BASEmumbai

JAIN TEMPLE FACADE, MUMBAI

Photo by Chad Schram

A photo mapping by Chad Schram of the gravity fed irrigation system for watering the palm groves in rural Alibag on the mainland across from Mumbai.

Measured and documented by Alan (Huang Yuyang), Tina (Wei Yiting) and Chih (Yeh Yunchih).

Leading Tabla player and Classical Hindustani musician Aneesh Pradhan spoke with us in the studio about the art of Tabla and about his recent book Hindustani Classical Music in Colonial Bombay. A fascinating person, artist and talk. See his blog at www.aneeshpradhan,com and more at www.underscorerecords.com online and on youtube. With many thanks to Lakshmi Menon for arranging this and to Megan Peters for the poster.

At the Chor Bazaar, an open air auto dis-assembly micro factory. BASE Mumbaiker Chad Schram put in his first day of work alongside the local crew.

Machined/milled from living stone, the caves of Elephanta Island.

BASEmumbai adopted Salim and his mother Shanti for one day. But after a bit of a tantrum from being left alone for a short time in a new place, they were returned to their home in the Mustafa Bazaar Wood Market where we visit them almost every evening bearing greens.

From Alibag on the Mainland, ferrying across the pre-monsoon choppy sea to Mumbai.

Three-wheel Sitaras are the way to get around in rural Alibag- seeing water tanks, villages, temples and Studio Mumbai projects.

BASE Mumbaiker Mark Langrehr is studying and documenting Dhobi Ghat in Central Mumbai.

Back in Mumbai at Studio Mumbai/BASEmumbai uploading photographs, drawing from the Water Tank measurements and back to work on the URBAN projects.

A satisfied team after two days in the central Indian sun measuring and documenting the Rameshwar Mandir Water Tank in Alibag.

Exploring the wondrous Studio Mumbai Workshop under the palm canopy in Alibag. Bronze castings, bitumen studies, wood models, model scale fired and lime colored bricks, lime slaking ponds, machine shop, bamboo structures, tree resin waterproofing, black magic, pack of dogs, and......................................

A quick stop at one of the string of Stepped Wells in Alibag that form a “necklace” of infrastructure for human habitation. They provide water for drinking, bathing, and animals and serve as public and spiritual spaces for both daily activities of drying foods, laundry, and cricket games as well as for rituals of birth, death, life and marriage.

A visit to the Carimjee House and Utsav houses on the Mainland in Alibag