This iconic Mumbai Parsi community culture club is celebrating 90 years with traditional fashion and food
Established in 1934, a cultural club spearheaded by the Parsi community looks back upon the illustrious journey as it celebrates its 90th anniversary
Article by Devashish Kamble | Mid Day
Zubin Mehta embraces the Club founder-president Gool Shavaksha in 1967
In the summer of 1980, a group of young Parsi women stirred up quite the scene in the city, enough for the police to descend upon the now defunct venue of Rang Bhavan in Dhobi Talao. The police in question included Stewart Copeland, Sting and Andy Summers of the eponymously named British pop-rock group. This historic debut concert in the city was orchestrated by the ambitious women of the Time & Talents Club. ‘Not cop, but pop’ their welcome banner aptly stated.
A quarter of a century later, the club, now synonymous with philanthropy, its eponymous cookbooks, and staging talents ranging from Western music legends such as Mehli Mehta and violinist Yehudi Menuhin to icons of Hindustani classical music like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, is now celebrating its 90th anniversary. This time it is a hat tip to the rich Parsi tradition of textiles.
(From left) Stewart Copeland, Sting and Andy Summers in Mumbai ahead of their debut India concert in 1980. PICS COURTESY/T&T
“The Club began as a group of young Parsi women meeting over coffee on pleasant Mumbai mornings to pool their talents for a good cause. Exhibitions, community sales, film screenings, and later, the crowd-pulling musical performances,” shares Bakhtawar Shroff, acting president. The young women Shroff refers to were the founding stalwarts of the Mulla family — Gool, Hilla and Sooni — who met Roshan Sethna to form the beating heart of the group in the 1934. From meeting every Wednesday over coffee to setting up the Victoria Stall in Apollo Bunder that whipped up meals for Indian Armed Forces during the 1966 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars and publishing the Time & Talents Club Recipe Book that familiarised the city to peculiar recipes like Maestro Zubin Mehta’s favourite Zubin curry, the Club’s journey is a delightful mix of entertainment and philanthropy in itself.
A model wears a gara designed by Ashdeen Lilaowala
The upcoming celebrations on February 21 will dive into these stories and traditions from a bygone era. Award-winning textile designer and author Ashdeen Lilaowala will be part of the celebrations, and showcase Parsi garas — silk embroidered saris that trace their roots back to 19th century trade between India and China. “The garas were popularised in Bombay through the traders who would frequent China along the Silk Route that traversed Persia, India, and China,” Shroff reveals. The intricate, nature-inspired embroidery tradition will make a comeback in style with a fashion show and a live auction scheduled soon after.
Women are trained in sewing as part of the Club’s upliftment projects
While most members count down days to the auction, actor and host for the night, Nauheed Cyrusi, is currently shaking off cold feet. “The Club has cemented its status as a legendary institution through the years. I’m not sure how well my slapstick humour that fares well on social media will work for the occasion. I’m currently working towards tuning it down and spending this week learning and relearning all the guests’ names so I don’t get them wrong on stage,” she laughs.
Mutton pulao
On top of things, yet behind the scenes as she usually is, chef and catering veteran Tanaz Godiwalla is charting out the way to the guests’ hearts. Needless to say, it goes through the stomach. “Coming together and celebrating Parsi heritage is more important than ever right now. We are a dwindling population any way. I can’t tell if we need to save the tigers or the Parsis first at this point,” she laughs. On the menu are the Godiwalla’s mutton pulao, saas ni macchi and the crowd-favourite khima cutlets. As for her personal favourite, “I’m more of a simple dhansak person,” she admits.
Tanaz Godiwalla
Amidst the celebrations, the club’s commitment to give back to the society isn’t lost upon its current custodians. On the journey towards the centenary, Shroff aims to amp up its educational and wellness projects including an ongoing effort to build safe spaces for women in the Naxalite belt of Gadchiroli in eastern Maharashtra. “We have been working towards providing alternate employment to young farmers in Palghar, empowering women with employability and extending a helping hand to the less privileged and differently-abled children in the city. The vision for the decade ahead of us is to ensure long term impact in each one of these areas,” Shroff signs off.
Bakhtawar Shroff, Nauheed Cyrusi and Ashdeen Lilaowala
ON February 21
AT Saher Agiary, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Breach Candy
LOG ON TO @timeandtalentsclub
CALL 9920077499; 9820081983
ENTRY Rs 5,000 (per head)