07 August,2026 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Rane Ashish
An idol created by Dadar-based artist Shreyas Surve ahead of Ganeshotsav depicts Bappa and Mooshak in an endearing moment
Narendra Patil (centre, in white) guides commuters at Dadar station. Pics courtesy/@_trainsofindia_
The first time this diarist did a solo commute aboard a local train from Churchgate to Borivli, panic set in almost instantly. The maze of platforms, flashing indicators and fast-slow announcements felt impossible to decode, making one quietly wish for someone to point confused commuters in the right direction. More than a decade later, that wish appeared on the Instagram page, Trains of India, courtesy Narendra Patil, a Worli resident who voluntarily spends two hours every weekday helping commuters at Dadar station. "I'm here from 9.30 am to 11.30 am every weekday. Whether it's the Virar fast, Borivli slow, or Kalyan, I simply guide commuters as there is no indicator at this spot," said Patil.
A sketch of the Le Telegramme building in Toulouse, France. Pics courtesy/Zainab Tambawalla
A drawing is simply a line going for a walk," said Swiss-German modernist artist Paul Klee. Illustrator Zainab Tambawalla recently lived out that idea at the Urban Sketchers Symposium in Toulouse, France, held from July 15 to 18, where close to 1,000 artists from across the world gathered for sketch walks, lectures, demonstrations and workshops. Selected to conduct a live demonstration, Tambawalla stayed on after the symposium to sketch her way through France, returning with fresh inspiration and a cool box of liquid charcoal.
Zainab Tambawalla (centre, in black) along with the other Indian artistes
Recalling her trip to France and the symposium, Tambawalla said, "It's a wonderful space because you're surrounded by sketchers from different countries, each bringing their own style, perspective and stories. There are lectures, workshops, demos and sketch walks throughout the day, so you're constantly learning from one another. What stayed with me the most was how freely artists can sketch in museums and public spaces there. In India, even after obtaining permissions and following the rules, artists often face unnecessary restrictions."
Pic courtesy/Rumani Gabhare
Good things come to those who wait. Great service shouldn't expect diners to hang on. On a mid-week evening, a popular restaurant-bar in Shivaji Park was abuzz, yet the kitchen held its own, sending out crisp onion rings, slightly overcooked potatoes and a satisfying pizza without missing a beat. The front of the house, however, couldn't keep pace. No amount of gesturing [above the trippy DJ-playlist] and hand-waving could draw the attention of its attendants to present us with our bill. Over 10 minutes later, it finally arrived. A small hiccup, sure, but we would've liked promptness, so patrons leave talking about the food, and not the wait.
This diarist believes that most readers will agree why it's called a runner's high. And the Bombay Running's eighth Bombay Goa Chase delivered just that.
Runners display the license plates after the run. Pics courtesy/Deepak Oberoi
Flagging off from Chembur on July 28, runners covered nearly 560 km to Goa, with heavy rain in Amboli forcing the event's first overnight halt before it concluded in 66 hours. Alongside the regular 12-runner relay team was the six-member âScrazy' challenge, where each runner covered over 125 km.
Deepak Oberoi
"The run changes lives because runners earn their place after months of training. Everyone who finishes receives a personalised license plate, and we celebrate over drinks, sharing why we signed up and how the journey changed us," said Deepak Oberoi, co-founder of Bombay Running.
