<h2>Batting under blue skies</h2>
<p>A boy pulls a short pitched delivery during a friendly game on the Kelva beach in <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/mumbai-exposure-tour-opens-new-learning-avenues-for-150-palghar-tribal-students-23607850" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Palghar</a></p>
<h2>Stepping it up, Bandra-style</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/ICMD-The-Steps_e.jpg" alt="Performers from ICMD. Pic courtesy/Christopher Dsouza" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Performers from ICMD. Pic courtesy/Christopher Dsouza</em></strong></p>
<p>The sixth edition of the annual Festival at The Steps at St Stephen&rsquo;s Steps, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-mmrda-to-build-278-metre-fob-linking-bandra-metro-line-2b-with-west-railway-station-23608664" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Bandra</a> is in full swing, awaiting its second day on December 27. The festival opened on December 20, and will continue every Saturday till February 7. &ldquo;The second day includes artsy workshops, interactive sessions, and musical and dance performances,&rdquo; Dhanashree Diwane, a member of the festival&rsquo;s core team, revealed to this diarist. The first day witnessed a dance showcase by performers of The Institute of Classical and Modern Dance (ICMD), based in Khar. Diwane added, &ldquo;Various youngsters will display their talents, including musicians Saloni Desouza and Sooraj Bishnoi, saxophonist Vir BK, and 12-year-old hula hooper Kashvi Pandey. Shormistha Mukherjee, author of the popular anthology on Bandra, Pudding, will also be present.&rdquo; The highlight is the installation of a Christmas tree by platform Bombay Greenway.</p>
<h2>Singer Chris Rea drives home for Christmas</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/Chris-Rea_e.jpg" alt="Chris Rea performs at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2010. Pic Courtesy/Getty Images" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Chris Rea performs at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2010. Pic Courtesy/Getty Images</em></strong></p>
<p>Driving Home for Christmas was his big hit, and he hit Elysian Fields in the festive season. Music lovers are saddened to hear about the recent passing of British singer Chris Rea at the age of 74 due to what his family described as a &ldquo;short illness.&rdquo; Rea, one with the deep voice and guitar skills that could light up a night, also came up with hits like The Road to Hell, Fool (If You Think It&rsquo;s Over) and On The Beach. This diarist&rsquo;s favourite Chris Rea track is the reflective Tell Me There&rsquo;s a Heaven, a track about a conversation with his young daughter. Rea&rsquo;s music lives on!</p>
<h2>Star power in Agripada</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/Sided-star_e.jpg" alt="Agripada residents set up the giant star. Pic/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Agripada residents set up the giant star. Pic/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT</em></strong></p>
<p>Twenty is plenty and the spirits are high. That is saying it literally, when talking about this star, which is 20-ft high and handmade. It has been crafted from tall bamboo poles, flex material and paper. <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/mumbai-police-wrongly-list-haryana-mans-number-as-agripada-senior-pi-23240546" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Agripada</a> resident Cyril Dara informed this diarist that a group started constructing this a week ago. &ldquo;The idea is to spread hope, joy and peace. We procured tall bamboo poles, and the star came together.&rdquo; The group strung it between two residential buildings in the Agripada neighbourhood. &nbsp;Like we say: Big cheer is here.</p>
<h2>Morning music</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/Gautam-Mazumdar_e.jpg" alt="Gaurav Mazumdar. Pic courtesy/Pancham Nishad" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Gaurav Mazumdar. Pic courtesy/Pancham Nishad</em></strong></p>
<p>Two decades is a long time, and Pancham Nishad founder Shashi Vyas will celebrate a landmark for one of his early ideas in the city&rsquo;s classical concert circuit. &ldquo;When we first started Pratahswar, it was to highlight the beauty and peace of morning raagas. Few people listened to it then,&rdquo; he shared. This Sunday, the 136th concert of the edition, now in its 20th year, will witness Grammy Award-nominee sitarist Gaurav Mazumdar perform alongside tabla maestro Yashwant Vaishnav to continue the tradition.</p>
<h2>Return of the rebels</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/Amhi-Kon_e.jpg" alt="Swadesi performs Amhi Kon in 2021. Pic courtesy/Swadesi" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Swadesi performs Amhi Kon in 2021. Pic courtesy/Swadesi</em></strong></p>
<p>We always wanted to do our own stuff,&rdquo; revealed Tushar Adhav aka BamBoy of the Mumbai-rap crew, Swadesi. The group will revive their performance, Amhi Kon, to kick off a new set in 2026. Opening at antiSOCIAL, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/bmc-cracks-down-on-illegal-constructions-at-kamla-mills-in-lower-parel-in-mumbai-demolishes-two-places-inspects-7-outlets-23587420" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Lower Parel</a> on January 4 alongside Yalgaar and Tappori&rsquo;s Paradise, the crew will perform a revival of the set that first began in 2018. &ldquo;Amhi Kon is a performance that brings together hip-hop, folk music and protest poetry. We started in 2018, and had performed it alongside poet Sheetal Sathe. But we were unable to do more performances since it&rsquo;s an off-the-beat sound. Moreover, performing for listeners is always a different experience as compared to festivals,&rdquo; he shared.</p>

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce: A boy pulls a short pitched delivery during a friendly game on the Kelva beach in Palghar

Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier | The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

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

Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Batting under blue skies

Stepping it up, Bandra-style

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