26 July,2025 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
PIC/Nimesh Dave
Trying to escape the Mumbai rains, a cat takes shelter underneath a fruit seller's cart in Goregaon.
A dated photograph from July 26 shows people forming a human chain by holding each other as they try to make their way through the hip-level waters near Manish Park in Andheri East. Pic/Rane Ashish
Is it any surprise that the clouds have loomed heavy on the city for the last couple of days? Today marks 20 years since the day in 2005 Mumbai faced a cloudburst so heavy that it has since become a byword for the city's struggle. On July 26, 2005, Mumbai experienced 944 mm of rainfall in a single day - the heaviest-ever recorded rainfall figures in the city.
Mumbaikars wade past stranded trains at Mahim. Pic/Ashish Raje; Fotocorp
This diarist remembers spending a night at a municipal school in Ghatkopar among complete strangers huddled together. Starting today, a month-long exhibition of photographs at the Mumbai Press Club at Fort commemorates such moments of the extent of the storm's natural fury, as well as the raw humanity where Mumbaikars reached out to complete strangers, and found solidarity among each other. The compilation of 22 photographs taken by 15 photojournalists across the city, including mid-day photo editor Rane Ashish, and principal photographer Ashish Raje, offer testament to the city's famed and enduring spirit.
After the critically and commercially acclaimed Milk Teeth, Mumbai-born Amrita Mahale (below) is back with her next, Real Life, a lyrical mystery set in the mighty Himalayas. This diarist reached out to the writer to tell us more. "Real Life is about the mysterious disappearance of a wildlife biologist called Tara who studies wild dogs in the Himalayas. Her best friend Mansi travels to the Himalayan backpacker town to find out what may have happened to Tara. The main suspect, Bhaskar, has an unexpected connection with both women. The novel unfolds through each of their voices: Mansi, Bhaskar, and finally, Tara herself." She goes on to add that the layered story delves into friendships, guilt and redemption, and about what it means to want a life that feels real in a world that's constantly trying to reshape women. "It is about the ways in which women disappear, both from the world, and within it." Mahale revealed that this book took her over six years to complete. "It is very different from my first novel, but I hope it gives readers the same joy, comfort and catharsis that Milk Teeth did," she signed off.
Enrico Signorelli and Yahvi Mariwala
If you happen to be at Horniman Circle today, drop by Nandan Café for a chance to experience Enrico Signorelli's Mami teaming up with the café for a one-day pop-up. "What brought us together was more than tiramisu and coffee - it was a shared love for things done with care," said Yahvi Mariwala, founder, Nandan Coffee. "The story, the energy, the way it [the café] invites you to pause and enjoy - it mirrors everything we stand for," he said. Signorelli's made-to-order tiramisus will be available in dine-in and takeaway choices. With limited portions, you might need to hurry. It is, after all, first come-first served.
Disha Shrivastava, Mumbai ambassador of Women in the Hood, dreams of building a community of women who become each other's strength and companions in need in the city. This weekend, she plans to recreate the magic of the group, first founded by Sohini Mishra in Delhi. "I want to just relate to the women; and arrange a meet-up to sit, talk and offer comforting hugs to each other," Shrivastava shares. Check out @womeninthehood for more details.
There is more to pet sitting than just a deep-rooted love for canines. With her new course starting on July 28, canine trainer and behaviourist Shirin Dhabhar will help pet sitters, and pet parents, understand behavioural signs and help communicate with pets better. "Pet boarding is an unregulated industry, so even people interested in it hardly understand the complex nature of pet behaviour or ways to calm them. The course is to plug the gap of knowledge," she said. For more details, visit shirindogtraining.com.
