The Asiatic Society of Mumbai

“Does Free Speech Have A Future”

Do join us for the 13th Professor Dhirendra Narain Endowment Lecture. Details are below.

The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society Of Mumbai presents Bombay Booked - 14. This session will feature the book *Ramblings Of A Bandra Boy, by Joy Bimal Roy.

A collection of insightful writings about growing up in an upper middle class household, where the mundane and the extraordinary come together. Tinged with equal parts humour and quiet contemplation, Joy uses the smallest incidents and moments to draw you into his life, his childhood, the house he grew up in, and the world of bollywood.

Joy will be in conversation with Shireen Gandhy, gallerist Chemould Prescott Road. And Denzil Smith, film and stage actor and producer will read excerpts from the book.

Date: 11 July, 2025
Time: 5pm
Venue: Durbar Hall, Asiatic Society Of Mumbai
Please join us for tea at 4.30
Note:
1. No registration required. Please feel free to walk in.
2. In case of heavy rains and rescheduling, we will post on instagram. Follow us for updates at

A tale of survival on the battlefield

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai cordially invites you to an “In Conversation” on the novel “Rescuing a River Breeze” by Mrinalini Harchandrai at the Durbar Hall at 5.00 p.m. on Tuesday 17th June, 2025. The author will be in conversation with Sharon Irani.

Rescuing a River Breeze is set in 1961 in Goa, then under Portuguese rule, and revolves around the fictitious Quarachim family, hailing from Karachi and settled in Goa post partition, now well-integrated into the upper echelons of Panjim's society. A couple of months before the liberation of Goa in December 1961, the protagonist, 13-year-old Shirly Quarachim finds her daily life disrupted when her father is arrested on charges of treason. The young Shirley is caught between her personal world and the growing political turmoil around her as Indian troops come closer to the border and the threat of war and destruction looms large.

Mrinalini Harchandai is a poet and writer, and former Deputy Editor at Poetry at Sangam, an online literary journal. Her poetry and short stories are widely anthologised and have won international acclaim, including the Quarterly West Poetry Prize, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Cid Pearlman Performance Project and Columbia Journal Spring Contest.

Please join us for the 31st Smt Bansari Sheth Memorial Lecture.
April 30th I 5.30pm I Durbar Hall

Do join us for the 13th Durga Bhagwat Memorial Lecture.
March 26. Durbar Hall.
5.30pm.

Do join us for a talk by author Amrita Shah.
She will be speaking about her new book, The Other Mohan In Britain’s Indian Ocean Empire.

Please join us this evening, at the Durbar Hall.
For a talk and discussion with author Sunanda Bhosekar.

The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai presents Girgaon Symphonies with Riddhi Joshi.

Imagine a time in Bombay when a specific part of the city resonated with the sounds of Hindustani classical music, dance, drama, and poetry, making it a hub of performing and fine arts! Towards the turn of the 20th century, as the princely states declined, traditional arts and artists sought new patronage to survive. This area around the Opera House provided them solace and became the center of all cultural activities. Come and explore this cultural aspect of Girgaon through people, stories, and music.

Total distance to be covered: Approximately 2 km
Walk duration: 2 hours
Location: Girgaon
Date: 23rd February 2025 (Sunday)
Time: 9:30-11:30 am
Amount: ₹750 (₹500 Members)

Registration Links:
General - https://rzp.io/rzp/GirgaonSympGENERAL

Members - https://rzp.io/rzp/GirgaonSympMEMBERS

Riddhi Joshi
- Assistant Professor of History at K J Somaiya College, with expertise in Archaeology and Hindustani Classical Music. Riddhi has presented papers at several conferences and has co-authored heritage books.

The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai presents a special walkthrough of Sarmaya’s Art Exhibition, "High Seas, Open Roads."

About the Exhibition:
On January 12, Sarmaya Museum in Mumbai inaugurated its exhibition "High Seas, Open Roads – Journeys that bring us home" at their heritage archive in Fort. The exhibit showcases rare historical objects, contemporary art, and personal artefacts from the collections of Paul Abraham and Pavitra Rajaram.

Exhibition Highlights:
- An 8-foot-tall puppet of Vishwaroopa Hanuman
- Coins from Mughal Emperor Jahangir's 'zodiac' series
- Panoramic views of Mumbai by Warli artists Mayur and Tushar Vayeda, 19th-century photographers, and mixed-media artist Saju Kunhan

This is the first exhibition at Sarmaya’s archive in the 146-year-old Lawrence & Mayo House on Dr. DN Road. It is part of a series of exhibitions showcasing themes and treasures from their collection and offers insights into Paul Abraham's 40-year journey as a collector and art patron. "High Seas, Open Roads" focuses on themes of travel, movement, and migration.

Walkthrough Details:

14th February 2025, Friday
4 PM - 6 PM
Lawrence & Mayo House, DN Road (Fort)
₹750 (₹500 for Members)
- prices are inclusive of snacks

Registration Links:
General https://rzp.io/rzp/SarmayaWalkthroughGENERAL

Members https://rzp.io/rzp/SarmayaWalkthroughMEMBERS

The Asiatic Society of Mumbai takes pleasure in inviting you and your friends to the 19th Dr Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture
by
Professor Vinay Lal
Professor of History and Asian American Studies, UCLA;
Fellow, Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, South Africa, 2024; &
Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship Holder, India, 2025

on
“A Diaspora Purana: The Figure of the Migrant and the Epic of Indian Indenture”

on Tuesday, 18th February 2025, at 5.30 p.m.

Professor Ashwani Kumar
Poet & Professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences &
Formerly Visiting Fellow at London School of Economics, will preside.

Please join us for tea at 5.00 p.m.

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is pleased to invite you to a programme “Bringing to Life the Poetry of Udayan Thakker”, the renowned Gujarati poet. The poems will be recited by the poet and enacted by Ms. Meenal Patel. The translations in Hindi and English will be narrated as well. The programme will be held on Friday 14th February at 5 p.m. in the Durbar Hall of the Society.

Udayan Thakker is currently the editor of poetryindia.com, and the winner of several prestigious awards namely the "Narsinh Mehta Award", the Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar of the Maharashtra Rajya Gujarati Sahitya Academy, and several awards of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy and the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. Besides, he has authored over 20 books in Gujarati. His poems have been translated into Japanese and English.

Meenal Patel has been a TV and stage actor for the last 50 years. She has performed in Gujarati, Hindi, English and also in a Marathi play. She has been on the Advisory panel of the Film Certification Board. Her role as Kasturba in the play Gandhi viruddh Gandhi, won her an award.

Please join us for tea at 4.30 pm.