10 October,2026 08:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Satej Shinde
Fishermen use tyre tubes to catch fish in the Manori Creek stream near Marve Jetty in Malad.
If you thought weddings were all about the bride and groom, Sangeet Kurmaakhyan had other plans. The musical folk theatre production by Vanyavani brought a sea turtle into a wedding procession at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Byculla on Thursday. Part of the Vanyavani Wildlife Festival 2026, the show blended comedy, music, dance and satire to spotlight marine life and turtle conservation. Written and directed by Makarand Bhaskar Sawant, it used traditional folk forms to bring the plight of sea turtles and the need to protect their nesting habitats to the stage. "Through a play, you can make people realise the importance, causes and effects," Sawant told this diarist, highlighting its aim to raise awareness about wildlife and the environment.
Girish Bindra, the late ultramarathoner and celebrated running coach who passed away in July 2026 after a hard-fought battle with cancer, received a fitting tribute on his 54th birthday earlier this week. Runners from across the city joined the Asics Run Club on Bindra's favourite route on the Eastern Express Highway to clock in 5.40-km runs. "Others ran for 54 minutes, and a few conquered a 54 km ultra-distance," a member told us. We're sure Bindra was cheering them on in spirit. As he once told this diarist in 2024, leading up to the Tata Mumbai Marathon, "Alone, one might lose motivation. But in the community, you have a continuous source of encouragement."
Who says book clubs need four walls? The Why Loiter Book Club, a feminist reading group, is taking over Malad's public spaces, one park at a time. On Sunday, the group will read and discuss poems and books by Savitribai Phule in Hindi, Marathi and English at Adarsh Garden. Initiated by Malad Loiterer, Nishna Mehta, the community hopes to honour women who paved the way for future generations. "It's about feeling less burdened about existing as a woman," Mehta said, sharing how the initiative has encouraged women to reclaim public spaces and find strength in collective action.
Six seconds to down a beer? Most of us take longer to find the glass. At Sthamba Global Brews in Andheri, only one person has conquered the Oktoberfest Das Boot Challenge, which involves chugging beer from a giant boot-shaped glass without spilling. "Let's see who else cracks it," said team head Rajeev Rajguru (left). Prost, brave souls!
