12 June,2025 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Nimesh Dave
This pet dog spotted on Goregaon Link Road, combats the glare in the most stylish way possible.
Santanu Hazarika with Anderson .Paak. Pic Courtesy/@santanu_hazarika_art
It has been an exciting start to June for visual artist Santanu Hazarika. A couple of weeks ago, the American R&B producer, singer and rapper Anderson. Paak (Brandon Paak Anderson) dropped in the city for a concert, and Hazarika was among the many fans who attended. "I have always been a big fan, and a friend who was organising the show invited me over. I was also there to catch up with friends like Seedhe Maut, but we had a meeting. Paak backstage was a delight," he shared. Incidentally, the visual artist had been working on a creation that paid homage to the Grammy award-winning producer. "I had already created this portrait in my style that had him singing into a mic, with his signature âYes Lawd'. But when I saw him, he first said, âI like your fit.' That was a compliment I was not expecting," Hazarika revealed. Apart from sharing notes on music and travels, across India. Paak also left the artist with a valuable gift. "He gave me a signed vinyl of his second album, Malibu. It is always nice to have a multiple Grammy Award-winner sign a memento to show off," Hazarika told this diarist.
Ravi Chary's broken sitar. Pic courtesy/@ravicharysitar
After a tiring tour of the United States of America this week, sitarist Ravi Chary opened his luggage to find his beloved sitar broken apart. "It is unfortunate, and almost always happens during baggage handling. It was a long tour, and I discovered it only when I reached home," Chary revealed. Though Chary is reaching out to the required authorities, he added, "An instrument is part of a musician. It takes years to season it to find the right tone. You cannot get that readymade. I hope they understand."
DGTL Music festival is returning to the city for its next edition in October, with a fresh line-up of electronic music artistes such as Hector Oaks, Yotto, Sindhi Curry, Blurry Slur and Bawra.
Arnab Banerjee , founder of Forward India and organiser of the festival, told us, "DGTL India 2025 reflects the evolution of electronic music culture in the region - it is visible in the international and domestic artiste roster we have for this edition and a programming vision that champions diversity, inclusivity, and creative risk-taking." Ellen Evers, festival director, added,"We are thrilled to announce the return of DGTL festival in India for its fifth edition."
Narayan Seva Sanstha (NSS) aims to offer a new life to many Mumbaikars who have lost their hands or legs. Last Sunday, they organised a prosthetic limbs and calliper camp to ensure that hundreds of such patients live a life of dignity and self-reliance. At the session, patients from all walks of life, facing difficulty in getting prosthetic legs and hands, attended the camp to avail the facility.
Bhagwan Prasad Gaur, director of PR and media, NSS, said, "Nearly 400 patients attended our camp in Mumbai. We had taken their measurements for prosthetic legs or hands. These are patients who have lost their legs or hands in accidents, gangrene or other mishaps. The prosthetic hands and legs are made using German technology. It takes 45 to 60 days after the measurement to produce. We have a capacity of 2000 limbs and callipers."
Volunteers at the plantation drive. Pic courtesy/INaturewatch Foundation
The iNaturewatch Foundation had set up 10 butterfly gardens earlier this year. Since then, many plants withered due to the intense heat. So, the foundation conducted a maintenance drive earlier this week. Dr V Shubhalaxmi, founder of the organisation, said, "Students from SIES College had volunteered for this initiative. Luckily, the weather was perfect, and we didn't face any challenges. We conducted the drive at the Butterfly Garden in Belapur. There will also be a similar drive at Kalamboli Police Station."
