Layers of Mumbai: Tetrapod Beach

All along the west coast of India, beaches are naturally eroding because of climate change and mostly because of human activities. Mumbai is no exception. When seen from the air, the Island City's lowermost layer can be seen expanding. The land is ‘reclaimed’ from the sea for human use, and our eyes are captivated by the changing skyline. If we lower our gaze and look closely at the beaches, we can observe what the sea has to tell us. Waves and currents slowly eat away the remaining sand. The salt sprays gnaw at everything with their alkaline lick. The golden sand coloured grey by the raw sewage the city leaks into the sea is disappearing. The famous beaches of yesterday all along the city’s coast are now home to tetrapods or wave-dissipating concrete blocks. While our skyscrapers reach the skies, the layer beneath our feet disappears. Let’s bury our heads in the disappearing sand. This NFT collectible includes a special edition of Mumbai Paused Zine 02 - The Male Issue, and the original high-res image of Tetrapod Beach.