24 May,2025 06:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
As the skies over Mahalaxmi turned a lilac hue, it was work as usual for labourers on the job at a highrise.
Monsoon rituals are underway at the Bombay to Barcelona Canteen in Bandra. Managed and operated by the homeless and underserved youth of Mumbai, the canteen at the St Paul's Institute of Communication Education complex has undergone a green makeover. "The ongoing large-scale roadwork in Bandra was giving our patrons and students a hard time. Dust would make its way inside, and sometimes the noise would leak in, distracting learners reading in the canteen. The new plantations will help curb both issues," shared founder Amin Sheikh. While the initial plan was to place black wall mounted plant shelves at the cafe, its staffers decided to give it an artistic touch. âTo plant a garden is to believe in a tomorrow,' says one of the many doodles adorning the planter. "With the monsoon already upon us, I can't wait to see how the plants thrive," Sheikh told this diarist.
A new environmental initiative is causing quite the flutter in the city. A butterfly installation conceptualised by organisations Ministry of Mumbai's Magic and Dream Marol is doubling as a reminder of the perpetual plastic waste menace the city faces. Designed to resemble a waste collection bin in the shape of a butterfly, various sections in the installation hold different kinds of plastic waste. Currently located in a township in Marol, the butterfly will make pit stops in neighbouring residential areas soon. "The plastic waste issue has riddled not just Mumbai, but the whole country. We'll soon take the initiative across Mumbai and then to cities across India," revealed Suresh Nair, managing trustee, Dream Marol. We can only hope for more installations that look beyond âbeautification' to educate and inspire Mumbaikars.
The Prabhadevi Festival by Shivadnya Foundation at Prabhadevi Chowk from May 30 to June 1, is a warm get-together where Mumbaikars will celebrate the diverse culture and tradition of Maharashtra. Pranit Khadpe, secretary of the Foundation, said, "Some of the highlights include a cooking competition centred on mangoes, reel-making and a photography competition for all." For more details about the fest, check out @shivadnya.foundation.
Rapper and singer Hanumankind is all set to rock the stage once again after wooing audiences at Lollapalooza and Coachella earlier this year. This time, the Kerala-based rap star will perform at the BUDX NBA House event at a Worli venue in early June. Apart from popular desi artistes like Hanumankind and Parimal Shais, the event will also feature NBA stars Derek Fisher and Gary Payton. Fans will witness a combination of hip hop, music and basketball at what promises to be a cool collaboration.
IAS officer Nidhi Choudhari is giving us new work-life balance goals. Currently serving as the director of National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai, Choudhari has released a new book comprising a hundred poems penned by her over the past two decades. Titled Chhal Karta Paimana, Choudhari calls it a âfocussed reflection of love and life'. "I would spend hours writing poems and stories as a collegian in Rajasthan. It naturally took a back seat once I joined the administrative services, but the love for literature never died," Choudhari shared with us. Having published her first poem as a 10-year-old, Choudhari is now writing a novel slated for release early next year.
