26 December,2025 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
PIC/Atul Kamble
A statue of baby Jesus is blessed with incense during midnight mass on Christmas Eve at Holy Name Cathedral in Colaba
(From left) Raghav Sachar, Rajinder Kumar Sachar, and Kiaan Sachar in the video. PIC COURTESY/RAGHAV SACHAR
This festive season, Raghav Sachar's family gathered, not under a Christmas tree, but at the musician's studio. In a cross-generational collaboration, the multi-instrumentalist's father Rajinder Kumar Sachar, and son Kiaan joined Raghav in jamming to the classic tune, Jingle Bell Rock. "I grew up idolising my father who plays the harmonica [mouth organ]. Years ago, we had jammed to Hemant Kumar's Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara. He recently underwent two surgeries, and wanted to get back to the studio once again. What better occasion to bring that idea to life? On the other hand, Kiaan is nine, but I see all the makings of a rockstar in him. We had an absolute blast in the studio," Raghav told this diarist. To watch how the collaboration unfolded, log on to @raghavsachar on Instagram.
Maitreyee Joshi. PIC COURTESY/Maitreyee Joshi
After five editions in Pune, the double bill of G.O.A.T by Maitreyee Joshi, and Something Like Truth by Parna Pethe, will open at Rangshila Theatre today. As part of the new initiative, InterActs led by Pethe, Joshi and Aabha Soumitra, the programming is an attempt to bring together music, movement, theatre, and allied practices, Pethe shared. "We hope to further the support of independent movement and music-based works, and artistes across the genre going forward," she added.
(From left) Unicyclist Imran Khan performs a balancing act on the Coastal Road promenade; a pet joins the celebrations. PICs COURTESY/VIJAY MALHOTRA
Santa Claus seems to have swapped his open sleigh for a ride better suited for Mumbai roads this year. As part of a Christmas ride, unicyclist Imran Khan treated morning walkers on the Coastal Road promenade in Worli to a surprise balancing act on December 25. Khan was part of a group of nearly 50 cyclists from the city who slipped into their Santa suits and pedalled across South Mumbai. "Among our special guests were pets and school-going children who showed up with great enthusiasm. In 2026, my target is to get Mumbaikars fitter with fortnightly 50-km rides," said cycling community leader Vijay Malhotra. To sign up for the challenge that kicks off in January, log on to
@pedalandtringtring on Instagram.
Some fairytales do come true on Christmas Day. 100 volunteers dressed as Santa Claus went around distributing gifts to youngsters from low-income areas on the occasion. Organised by city-based non-governmental organisation for the hearing and speech-impaired, Sound of Silence, the initiative covered areas such as Mira Road, Malad, Goregaon, and Carter Road, Bandra. "Sometimes, all a child needs is to feel acknowledged," reflected founder Sumit Singh Gandhi. Project lead, Aashi Thakkar said, "There's no better feeling than seeing kids excited. We pour our heart and soul into that smile."
Have you mapped out your New Year's resolutions yet? Pundalik Pai (below) of Dombivli's popular Pai's Friends Library, certainly has. 1111 - that's the number of new readers the library will aim to register on the first day of 2026. After promoting the habit of reading through book exchanges, and free book street events that took over the far suburb's Phadke Road, the new initiative is another step in the direction. "I urge readers to show up, and bring along one family member or friend to introduce them to the joy of reading," Pai shared. Those keen to turn a new page on January 1
can visit the library between 8 am and 9 pm.
