ART SHALL NEVER DIE

Before you start reading this , I want to ask you a question. When was the last time you ever drew or painted something? Tough question right. In this busy world , we are so engrossed in our work that that the creative instincts in us lie idle.  Along with cave paintings,warli paintings or canvas paintings , wall paintings are something I love .It was normal of me to draw something or the other on the walls of my house when I was a little kid. Truely , it gives a lively feeling!!!

This is Cafe Mondegar , an Iranian origin cafe, situated quite close to Cafe Leopold in Colaba, South Mumbai . It is one of the most popular and visited cafes by locals and especially foreigners. I visited this cafe on a Sunday afternoon while venturing around South Mumbai with my family . Along with the amazing food and drinks , what attracted me was the extraordinary paintings which lined up the walls all around the restaurant.  As you can see above , it is a highly expensive looking cafe but these simple drawings make the place look so simple. It looked that even a  common person can afford to dine here. The drawings depict a waiter carrying drinks , two women talking , one gentlemen proposing a lady with an engagement ring , a girl throwing water and many more. It looks as if the drawing characters are actually people who are around us . They are actual drawings made on the walls and not just picture wall hangings. It feels alive to be in this cafe.  I quickly took a pic of this and decided to post this immediately. It felt as if there was never a dull moment . More than a restaurant with chairs and tables ,anyone would feel like an art museum here .  This visit made my day brighter . Even the chairs and tables are plain wooden ones with  tablemats and a cloth spread on them like any local roadside restaurant or dhabas in hill stations or along the highways. Even though there are modern hotels and eating joints coming up , cafes like Cafe Mondegar and Leopold are still preferred by people as it gives the feel of a common person apart from being a  rich merchant. These wall paintings actually are giving a positive outlook and image of the restaurant. Even if there are profits and losses , looking at these paintings is giving a strange hope to carry on with whatever is going to come  . Any person would forget all his problems for a while after visiting this place filled with art.  It actually feels as if there are cartoons all around us .We  will feel like doing some mischief and pranks here. We shall get in a playful mood and forget being serious once we step here. It would be fun to bring your best buddies, school mates ,cousins , friends and even your partner . Once in a lifetime , being a Mumbaikar, do visit this restaurant once with your family and relive your child self!!!
                            Excuse me for the picture quality