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Do

Rise. Stop violence against women

One Billion Rising exhorts the city to raise a voice and fight for the women who are assaulted and raped.

We’re sure you have elaborate plans for Valentine’s Day, but this year, if you could take the time and head to the Bandra amphitheatre at 5.45 pm, you could help towards making a significant difference to women and society.

For, the One Billion Rising – an initiative by Change.org to end violence against women globally – will take place on V-Day, kickstarting a dialogue between society and helping to end, slowly but surely, this grim statistic: globally, one in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That’s a staggering one billion women across the globe.

Change.org says, “On February 14th, 2013, we are inviting one billion women and those who love them to walk out, DANCE, RISE UP, AND DEMAND an end to this violence. One Billion Rising is a promise that we will rise up with women and men worldwide to say, ‘Enough! The violence ends now.’ This day has been marked as ‘the global day of action’.

All you have to do is dance in solidarity for women worldwide.

Sitar player and actor Anoushka Shankar has endorsed the event and shot a promotional video for the movement.

 

You can sign the petition for One Billion Rising here. More to the point, be there at the event on Valentine’s Day.

The Metrognome supports ‘One Billion Rising’ and has signed the pledge. We urge you, if you are reading this, and regardless of where you are placed geographically, to sign the petition and help further the cause.

(Picture courtesy photo.net)

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Do

A basket and a girl’s first great moments

‘Girl Gift Basket’ celebrates the birth of the girl child; you too can replicate the idea and take it forward.
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

Let’s face it, we really didn’t need Aamir Khan and his TV show Satyameva Jayate to tell us that the sex ratio in our country is  skewed in favour of boys. But it also took Aamir Khan and his TV show to focus the spotlight on an issue that has taken centrestage in our collective consciousness, especially in the light of recent events.

Girls are raped. Girls are killed at birth. Girls are given a secondary upbringing as compared to their brothers. And till society considers girls a burden on the family’s resources, girls will continue to be short-changed, sometimes by their own parents.

This is where the Girl Gift Basket comes in.

The Girl Gift Basket is a project kickstarted this month in Mumbai, in which a team from Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), an advertising firm, goes to partner hospitals in the city to distribute free gift baskets to mothers of girl children. Speaking to The Metrognome, Russell Barrett, Managing Partner BBH, says, “This project was part of a BBH Worldwide brief, where the idea was to do something good, famously.” He adds, “We are an ad agency, not an NGO, so we are able to put out the word on something pretty quickly. But for this project, simply putting the idea out there is not enough – we want it to be replicated all over the country.”

At the core of the idea is the thought of celebrating the girl child, and to help minimise the gender bais. “So many mothers are extremely disappointed to give birth to girls. A new mother is at her most vulnerable, and at that point, to have somebody come in and gift her a basket – it changes the vibe in the ward. People have been so moved to receive the baskets,” Russell says.

As part of the project, a team from the agency goes to hospitals’ maternity wards and gifts a previously put together pink basket of goodies for both the girl child and her mother. “The team hands out the baskets and sometimes explain to the mother how to use the products inside. Doctors and nurses also pitch in during the interaction,” Russell says. The agency has partnered with its current and ex-clients for the products, which includes body lotions, diapers, soft toys and hair oil, among other things.

The idea took over two months to execute. “We brainstormed on what the baskets should contain. We obviously couldn’t charge for the baskets, and there could be no perishable products inside. Plus, we needed to set a timeframe on getting the project started. But those we approached for help helped us a lot. We contacted hospitals, got the required permissions, and our dedicated team of six got the baskets organised, besides working out delivery schedules.”

Russell comments on the dedication of the team that is currently working on the project. “We have to get this work done without sacrificing our work at the agency,” he says. “But the team is extremely committed – they plan the distribution work in the early mornings, before office starts, or during their lunch breaks, or after work. I’ve even seen them work Saturdays and Sundays on this.” He says the biggest high for the firm has been in watching the team return after a round of distribution. “They’re so charged up, so filled with a sense of achievement. That’s driving them to continue.”

Thus far, the agency has generated funds for 500 baskets. “Our target is 500 baskets, and we’re hoping the idea really takes off by then. For those who want to replicate the idea, we’ve put up a downloadable kit on our website. The kit contains the letter for the hospital and ideas for the basket, among other things,” Russell says.

“It’s not about what we’re doing, it’s about taking it forward. The great thing is that help is pouring in. We realise it’s a very miniscule step, but if we can even plant a small thought in a young mother’s head, tell her, ‘See, it’s great to have a daughter, you even got gifted for it!’, it is a chance for us to do good at a very early stage in that child’s life. We’re hoping this project will start a fresh, positive conversation on girl children altogether,” he explains.

For details on how to get involved with the Girl Gift Basket and for a list of partner hospitals, look up www.girlgiftbasket.com.

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Do

Bisons on bikes

This gang of bikers does charity on the go – if you’re a serious biker, you’re free to join in.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Admit it, the moment one says the word ‘biker’, the immediate image in your mind is of a tough, tattooed dude, weaving in and out of traffic with practiced ease in the day, and burning up the roads in a death-defying race on the night’s empty roads. Bikers race each other, they drive when they’re drunk, they drive rashly…in short, they don’t follow a single road rule.

But a bunch of bikers that do charity? Drive within rules? Never drink and drive?

Meet the ‘Bisons Ride Hard’.

This is a city-based group of serious Royal Enfield bikers that was started last year by three bikers – Gurinder Singh, Sameer Balakrishnan, Deepak Ananth and Vineet Rajan, with the twin idea of combining responsible, safe biking with helping society. Speaking to The Metrognome, Deepak (35) said, “The three of us have been riding for about 15 years now, so we decided to form a club for like-minded bikers who ride in our style. We do charity rides, because our core philosophy is that we should give back to society in some way. And when we started the group, we wanted to break the stereotypical image of bikers that people have, and replace it with that of a serious, responsible person who rides hard and follows the rules.”

So much so, Deepak says, that when the group is on a ride, the ‘captain’ of the team ensures that nobody goes near their vehicle after drinking. “If we stop at a resort for the night and want to drink and party, the bike keys are handed over to the captain or a teetotaller in the group, who does not let a single drunk person near his bike,” he explains.

No need for speed

“Our rides are unique, with a concept that is well thought of,” Deepak says. Each ride is planned at least three weeks in advance, including the routes, timings and stopovers. Rides are done over weekends, and are characterised by long, typically hard riding at a maximum speed of 70 kmph.

The Bisons celebrated their first anniversary in September this year with ‘Red Bums’, a 24-hour, night-only ride. “This was an endurance ride for 1,000 kilometres,” Deepak says, adding that none of the bikers ride without helmets and jackets, and each bike has a crash guard. “We ensure that at least 40 per cent of the ride goes towards charity. We ride within speed limits, the captain for the group ensures that nobody is left behind, and driving rashly or after drinking is a strict no-no.”

Becoming a Bison

The initiation into the group is no cakewalk – you have to echo the group’s core values and undergo some tests. “Once a person applies to us for membership, we call him/her and have an informal meeting. We ascertain some basic things: does the person do drugs, does he drink and drive, what speeds he/she normally rides at. Then the person has to do five overnight rides with us over a period of one year,” Deepak says.

Two overnight rides later, the potential Bison is given access to articles on biking and the group, related information and he/she is involved in decision-making for future rides. “After five rides are complete, the person is given a Bison T-shirt, and a dog tag that lists the person’s basic details and blood group,” Deepak explains.

A rising number of women are enrolling in the group, he says, and several women also go riding with their spouses. “We have a mix of people joining us. There are entrepreneurs, doctors, dieticians, graphic artists. Even Aditya Raj Kapoor (the late Shammi Kapoor’s son) rides with us. Our youngest Bison is 21, our oldest is 59 years old,” Deepak says. In a year, the group has 70 members and 25 more are in the process of being initiated into the club.

The next charity ride

On Sunday, December 23, 50 Bisons will ride from Bandra Kurla Comples to Assisi Bhavan, Goregaon, to spend time with the senior citizens living there. The initiative is called ‘Bisons Serve’.

“We had been there last year, but we didn’t have enough funds to carry out our plans  then. This year, we have appealed to each member to contribute Rs 500, and we are planning a Christmas surprise,” he explains. Of the money thus pooled in, the group will purchase toiletries that will last the female inmates a year. “A Santa Claus is going to ride with us, and we’re also working on getting a carol group. There’s a Christmas tree as well. Besides this, we’ll be spending the day there, and we’re carrying lunch for them which we’ll eat with them. After all, the one thing they want the most is somebody to talk to,” he says.

All bullet biking enthusiasts can join the ride on December 23. Register for ‘Bisons Serve’ on the group’s website www.BisonsRideHard.com.

(Pictures courtesy Bisons Ride Hard) 

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Do

Students create wall-size mural at Goregaon school

Renowned mosaic artist Kirstin Green guided students over 90 days to help create 26 x 12 feet wall mosaic mural.

The Oberoi International School (OIS), Goregaon, saw a fun and creatively rewarding project end recently, with the unveiling of a wall-size, 26 x 12 feet mosaic mural which was a ‘community effort’ in which students worked and some parents also got involved in. The mural was created over a period of 90 days starting from September this year. Students were guided on the project by renowned American mosaic artist Kirstin Green, who was the resident artist for the project.

Kirstin is also working with seven other school-based community projects in the US and South Africa. The mural work at OIS started under her guidance, where she taught students on working with ceramic material, stained glass, glue, blueprints, construction and working on overall artistic collaboration upon completion. The materials were hammered, structured, and placed randomly or were cut and smoothed for a structured layout.

“Each step of designing a mural requires forethought, dedication and an overall vision of the larger picture, while focus has to be on each and every piece of the puzzle. It was truly a pleasure to interact with the ever-enthusiastic students, and create something so beautiful,” she said. The completed mural portrays children of different nationalities holding hands, flags of countries, a tree, the Taj Mahal, an elephant, a peacock, a staircase and a lotus which is the central focus of the piece.

“The entire exercise is a unique experience for our students,” said Dr Vladimir Kuskovski, Head of OIS. “They not only learned new skills of the medium, but also teamwork. Some students have used their free time after school hours, as well as weekends, to work on the mosaic. Many other students may have not worked directly on the project, but they have come down to see the work and often brought their parents along, so this is indeed a community project,” he added.

The mural was unveiled yesterday by acclaimed sculptor Arzan Khambatta, who said that the mural was “one of the finest pieces of art I have come across at a school level; it is amazing to see students delivering a fine art piece with this professionalism and finishing.”

 

 

 

 

 

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Do

Travel smart tomorrow

As the city gears up for annual Chaityabhoomi rendezvous at Dadar, know the routes to take and avoid when commuting.

It’s tough to commute by road as crowds of Dalit devotees have already converged on Chaityabhoomi and Dadar, for the December 6 observance of Dr BR Ambedkar’s death anniversary. If you’re going to take the road to work or home, the Mumbai Traffic police want you to know which roads to take and which ones to avoid. Keep this list with you and know which roads to duck and where you can park, among other things:

ONE WAY/CLOSURE OF ROADS

– SK Bole Road will be one way from Siddhivinayak Junction up to Hanuman Temple, i.e. no entry from Hanuman Temple.
– Bhavani Shankar Road will be one way from Hanuman Temple/Kabutar Khana up to its junction with Gokhale Road South, i.e. no entry from Gokhale Road South viz. Gopinath Chavan Chowk except BEST buses and emergency utility services.
– SVS Marg from Siddhivinayak junction up to Hinduja Hospital will be closed for vehicular traffic. Local residents can go up to Road No 5, i.e. Pandurang Naik Marg junction from Hinduja Hospital.
– Ranade Road will be closed for all types of vehicular traffic.
– Dnyaneshwar Mandir Road will be closed for all types of vehicular traffic from its junction with SVS Road up to Dadar Chowpatty.
– If necessary, vehicular traffic except BEST buses and emergency and utility services will be closed from Dadar TT.
– Kataria Road will be closed for vehicular traffic from LJ Road up to Hinduja Hospital.
– SVS Marg from Mahim junction up to Kapad Bazar (Shitaladevi Road) junction will be closed for vehicular traffic.
– All heavy vehicles, goods vehicles including tempos except BEST buses will be diverted from Mahim junction via Mori Road towards Senapati Bapat Road.

In case of heavy traffic congestion at and around Shivaji Park, the advisory is as under:

SOUTH-BOUND TRAFFIC

Vehicular traffic coming from Western Express Highway and proceeding towards South Mumbai shall go up to Kalanagar junction, take a left turn to proceed to Dharavi T junction to Sion Station or 60 feet Road, Dharavi via Kumbharwada to Sion Hospital and take right turn to BA Road. Commuters can also use the Rajiv Gandhi Sea link via Bandra to Worli  and proceed further.

NORTH-BOUND TRAFFIC

– North-bound vehicular traffic coming from Colaba and CST may use P D’mello Road, Barrister Nath Pai Marg, Zakeria Bunder Road, RAK Marg up to Matunga Arora bridge, then take right turn along Dr BA Road, and further on via Sion Hospital junction. Or, they may take a left turn at Gafarkhan junction on Dr Annie Besant Road for Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link and further to the suburbs.
– North-bound vehicular traffic coming from Mahalaxmi Railway Station via Dr E Moses Road may use Senapati Bapat Road.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS

Parking restrictions will be imposed from 20.00 hrs on 05/12/2012 till 21.00 hrs on 07/12/2012 on either sides of these  roads:

– SVS Road.

– Ranade Road

– NC Kelker Road

– Kelusker Road (South), Kelusker Road (North)

– LJ Road

– Gokhale Road (South), Gokhale Road (North)

– Kataria Road

– Tilak Bridge

– SK Bole Road

– Bhavani Shankar Road

PARKING SPACE

Cars can be parked at Senapati Bapat Marg and Five Garden.

 Source: Mumbai Traffic Police.

(Picture courtesy kemmannu.com)

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Event

Run for a greener city

Mini marathon will promote the theme of recycling waste for healthier Mumbai, on Sunday; BMC and celebs support the cause.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

While the city continues to be deluged with trash and waste of all description, there are a few ways to spread awareness of the problem. Take this Sunday’s event, for instance. Hanjer Biotech Energies, a global waste recycling and resource recovery company, is hosting a mini marathon in association with Mithibai College’s Kshitij, to create awareness of proper disposal and recycling of waste in the city. The event is supported by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and a few celebrities like Vivek Oberoi, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Amrita Rao and Ahmed Khan.

The Hanjer Green Run will start at 8 am from Jamnabai Narsee Grounds and go up to Sea Princess Hotel, before retracing its steps. Sunil Prabhu, Mumbai Mayor, will be the guest of honour for the event.

Dr Irfan Furniturewala, Promoter, Hanjer Biotech Energies, said, “This is a mini marathon to create awareness in Mumbai about the urgent need for proper disposal and recycling of municipal waste in the city to reduce the increasing risk of various life threatening diseases such as malaria and dengue. The recent death of revered film maker, Yash Chopra, who passed away after suffering from dengue, is a case in point. These diseases are caused due to non efficient measures to dispose garbage and waste products.”

He added, “This is a wake up initiative to spread message through this marathon to join us in saving the environment and improving public health by handling waste responsibly.” The first prize is Rs 10,000 cash and the runner-up prizes are cash amounts between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000. The categories for participation are 14-16 years, 16-25 years, 25-45 years, and 45 years and above.

Log on to ‘www.facebook.com/hanjerhere’ on Facebook or www.mithibaikshitij.com to register.  

 (Picture courtesy globalgujaratnews.com. Picture used for representational purpose only)

 

 

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