<h2>Safety comes last</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Train-cross_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Safety seems to be an afterthought on the sea &nbsp;as people sail sans lifejackets near The Gateway of India and a man callously crosses a railway track near Bandra station.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Farewell to a visionary</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Kumudini_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Kumudini Lakhia, (middle) a moment from a performance. Pics courtesy/Kadamb.net (right) Uma Dogra" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>(From left) Kumudini Lakhia, (middle) a moment from a performance. Pics courtesy/Kadamb.net (right) Uma Dogra</em></strong></p>
<p>Last Saturday, the Kathak community had to bear a great loss with the passing of doyenne Kumudini Lakhia in Ahmedabad. Hailed as a pioneer of the classical art form, Lakhia was credited with bringing group performances and modern elements to Kathak. &ldquo;She was an artiste way ahead of her time. As young learners of the art form, we would often hear about her historic performances. At a time when classical dances were seen as solo performances, she revolutionised it by introducing group acts and by incorporating contemporary issues and elements to the art form. Her passing has created a big void in the world of Kathak,&rdquo; Uma Dogra, senior Kathak exponent, told this diarist.</p>
<h2>Artistic salute</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Ambedkar-ab_e.jpg" alt="The artwork by the kids. Pic courtesy/Sabki Library" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>The artwork by the kids. Pic courtesy/Sabki Library</em></strong></p>
<p>It was a day full of celebrations at Sabki Library in Jai Bhim Nagar in Powai, where kids and facilitators from the Jai Bhim Nagar Bachav Samiti gathered to commemorate Dr BR Ambedkar&rsquo;s birth anniversary last Sunday. &ldquo;The kids made a fingerprint portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar among other activities. The idea was to take inspiration from his life and imbibe the spirit of resistance he stood for,&rdquo; Huma Namal, facilitator, told this diarist.</p>
<h2>A day for equality and flower power</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Ambedkar-aa_e.jpg" alt="Stunning decoration at the Chembur Garden" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Stunning decoration at the Chembur Garden</em></strong></p>
<p>There is something about saying it with flowers. This is exactly what a park in Chembur East, The Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Garden displayed on Ambedkar Jayanti, yesterday (April 14). On this day, one commemorates the memory of BR Ambedkar, jurist, economist, social reformist, political leader and Father of the Indian Constitution. Persons from BMC M West Ward responsible for the dazzling display in the garden said, &ldquo;We have used marigold, chrysanthemum and orchids. A special lighting lent a glow to the garden.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Chaityabhoomi_e.jpg" alt="History and beauty at the Viewing Deck in Dadar, next to Chaityabhoomi. Pics/Jitendra Pardeshi" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>History and beauty at the Viewing Deck in Dadar, next to Chaityabhoomi. Pics/Jitendra Pardeshi</em></strong></p>
<p>The Dadar Viewing Deck/ Viewing Gallery too was adorned with, &ldquo;Shevanti flowers, marigold and more. The gallery is next to Dadar Chaityabhoomi, so the entire complex is adorned,&rdquo; said R Nalge, assistant superintendent of gardens (ASG), G North. The Viewing Gallery does have plants as regular d&eacute;cor, &ldquo;But the decoration was enhanced with even more blooms in tribute,&rdquo; said Nalge. Flower power for the great man and like the song goes: Rahe na rahe hum, meheka karenge&hellip;</p>
<h2>Sibling shenanigans in verse</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Paper-book_e.jpg" alt="Participants at the poetry session held at White Crow bookstore. Pic courtesy/Paperback talks" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Participants at the poetry session held at White Crow bookstore. Pic courtesy/Paperback talks</em></strong></p>
<p>For Word Siblings Day (April 10), city-based book club, Paperback Talks organised a poetry session dedicated to siblings.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Rahul-Saini_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;Poetry is usually associated with intense emotions; with this open-mic, we wanted to bring a playful spin on it. The best part about the event was the fun sibling stories we got to hear from each other,&rdquo; Rahul Saini (left), founder, shared.</p>
<h2>Colourscapes on the walls</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Fish-Kobiraji_e.jpg" alt="(From left) A moment from the painting session at the caf&eacute;; the painted mural. Pics courtesy/Snickerdoodle Coffeeworks" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>(From left) A moment from the painting session at the caf&eacute;; the painted mural. Pics courtesy/Snickerdoodle Coffeeworks</em></strong></p>
<p>Snickerdoodle, the Kalyan-based coffee house, invited people to join them in making murals on the walls this weekend. Disha Chandak (below), chief marketing officer of the caf&eacute;, shared, &ldquo;This mural session was actually the second edition of Legal Vandalism, an initiative that we started last year with artist Indrajeet More. The idea behind it was to reclaim blank walls and turn them into canvases for community expression.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/apr/Disha-Chandak_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>They got a great response from the session. Chandak added, &ldquo;People showed up across both days, even in the scorching heat, just excited to be part of something. On the first day, we all sat down with city-based artist Divya Arekar, our team, and everyone who came, and mapped out how we should approach each wall. What came out of that was so special. Moving forward, we&rsquo;d love to keep building on this.&rdquo;</p><p><script type="text/javascript">atOptions={'key':'d0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7','format':'iframe','height':90,'width':728,'params':{}};</script></p><p>
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