjan Hiranandani and his wife Kamal’s superlatively elegant Sunday brunch at the Taj Mahal Hotel. The crème de la crème of Mumbai attended and celebrated this charismatic man’s 75th birthday. And how dapper he looked! I’d proclaim him one of the most handsome gentlemen in Mumbai with that inimitable twinkle in his eye that illuminates any gathering. Unquestionably a favourite in my esteem!
Gourmet joint birthday
A joint commemoration for mom Shashi Bansal and sister Sangeeta Singh for their birthdays at Zorawar Kalra’s acclaimed restaurant Masala Library was intimate yet magnificent. Graced by Zarine Khan, Poonam Dhillon, award winning doctor Dr. Rishma Pai, designer Amy Billimoria, philanthropist Alka Chaturvedi and others, it was a leisurely, luxurious afternoon of over eight immaculate courses including extraordinary creations like hibiscus pani puri, smoked watermelon pastrami with pistachio & rose chaat, wild mushroom consommé with pickled black garlic puree haleem, Guchi pulao accompanied by freeze-dried citrus Chai!
It was tremendously challenging to return to professional commitments after that gastronomic masterpiece that transported us all to culinary nirvana by chef Vikrant Sablok ! Every morsel was a revelation and every exchange sparkled with buzzing conversations, exchanges and humour so that despite running into the evening it seemed short! —truly the consummate celebration to honour these two remarkable women.
(Write to Nisha JamVwal at [email protected])
