<h2>Shades of Innocence&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Children of special needs celebrate Holi with their friends at the SEC Day School in Khar Danda.</p>
<h2>In pole position</h2>
<p><img title="Zakwana Bagban in performance at the  competition. Pic Courtesy/Alt_Tog" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/mar/dos-tirteen-march-b_e.jpg" alt="Zakwana Bagban in performance at the  competition. Pic Courtesy/Alt_Tog" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Zakwana Bagban in performance at the &nbsp;competition. Pic Courtesy/Alt_Tog</em></strong></p>
<p>Zakwana Bagban never thought her interest in exotic dance could open the road to Spain. The Andheri-based dancer is on her way back from the Exotic Generations international pole dancing competition that concluded late in February. &ldquo;It is an annual competition, and Spain was the destination this year,&rdquo; Bagban shared over a phone call. The dancer finished first in her category, Fresh New Face-Flow, making her the first Indian in the competition to return home with a citation. &ldquo;I have been learning pole dancing for the last four years. I was actually more interested in aerial dancing, but on a trip to Dubai, I took up pole dancing. I have since travelled across the world learning the form. This was my first competition on the international stage, and it was quite a thrill to be honest,&rdquo; she told this diarist.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Croatian call for Indian poets</h2>
<p><img title="Hemant Divate" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/mar/dos-tirteen-march-c_e.jpg" alt="Hemant Divate" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Hemant Divate</em></strong></p>
<p>Marathi will fill the air in Croatia at the 62nd edition of the Goranovo proljeće later this month. &ldquo;Five of us, namely Mustansir Dalvi, Sampurna Chattarji, Sanjeev Khandekar, Manya Joshi and I will be travelling to Croatia. We will read poems in our languages, as well as having the translated versions read out at the venue,&rdquo; shared Hemant Divate. Instituted in the honour of Croatian poet, Ivan Goran Kovačić, the festival will take place from March 20 to March 23. &ldquo;This will be our second trip. In 2023, the festival had honoured Marathi where Manya Joshi, Sanjeev Khandekar and I were part of the festivities,&rdquo; Divate recalled.</p>
<h2>The right shade of green</h2>
<p><img title="Dr Chandrakant Lattoo guides children during an earlier tree walk" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/mar/dos-tirteen-march-d_e.jpg" alt="Dr Chandrakant Lattoo guides children during an earlier tree walk" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Dr Chandrakant Lattoo guides children during an earlier tree walk</em></strong></p>
<p>If you spot Dr Chandrakant Lattoo ambling past you at Joggers&rsquo; Park in Bandra on Sunday, do not be surprised. Nicknamed Mumbai&rsquo;s Tree Encyclopaedia, Dr Lattoo will lead a limited group of participants alongside the Green Chimes initiative to help familiarise them with the trees and biodiversity in Bandra. &ldquo;Whenever we conduct a tree walk, one of the key aspects is to help people understand the importance of a tree, its type and size. I have conducted walks in different locations around the city to help citizens understand what grows around them in the neighbourhood,&rdquo; shared Dr Lattoo.</p>
<p>Among the points of discussion will be the differences between native and foreign species. Addressing the concern, the botanist said, &ldquo;Personally, I do not believe in differentiating between native and foreign species. The only consideration is to note if they are an invasive species. Considering the park&rsquo;s location, I will also be speaking on the effect of the coastal air on the trees, how we can nurture them, and the biodiversity that thrives in such conditions.&rdquo; With limited seats, readers would do well to reach out at 9833865805 to register for the walk.</p>
<h2>Mumbai&rsquo;s shoreline secrets&nbsp;</h2>
<p><img title="Coral zoanthids spotted by Sahir Doshi. Pic Courtesy/Sahir Doshi; (right) Sahir Doshi " src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/mar/dos-tirteen-march-e_e.jpg" alt="Coral zoanthids spotted by Sahir Doshi. Pic Courtesy/Sahir Doshi; (right) Sahir Doshi " width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Coral zoanthids spotted by Sahir Doshi. Pic Courtesy/Sahir Doshi; (right) Sahir Doshi&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<p>There is no doubt that Mumbai&rsquo;s shoreline is blessed with a flourishing ecosystem. At a recent spotting, naturalist Sahir Doshi has uncovered two groups of marine invertebrates who are often mistaken for plants. &ldquo;The coral zoanthids and sea sponges are quite abundant in Mumbai&rsquo;s shorelines. Although they are animals, people assume that they are plants because they show very little movement,&rdquo; Doshi informed us. Populating rocky shores and tide pools, these animals are an integral part of Mumbai&rsquo;s marine health. &ldquo;One of the roles that the corals play is that they build a nursery for juvenile fish species, keeping the ecosystem and commercial fishery intact. All these animals can be studied and researched to understand what features of the water &mdash; from chemical changes to sewage particles have made them increase or decrease in population,&rdquo; the naturalist added.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Pass with laughing colours</h2>
<p><img title="A moment from the rehearsal. Pics Courtesy/The Jeff Goldberg Studio; (right) Glenn Hayden " src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/mar/dos-tirteen-march-f_e.jpg" alt="A moment from the rehearsal. Pics Courtesy/The Jeff Goldberg Studio; (right) Glenn Hayden " width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A moment from the rehearsal. Pics Courtesy/The Jeff Goldberg Studio; (right) Glenn Hayden&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<p>The new batch of performers from The Jeff Goldberg Studio will put up their first major production, In My Absence, in Andheri tomorrow. Directed by Glenn Hayden, the play is a satire revolving around four siblings dealing with their deceased father&rsquo;s will. &ldquo;It is always difficult to find the right play for a graduation performance. So, we decided to write our own play. Some of the graduates pitched in with the idea of doing a comedy. We brainstormed, and finally chose a satirical approach with a touch of grief thrown in as a challenge,&rdquo; Hayden shared with us. The play is among a slate of productions soon to come from the actor&rsquo;s studio, founder Jeff Goldberg added.&nbsp;</p><p>
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Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Shades of Innocence

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