05 October,2026 07:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Shadab Khan
The setting sun adds a touch of poetic drama to a kite's evening flight over the Mumbai skyline and the Arabian Sea
Mamang Dai and Ranjit Hoskote
After a stellar debut, the Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival (SALF) is now set for its second run from October 28 to 30. An initiative of Hon'ble Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), the festival will bring together writers, poets, and cultural practitioners. This diarist spotted a few familiar names including Mumbai-voice Ranjit Hoskote who will join Mamang Dai in a conversation with Guru T Ladakhi about poetry, memory, and lived experience. Of course, the ever-present William Dalrymple is on the list as well, alongside Stephen Alter among others.
A view of Ward's Lake in Shillong
AS beautiful as the cherry blossoms in Shillong are, there will be more for visitors to catch in the scenic destination this November. The sixth Shillong Literary Festival will open doors on the banks of Ward's Lake. For the edition from November 12 to 14, the festival has launched a new initiative titled First Bloom: Discovering new writing from the North East, which seeks to encourage emerging fiction and narrative non-fiction writers from the region. Having visited their Delhi event earlier this year, this diarist hopes Naseeruddin Shah (below) might make a visit. It would only add to a line-up that includes Kanishka Gupta, Mitra Phukan and Lalnunsanga Ralte.
Shantanu Pujari spars during a session. Pic Courtesy/@shantanu_shakahari
It was the one and only Muhammad Ali who likened fighting to dancing. But someone from Mumbai is making quite a similar journey. Once a B-boyer, 31-year-old Shantanu Pujari now spends time sparring in the ring with fellow Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters. While working as senior Artist and Repertoire for the hip-hop label Gully Gang, the Andheri resident has also built up a career as a fighter. Come November, Pujari will represent the city inside the ring in the upcoming Indian Fighting League (IFL) in Chennai. "My other target is the WBC national belt in pro-Muay Thai championship coming up in December," he told this diarist.
An art therapy session
What if a mental health event felt less like a therapy session and more like a community hangout? On October 10, Mooskan Mental Health and Well-being, with Kripa Foundation, will aim to recreate a similar vibe at Bandra's Mount Carmel Church complex.
Hariman Dhanjal
Participants can try art therapy or sound healing, unwind with animal-assisted therapy or simply find someone to listen to. It will also feature a panel on substance use, guided meditation, dance movement therapy and an open mic.
Letters designed with colour therapy. Pics Courtesy/Kripa Foundation
They can also join a 2K run from Carter Road, followed by a yoga session. "This is like a small get-together for anybody who supports mental health. It is more than therapy," said Hariman Dhanjal, head of Kripa Foundation.
Rizwan Amlani
While there are enough Irani restaurants and cafés, offering the hurried officer-goers a cuppa in Churchgate, last weekend, restaurateur Rizwan Amlani took to social media with a relevant question. "Churchgate needs a serious Maharashtrian restaurant. The neighbourhood serves food from everywhere. Its own state's cooking still has no proper home," he wrote. Amlani wasn't alone. Fellow restaurateur, and The Maratha Kitchen founder, Abhishek Tulaskar echoed his sentiment. We'll be keeping tabs in case a spicy something actually stirs this delicious idea.
