The Weekend Guide

SHOPPING
Paramparik Karigar Exhibition
Paramparik Karigar is an association that has been promoting traditional Indian art and craft since 1996. Since then, their annual exhibitions have become a goldmine of sorts for sharp-eyed shoppers. Among the assorted hodge-podge of things on display, we found roomy woven shopping bags in fuschia and emerald green (Rs680); stacks of colourful patterned bangles (Rs150 for a set of eight); durries galore (starting at Rs3,500); and exquisite paper stencils called Sanjhis (from Rs600), which make for nifty wall art.
When: Until Sunday, April 17. From 10.30am to 6.30pm.
Where: Coomaraswamy Hall, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, First Floor, 159/61 M. G. Road, Kala Ghoda. Tel: 2284 4484.

FILM
Rango
Johnny Depp voices the role of Rango, the pet chameleon who accidentally becomes the sheriff of a lawless town called Dirt, in this animated Western from Nickelodeon. Helmed by Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski, Rango is brought to life by a voice cast that includes Bill Nighy as town villain Rattlesnake Jake, and the computer-generated graphics of the team at Industrial Light & Magic. Like most animated films these days, Rango—which “ransacks, then smartly twists elements of dozens of classic pictures, from Chinatown to Clint Eastwood’s No Name westerns”—may seem like it’s been made for kids but “is built for viewers of any age with a taste for joyful anarchy”.
When: From Friday, April 15.
Where: At cinemas across the city.

MUSIC
Riz MC at Zenzi
London-based British-Pakistani rapper and actor (Four Lions) Rizwan Ahmed aka Riz MC has gained fame and notoriety for his sharp rhymes that mix satire with socio-political commentary. Take, for instance, his 2006 single “Post 9-11 Blues” which implores listeners to do the “post 9-11 dance/ look scared, shake your arse/ when the bombs go blast”. Unsurprisingly, it was ignored by UK radio, gaining Ahmed a cult following and a large Internet fan base in the bargain. His racism-ripping tunes are smart, and catchy enough to appeal even to those who’ve never heard of him before—see for yourself when he performs this weekend at a free gig at Zenzi that will feature tracks from his acclaimed electro-hip hop debut album MICroscope.
When: Friday, April 15 at 10pm.
Where: Zenzi, 183 Waterfield Road, off Linking Road, opposite Barista, Bandra (West). Tel: 6643 0670.

NATURE
Flamingo Festival
Flamingos usually come to Mumbai on their annual visit from the coast of Kutch in October. This weekend, the Bombay Natural History Society is organising another guided visit to Sewri jetty to see the flamingos on the mudflats, which serve as their temporary home in the city till the onset of the monsoon. As a bonus, you’ll also be able to spot other birds commonly seen at the Sewri mudflats such as egrets and sandpipers.
When: Saturday, April 16, from 2pm to sunset.
Where: Sewri Jetty, Sewri (East). BNHS buses will be parked outside Sewri railway station to take people to the viewing point. Tel: 2282 1811. Free. See here for further details.

FOOD
Farmers’ Market
The Farmers’ Market will be held at Turf Club this Saturday. Pick up organic veggies including capsicum, potatoes, chillis, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, beans, mint, bitter gourd, peas and carrots, as well as plenty of seasonal fruits like guavas, Alphonso mangoes, pomegranates, bananas, figs, watermelons and musk melons. The market will also have organic snack stalls that will sell pani puri, Thai food, salads, fruit and vegetable juices, puran poli, tofu, teas and coffees. You can shop for organic cotton T-shirts by Fusion and No Nasties, organic soaps by Rejuveda, canvas totes by Clean Planet, room fresheners and body oils by Om Veda, and mosquito repellants by Ecorama.
When: Saturday, April 16, from 3pm to 9pm.
Where: Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, entry from Governor’s Gate (near Gallops restaurant), Mahalaxmi. Tel: 98198 52266.