The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
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To celebrate International Tiger Day, which was yesterday, these two big cats appear to be having a good time cooling off under a manmade waterfall in Byculla Zoo.
Nagpur’s got talent
Riddhi Vikamshi
Music has no boundaries, especially if you are 18-year-old Riddhi Vikamshi. The Boston-based student from Berklee College of Music is bringing countries across the world together. The sounds of Philippines, Singapore, Spain, and India, among other countries, form a beautiful medley and translate into Vikamshi’s second single, Kaahe. “For this, I collaborated with Sumer Naik [from Hyderabad] and Antony Mathew [from Kerala]. They study at Berklee with me,” Vikamshi, who hails from Nagpur, shared with this diarist. While the sounds of tabla and violin were recorded remotely in Nagpur, other instruments like the piano, flamenco guitar, bass and drums were recorded by other classmates that represented cultures and music from across the globe. “Kaahe is primarily a unique blend of Latin rhymes and Hindustani classical music,” she explained, adding that it was inspired by her first semester in college where she lost herself in the exploration of different styles of music her classmates brought to the table. “It encompasses our experience here at Berklee,” she added. Tune in to the song across leading music platforms.
Ladies dabba, Wada special
The women from the Wada Group meet at the Bandra railway platform to share a meal; (right) Lata Dhanawade
Amidst the hustle at Bandra station, a heartwarming scene unfolded at Platform no. 4. A group of 12 women drew the diarist’s attention with their laughter and sharing of food, breaking through the buzz of the peak-time commute. The Wada Group was created in July 2022, and named so to commemorate their first outing in Wada. “We share food here because we run out of time to eat at home after preparing meals for our families,” Lata Dhanawade told the diarist. The Wada women symbolise the spirit of Mumbai — happy and ever- hustling. “We enjoy all festivals, and support each other in times of adversity; we are not just friends but sisters,” Dhanawade added. They have different jobs but share the same spirit and train route. They sing, play garba during Navratri, and revel in each other’s company. The group beautifully conveys that even the most unexpected connections can profoundly change lives. “When we are with each other, we forget all our problems,” she beamed. Clearly, camaraderie and community spirit magnify their joys and kindle hope during challenges. The diarist walked away with a piece of soan papdi and a heart full of warmth.
Read in Kochi
Members of the new club gather for the inaugural session
City-based readers’ club Read A Kitab has turned a new page with their first ever chapter in God’s own country. “The Kochi chapter was long overdue. Malayalam literature is among the state’s best kept secrets, and Kochi has one of the best reading cultures in the country. You’ll find cosy bookstores around every street corner,” co-founder Ekta Bhandari shared over a call from Kochi airport. “I’m excited to meet the readers here. The goal remains the same — to get more people into the habit of reading by introducing them to a comparatively relaxed and interactive environment,” she added, assuring us that the community will soon start hosting book exchange programmes and interactions with Kerala-based authors for its members soon.
Splash of colours
The DIY umbrella; (right) Jheel Jain
Mumbaikars came together to paint on a transparent umbrella at Marine Drive promenade, courtesy 19-year-old Jheel Jain. The second-year mass media student from HR College has been on an expedition to make the most of the monsoon. From scooty rides and bun maska, to treks and now an umbrella, the artistic teen has successfully added a touch of Gen-Z colours to every moment. “We wanted to do something fun, so I asked my friends to accompany me to paint on an umbrella at Marine Drive after college,” she said. “Everyone was curious about what we were doing, especially the kids. The colours we used [Posca markers] don’t stay on for long. Every time someone drew something, the rains would wash it away, and we’d start all over again. It was fun seeing so many designs and ideas on the same umbrella,” she shared.
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