<h2>Bhutta by the beach</h2>
<p>A vendor roasts corn in the striking orange flames of a stove on Versova Beach.</p>
<h2>Salaams to the East Indians</h2>
<p><img title="ACP Mamta Lawrence D&rsquo;souza (left) receives her award from Father Vernon Aguiar. Pic Courtesy/MGP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-b_e.jpg" alt="ACP Mamta Lawrence D&rsquo;souza (left) receives her award from Father Vernon Aguiar. Pic Courtesy/MGP" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>ACP Mamta Lawrence D&rsquo;souza (left) receives her award from Father Vernon Aguiar. Pic Courtesy/MGP</em></strong></p>
<p>In recognition of those who have been steadfastly contributing to shaping Mumbai into what it is today, the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) held its 15th East Indian Community Awards ceremony on November 15, at St Andrew&rsquo;s Auditorium, Bandra. Awardees from across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region were felicitated for contributions to education, entrepreneurship, social service, and more. Alphi D&rsquo;Souza, CEO, MGP provided context to a few of them. &ldquo;Among [those awarded]were Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mamta Lawrence D&rsquo;souza, for her 36-year-long service in key regions such as Thane Rural and Navi Mumbai; the brothers Mingleshwar and Benzoni Sequeira, who have dedicated their lives to restoring and preserving religious statues and altars for churches across Mumbai and beyond; and Glenn Remedios from Vasai, whose debut novel may be adapted to film,&rdquo; he informed us.</p>
<h2>You&rsquo;ve got mail</h2>
<p><img title="A participant posts her letter during a previous workshop hosted by (left) Shrutee Choudhary. Pic Courtesy/Shrutee Choudhary" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-c_e.jpg" alt="A participant posts her letter during a previous workshop hosted by (left) Shrutee Choudhary. Pic Courtesy/Shrutee Choudhary" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>A participant posts her letter during a previous workshop hosted by (left) Shrutee Choudhary. Pic Courtesy/Shrutee Choudhary</em></strong></p>
<p>This Sunday, Journal, a cafe in Santacruz is set to revive a classic. At Letters &amp; Lattes, an intimate, pen-pal style letter-writing session will be led by poet-author Shrutee Choudhary. Designed to help slow things down with curated kits, warm prompts, and a &ldquo;letter to your future self&rdquo; ritual, the session invites participants to rediscover handwritten expressions. As Choudhary said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a gentle space where strangers often leave feeling lighter and less alone.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Inspiration from an unlikely muse</h2>
<p><img title="Mayank Gupta" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-d_e.jpg" alt="Mayank Gupta" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Mayank Gupta</em></strong></p>
<p>Mayank Gupta, a triple-board certified psychiatrist has published his debut novel, Voices in the Waiting Room (Rupa Publications India), which uses the cities of Mumbai, London, and New York &mdash; all places where Gupta has worked &mdash; as inspiration to shape his narrative. Set in the clinical atmosphere of a hospital in the United States, the novel explores themes of identity, emotional silence, and the universal need to be seen and understood, through five doctors.<br />The author remarked about his work, &ldquo;[It] examines the subtle yet profound struggles that define modern existence, [discerning] tensions of power and belonging. Grounded in healthcare realities, it invites readers to reclaim authenticity. Are we truly living our own lives or merely rehearsing someone else&rsquo;s vision of them?&rsquo;&rsquo;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Sixty, and fluttering away</h2>
<p><img title="Butterfly gardens established at police stations in Nerul (top) and Belapur (right) in Navi Mumbai. Pics Courtesy/Inaturewatch Foundation" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-f_e.jpg" alt="Butterfly gardens established at police stations in Nerul (top) and Belapur (right) in Navi Mumbai. Pics Courtesy/Inaturewatch Foundation" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Butterfly gardens established at police stations in Nerul (top) and Belapur (right) in Navi Mumbai. Pics Courtesy/Inaturewatch Foundation</em></strong></p>
<p>Green spaces are always a welcome addition in cities. The iNaturewatch Foundation in Navi Mumbai has achieved the milestone of being the first organisation in India to establish 60 Butterfly Zones across spots in the satellite city, Mulund, and Chembur, as well as in Pune, Odisha, Gujarat, and Haryana. Founder Dr V Shubhalaxmi tells us more about this achievement. &ldquo;The volunteers built butterfly zones, habitats, and mostly gardens, over time across urban spaces, including schools, hospitals, and housing societies. These locations were developed as thick plantations to attract butterflies for pollination.&rdquo; Many gardens have been set up at police stations. &ldquo;These create a tranquil atmosphere, where police personnel can relax in nature&rsquo;s presence,&rdquo; she explained.</p>
<p><img title="Dr V Shubhalaxmi" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-e_e.jpg" alt="Dr V Shubhalaxmi" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Dr V Shubhalaxmi</em></strong></p>
<h2>Vinyl&rsquo;s the way in Khar</h2>
<p><img title="BlurrySlur (Lynston Dsouza) and DJs Dreamstates (Dharam Saraviya)" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/dos-twenty-nov-g_e.jpg" alt="BlurrySlur (Lynston Dsouza) and DJs Dreamstates (Dharam Saraviya)" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>BlurrySlur (Lynston Dsouza) and DJs Dreamstates (Dharam Saraviya)</em></strong></p>
<p>Graffiti, music, and fun came together in a lively evening at Gaijin on November 19. The Khar restaurant hosted DJs Dreamstates (Dharam Saraviya) (below) and BlurrySlur (Lynston Dsouza) (above) as they opened the mid-week vinyl session at the space. &ldquo;This was Dreamstates&rsquo; debut at the venue. It also happened to be BlurrySlur&rsquo;s birthday. So, the energy was extra special,&rdquo; shared Rohan Mangalorkar, partner, Gaijin. While the initiative, Off The Record, is an attempt to explore the tactile experience of vinyl on music, the venue also lit up with graffiti in the style of Tokyo&rsquo;s backstreets from Nihonga art, film posters and Rakugaki graffiti (tags/murals) to add to the vibe, Mangalorkar revealed. &nbsp;</p>

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Bhutta by the beach

Salaams to the East Indians

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