19 October,2026 08:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Satej Shinde
A crow watches on as a squirrel takes the leap of faith for a piece of bread on the ledge of a building in Andheri West.
A moment from a therapy session where people talk about what they are dealing with. Pic courtesy/Veda Rehabilitation Centre and wellness
Hearing someone put your feelings into words can be so reassuring. Veda Rehabilitation and Wellness's podcast, Theek Hoon, pairs personal stories with psychologists' insights and practical wellness tips. "Sometimes, simply thinking, âI've felt that too,' can make a person feel less isolated," revealed psychologist Krupali Dhakan.
Krupali Dhakan
The first three episodes cover anxiety and alcohol dependence, understanding anxiety and dealing with grief, offering listeners reassurance that their struggles are valid and seeking help is a sign of strength.
Wild Wild Women at a WOMAD festival in the United Kingdom. Pic courtesy/WOMAD
For those unaware, Wild Wild Women will soon greet audiences with a G'day, as the Mumbai-based collective is set to perform at WOMADelaide, Australia, and WOMAD Aotearoa, New Zealand, in March 2027. Looking forward to the experience, Pratika Prabhune of Wild Wild Women told this diarist, "It truly is an honour to perform on a different continent with a completely different climate. This won't be our first time performing with WOMAD, as they spotted us at WOMAD in the United Kingdom, and invited us to perform here as well. We'll be in our sarees, as always, but we're hoping to steer clear of spiders, as all of us are arachnophobes."
Hezal Pandya performs at the pandal in Dombivli. Pics courtesy/Zalak Pandya
While some welcome gods and goddesses with sweets, others offer prayers. But 12-year-old Dombivli resident Hezal Pandya chose a different way to welcome Goddess Durga. Her elaborate hoop dance at the GSB Sharada Mahotsav in Dombivli left the audience impressed to say the least. Her mother spoke to this diarist about her daughter's act, Zalak Pandya, "She's been performing for two to three years. This year, she put on an elaborate show that lasted 12 to 15 minutes, showcasing multiple tricks with six different hoops at the pandal on October 14, to mark the 75th year of their Durga Puja celebrations."
Do not term the tabla as just an accompanying instrument, said Alpesh Moharir. The instrument has far more complexity as the late Ustad Zakir Hussain has proved, he said. "It always felt odd to me that we have festivals of music, of classical dance forms, but never one exclusively for the tabla. That is what led me to start the Swadhin Tabla Festival," Moharir shared.
Alpesh Moharir at a previous show. Pic courtesy/@alpeshmoharir
The one-day festival will return to Mumbai for its second edition on November 29. "It is a 12-hour-marathon that will feature established and emerging talents. This year, the festival is dedicated to my guru, Professor Sudhir Kumar Saxenaji. We have divided it into three segments featuring four artistes in each segment," the co-founder of Nirguna Arts initiative added.
With a focus on traditional and orthodox movements and forms, the festival seeks to highlight the diversity, and complex traditions of the instrument. "We will soon share the full line-up of artistes who will perform," said Moharir. We are certainly tuned in for this one.
