Giddy Up!

Equestrian Freya Deshmane and her horse Acrobat pull off a clean jump at the Amateur Riders’ Club’s Show Jumping Clear Round at Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

By fluke and by flute

(From left) Police Constable Niraj Kurane, Rajeev Raja, and Police Inspector Manoj Shinde. Pic Courtesy/Rajeev Raja

Few artistes can afford to recall their tryst with the cops with as much enthusiasm as flautist Rajeev Raja; and he has good reasons. Last Thursday, Raja was travelling to a SoBo venue to watch American trumpeter Randy Brecker in performance, when he stopped by for coffee near INOX in Nariman Point. “My driver struck up a conversation with a Police Constable named Niraj Kurane, and casually mentioned that I was a flautist. To their surprise, Kurane turned out to be an Indian classical flautist himself. What’s more, he quickly called out for Police Inspector Manoj Shinde, who plays the western flute. I was dumbfounded,” Raja revealed to this diarist. The discussion quickly veered to Raja’s western flute that he was travelling with. “I played them a quick tune and it sparked a hands-on exploration of the instrument. I couldn’t stick around too long because I didn’t want to miss Brecker’s performance, but I’m still in touch with Kurane through WhatsApp. I hope to help him pick up the western flute soon. I’ll gladly instruct him through online lessons,” Raja added. Now we don’t mean to gloat, but this is definitely one of those ‘only in Mumbai’ moments.