Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Bedazzling Mumbai
Actress Elizabeth Hurley and Elephant Family CEO Ruth Powys-Ganesh at the finale of the Elephant Parade in Bandra on Friday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Meera Godbole-Krishnamurthy

Paradise found
We are always eager to see the results of a happy marriage between art and literature, and such is our feeling with Meera Godbole-Krishnamurthy's latest book. Godbole-Krishnamurthy, the editor-in-chief of auction house Saffronart and a trained architect, is set to launch her book Gardens of Love: Stories of a Marriage tomorrow at the Sir JJ School of Architecture. The book, as the title suggests, is set in four verdant spaces - New Delhi's Lodhi Gardens, New York's Central Park, the Roman Forum, and Mumbai's very own Hanging Gardens. This is Godbole-Krishnamurthy's second work of fiction, and a unique one, from what we gather, in which every page has the story coupled with a sketch of these four gardens. It's neither a travelogue nor a historical survey of these gardens, says Godbole-Krishnamurthy, but a work of fiction. We'll keep that in mind.

A song from Stanford
Shyamoli Sanghi, a 19-year-old singer from Mumbai who now studies at Stanford University, was pleasantly surprised to see her first original track Tu Na Aaya trending on YouTube with 7.2 million views in five days. The teen, who is studying maths and philosophy at the university, says, "I feel the song, composed by Ravi Singhal, has the ability to grow on people. The lyrics are powerful. It talks about a love story that happened during college days, one that is difficult to forget." Sanghi is also part of an Acapella group called Talisman at Stanford, which performs songs from lesser-known cultures. "Thanks to the group, I've sung in Zulu, Mandarin and Shona," she says.

In grandpa's footsteps
Shweta Bachchan Nanda has shone in every role she has fit herself into - be it daughter, sister, wife and mum. Now, we hear, she is penning her debut novel, which is slated for a release in July this year. Titled, Paradise Towers, the novel, which will be published by HarperCollins India, explores the intertwined lives of people in an apartment complex in central Mumbai. From a forbidden romance, an elopement and an explosive Diwali celebration, Shweta's book sounds like it has enough Bollywood-drama packed into it. We wonder if she has any plans to follow in her grandfather Harivansh Rai Bachchan's footsteps as well.

Detect a new partner?
The worst thing about first dates is what your could-be partner is trying to hide from you. Yet, there's probably no better place to meet and get to know someone than right in the middle of a storm. It's probably why Siddharth and Simran Mangharam of Floh - which started off as a dating network site - are bringing the latest trust-building fad, escape rooms as a replacement to wine brunches to get to know new people. This evening, 32 men and women will be thrown into a murder mystery that they have crafted based on Arjun Raj Gaind's (in pic) book Death at the Durbar. The book is a HarperCollins publication and will see its launch at a Mumbai venue. Props, says Siddharth, are basic. Best of luck!

Delighted Dean should hear this
South African batsman Dean Elgar recently equalled West Indian Desmond Haynes's world record of carrying one's bat on three occasions. Elgar performed his 'hat-trick' against the Australians in the on-going Cape Town Test. Barbados-based Haynes was quick to offer his congratulations via Facebook. "Congrats Dean Elgar, Well played and welcome to the club," wrote the former opener. Like several cricket terms, 'carrying one's bat' evokes curiosity. In the early days of cricket, batsmen who were dismissed, used to leave the bat on the crease for the incoming batsmen to utilise. So if you were the last man to be dismissed, you had to carry the bat to the pavilion. In modern-day cricket, only opening batsmen who stay not out can qualify to have 'carried his bat.'

Of all the 'bat carriers', England's Geoff Boycott must rank as the most unfortunate. At Perth, in the opening Test of the 1979-80 series against Australia, Boycott was at the non-striker's end on 99 as last man Bob Willis faced up to Geoff Dymock. The Queensland bowler induced an edge which Greg Chappell accepted with glee at first slip. Australia thus won the Test and Boycott had to walk back to the dressing room with an unbeaten 99 to his name. What a way to go, what a way to lose, but hang on. An unbeaten 99 must have been more satisfying than his first innings duck. Right, Boycs?

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

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