<h2>Royal treatment</h2>
<p>A replica model of a lion is carried on a crane during the Mariamman festival celebrations near Masjid Bunder.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>When Shankar sang along</h2>
<p><img title="Shankar Mahadevan jams with the band backstage in Byculla. Pics Courtesy/Swapnil Tarphe" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-b_e.jpg" alt="Shankar Mahadevan jams with the band backstage in Byculla. Pics Courtesy/Swapnil Tarphe" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Shankar Mahadevan jams with the band backstage in Byculla. Pics Courtesy/Swapnil Tarphe</em></strong></p>
<p>Seven years ago, folk rock band Abhanga Repost took a shot in the dark when they messaged Shankar Mahadevan on Instagram, requesting him to give their newest single a listen. Their track was an imaginative fusion of the abhangas of saints like Saint Tukaram and Saint Dnyaneshwar, infused with rock music. Last Tuesday, Mahadevan belted out lines from the same song with the six-piece band in a backstage jam no one saw coming. &ldquo;It was a dream come true. We were performing at an award function in Byculla, and Shankar ji happened to cross paths with us. To our surprise, he recognised us and even revealed that he had been listening to our songs. Being long-time fans, we politely asked for a photograph and a short video,&rdquo; bassist Swapnil Tarphe recalled.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img title="Swapnil Tarphe" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-c_e.jpg" alt="Swapnil Tarphe" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Swapnil Tarphe</em></strong></p>
<p>The veteran musician did the band one better. &ldquo;He asked us if we wanted to jam to Pundalik Varde, one of our first songs as a band. We were elated. It was a full circle moment for us,&rdquo; Tarphe revealed. Known for spotlighting local talent, Mahadevan also shared a few words of appreciation and advice, we learn. &ldquo;He gave us a pat on the back for finding new ways to keep folk music alive,&rdquo; the bassist told us.</p>
<h2>Treasuring nature</h2>
<p><img title="The purple sunbird is a common sighting at the Maharashtra Nature Park. Pics Courtesy/Sandra Pereira" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-d_e.jpg" alt="The purple sunbird is a common sighting at the Maharashtra Nature Park. Pics Courtesy/Sandra Pereira" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>The purple sunbird is a common sighting at the Maharashtra Nature Park. Pics Courtesy/Sandra Pereira</em></strong></p>
<p>Naturalists Sandra Pereira and Kayden Anthony will spread awareness about India&rsquo;s wildlife biodiversity through a unique treasure hunt in the city on May 31. &ldquo;Games like wildlife crossword and a Morse code deciphering session are just fun ways to ensure these concepts stay with the participants forever. We will start with a walk in the Maharashtra Nature Park in Mahim and then proceed to commence the treasure hunt. We tested the concept in October 2024, and received an overwhelmingly positive response. Children as young as 12 years joined the day-long event,&rdquo; shared Pereira. Those keen to join can log on to&nbsp;<br />@man_of_the_forest_ on Instagram.</p>
<h2>Green girl power</h2>
<p><img title="Participants at a previous walk. Pic Courtesy/Dipti Humraaskar" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-e_e.jpg" alt="Participants at a previous walk. Pic Courtesy/Dipti Humraaskar" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Participants at a previous walk. Pic Courtesy/Dipti Humraaskar</em></strong></p>
<p>All Women Nature Walk Mumbai, a women-centric naturalist group, will host a tree walk at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan on May 24. &ldquo;Participants can ask questions and engage in fun quizzes about the flora and fauna of the Zoo,&rdquo; shared co-organiser Neha Savla, adding, &ldquo;The idea is to occupy outdoor spaces and make local biodiversity more accessible to women in a non-judgmental environment.&rdquo; Head to @awnw.mumbai on Instagram to know more about the walk.</p>
<h2>Food for thought</h2>
<p><img title="A portion of the spread from an earlier session. Pic Courtesy/Vandita Morarka" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-f_e.jpg" alt="A portion of the spread from an earlier session. Pic Courtesy/Vandita Morarka" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A portion of the spread from an earlier session. Pic Courtesy/Vandita Morarka</em></strong></p>
<p>A lot can happen over a coffee, we&rsquo;ve heard. But a lot more can change over a shared potluck, says social activist Vandita Morarka. This Sunday, Morarka will host an interfaith community potluck in Goregaon with the aim to promote tolerance in these testing times. &ldquo;The ultimate goal is to encourage conversations between contrasting opinions, to understand each other better. Eating together forms the ideal backdrop for such an experiment. It instantly grounds people. Sometimes, people are stubborn about their beliefs, but these conversations leave them with much to ponder upon,&rdquo; revealed Morarka. Those interested in joining the conversation can log on to @onefuturecollective. To ensure a safe and sound session for all, registrations will be vetted and selected at the organiser&rsquo;s discretion.</p>
<h2>Talk of the king</h2>
<p><img title="Virat Kohli. Pic/AFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/may/dos-may-sixteen-g_e.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli. Pic/AFP" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Virat Kohli. Pic/AFP</em></strong></p>
<p>Indian cricketing legend Virat Kolhi&rsquo;s recent retirement from Test cricket has left fans coping in different ways. A fan like this diarist might even say they see one king waving to another on this page. Taking note, city-based reading club Paperback Talks will host a session centred on Kohli&rsquo;s career on May 18. &ldquo;It comes as a coincidence that author Sfurti Sahare&rsquo;s book, Think and Win Like Virat, was released days after Kohli announced his retirement. We will be reading from the new book and celebrating his genius through talks, discussions and a quizzing session,&rdquo; founder Rahul Saini revealed. If you&rsquo;d like to meet like-minded fans, log on to @paperbacktalks to register.&nbsp;</p><p><script type="text/javascript">atOptions={'key':'d0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7','format':'iframe','height':90,'width':728,'params':{}};</script></p><p>
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Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

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