<h2>I&rsquo;m a hula hoop-ster</h2>
<p>A girl practices with hula hoops while another warms up ahead of a school&rsquo;s annual sports meet at BPCL Refinery Sports Club in Chembur.</p>
<h2>When daak was in the spotlight</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Daakroom_e.jpg" alt="Children line up a stall at the event" /><br /><strong><em>Children line up a stall at the event</em></strong></p>
<p>Dedicated to bringing back the tradition of handwritten letters, Daakroom conducted the city&rsquo;s first edition of Letter Writing Carnival on January 18 in Cuffe Parade. The event aimed to revive the practice of letter writing with activities and stalls such as a walk-in post office by India Post, typewriter stations and interactive writing sessions. &ldquo;The carnival brought together people of all ages, rekindling their love for handwritten communication in an increasingly digital age. It was a celebration of creativity, connection, and the enduring charm of handwritten communication,&rdquo; Harnehmat Kaur, co-founder, shared with this diarist.</p>
<h2>Spot the imposter crabs</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Porcelain-crab_e.jpg" alt="Porcelain crab or Petrolisthes" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Porcelain crab or Petrolisthes</em></strong></p>
<p>While strolling along the coastline in and around Mumbai, one is sure to spot fascinating marine creatures that inhabit its waters from season to another. It was during one such recent expedition that conservation-educator Sahir Doshi spotted a porcelain crab on a rocky shore in Mandwa in Raigad.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Sahir-Doshi_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;They are not crabs but squat lobsters that have evolved to look more like crabs. A big risk to the species is the loss of rocky shores in the city, which is their primary habitat. This destroys a major biodiversity spot for these creatures,&rdquo; Doshi revealed to us.</p>
<h2>A salute to Parsi theatre</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Yazdi-Karanjia-Parsi_e.jpg" alt="A scene from the Parsi play Behram ni sasu, which is included in the module" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A scene from the Parsi play Behram ni sasu, which is included in the module</em></strong></p>
<p>The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is starting an online module, The TISS Parzor culture and heritage course, which delves into the history and tradition of Parsi theatre in the city. Starting today and spread over ten weeks, the course will host artistes like Boman Irani and Divya Cowasji, among others, for interactive sessions with the students.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Dr-Shernaz-Cama_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;The module offers an overview of the history of Parsi theatre, which not only provided the base for modern proscenium but also led to the creation of Indian cinema. From using Urdu, Parsi Gujarati, Marathi and other languages in the plays, to borrowing from epics and modern stories, Parsi theatre has been pan-Indian in its essence. In that manner, the course will help in understanding the journey of Indian entertainment itself,&rdquo; professor Shernaz Cama (inset), director of the Parzor Foundation, told this diarist.</p>
<h2>Let&rsquo;s reimagine Dostoevsky</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Chandni-Raatein_e.jpg" alt="Puranjit Dasgupta and Girija Godbole in a moment from the play " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Puranjit Dasgupta and Girija Godbole in a moment from the play&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<p>Taking inspiration from Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, playwright-director Purva Naresh (below) is bringing out an Indian adaptation of his famous novella, White Nights on stage as part of Aadyam theatre&rsquo;s line-up on February 1.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Purva-Naresh_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>The play, Chandni Raatein, will reinterpret the original story with a multi-genre fusion production. &ldquo;With this play I want to celebrate love and its transcendental nature. I hope the audience will cherish this jubilant experience,&rdquo; Naresh &nbsp;told us.</p>
<h2>Basking in the everglow</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Ranbir-Chris-Martin_e.jpg" alt="Sharma with Chris Martin on stage" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Sharma with Chris Martin on stage</em></strong></p>
<p>While many fans struggled to even make the tickets for the famed Coldplay experience last weekend, 15-year-old Ranbir Sharma pulled off the impossible. The young pianist from Malad was called on stage by lead vocalist Chris Martin for an impromptu performance.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Ranbir-poster_e.jpg" alt="Ranbir Sharma&rsquo;s placard at the concert" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Ranbir Sharma&rsquo;s placard at the concert</em></strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;It was a moment from my dreams. After having struggled to get the tickets, I had worked on a poster to express my wish to play with them. I literally manifested it,&rdquo; he shared. As for the unforgettable moment, Sharma said, &ldquo;I was standing near the stage, when Chris spotted the poster. To get a chance to play Everglow with him was the icing on the cake.&rdquo;</p><p>
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