28 September,2026 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Satej Shinde
Three Scaly-breasted Munias rendezvous in a vegetable farm near Thakurli railway station.
(From left) Ojas Adhiya, Raghav Sachar, Rakesh Chaurasia; (right) Shankar Mahadevan and Purbayan Chatterjee. PICS COURTESY/RAGHAV SACHAR
Unless you're living under a rock, you've already seen glimpses from Shankar Mahadevan's Ganeshotsav gathering that brought together the crème de la crème of the music fraternity last week. Over a conversation with musician Raghav Sachar - who wooed the audience alongside Purbayan Chatterjee, Ojas Adhiya, and Rakesh Chaurasia - we learnt that he had an equally special gift for Mahadevan.
The 3D printed Ganesha and sitar-inspired souvenir
An avid 3D printing enthusiast, Sachar created a unique Ganesha-inspired memento to mark the festivities. As for the onstage jugalbandi, Sachar called it a "magical experience". It's all impromptu, we learnt. "He has a look at the attendees and puts together a band on the spot. It's great fun," Sachar told this diarist.
A skater at the Hindmata Skatepark. FILE PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
Good news travels faster when it comes on four wheels. A week after this newspaper's report on the revival of the Hindmata Skatepark in Dadar (Where there is a wheel, September 16), the scene had already outgrown its proverbial shoes. Skater Harshad Kamble, who led the move to reclaim the urban space, shared that the response has been overwhelming. With many children from less-fortunate households keen to take up skateboarding, he is now turning to Mumbaikars for help with used equipment. Those keen to help can log on to @masroon_skate.
City-based gallerist Sahil Arora (right) wound up a truly international presentation programme at the latest exhibition of Contemporary Istanbul 2026. Concluding on September 27, it featured Delhi's Kunel Gaur, Berlin-based Latika Nehra-Gross, and Shamir Iqtidar in a presentation that united three artists from different parts of the world, and different media forms.
Yahya Bootwala
While the Internet's collective attention span shrinks, storyteller Yahya Bootwala is taking his time with his stories. "I will never shape my stories to better fit a 30-second reel," he assured us ahead of launching a new series of live shows with Helly Shah in Khar today. Titled Kavi Dost, the shows will bring together old friends from the storytelling and contemporary poetry circles of India. "Writing can be a lonely profession at times. I'm lucky to have made some great friends along the way," said Shah.
Helly Shah. PICS COURTESY/ARTISTEs' Instagram
What's a good friendship that doesn't take you places? The duo is set to fly to Japan next month, where they will be part of a cultural exchange. "A cohort of Japanese writers will visit India following our workshops," Bootwala revealed. As for work on the personal front, Bootwala is looking forward to revealing his second book, a collection of poems in English, come January 2027. Like we said, he likes taking his time.
