10 March,2026 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
PIC/Shadab Khan
Two squirrels mirror each other in the trees at Shivaji Park in Dadar
Children crochet during the session (right) participants display figures wearing crochet Warli art. Pics courtesy/Dhai Akshar
For International Women's Day, Versova-based NGO, Dhai Akshar Educational Trust, held a crochet and knitting session for children in Walawalkar Udyan in Oshiwara on March 7.
"It was a joint activity with the crochet club, Udhed Bunn Baatein, to make figures of Warli art women in crochet pieces. We discussed the day's origin, with stories of women who made history despite challenges," shared Nyla Masood (above), founder, Dhai Akshar NGO.
While the city calms down after the high of the Indian cricket team's triumph in the final of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, Mumbai-based businessman Jigar Desai is revelling in his latest find. A collector, Desai's fascination lies in the specific hobby of collecting currency notes whose serial numbers correspond with memorable dates. His latest addition celebrates India's triumph. The ten-rupee note he tracked down carries the denomination 080326, marking the date of India's victory.
Jigar Desai (right) with Rohit Sharma
For nearly a decade, Desai has been building a personal archive of Indian currency notes linked to significant cricketing moments. This is not the first World Cup âmemorabilia' that the collector has picked up. Some of his finds include a rupee note referencing India's 1983 World Cup victory and sequences linked to the birthdays of cricketers Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar.
The 10-rupee note with the victory date. Pics courtesy/Jigar Desai
"I've been collecting notes for over 10 years, and being a huge fan of the sport, I try to collect as many as I can. Finding them often requires patience and a network of fellow collectors," Desai told this diarist. "A lot of collectors who deal with vintage coins and notes reach out to help me with my collection as well," he said.
The Curtain Creeper at Amitabh Bachchan's house. Pics courtesy/Subhajit Mukherjee
With the city greens slowly vanishing, we might do well to grow our own little gardens. Easier said than done, cautions Subhajit Mukherjee (below), founder of the non-governmental organisation, Mission Green Mumbai. The environmentalist suggested Mumbaikars would do well to take a leaf out of Amitabh Bachchan's home garden at Jalsa.
Mukherjee recently spotted a Curtain Creeper growing around the perimeter of the superstar's Juhu bungalow. "In vertical gardens, Mumbaikars often grow plants that aren't conducive to the city's sultry, humid climate. The Curtain Creeper and even the Money Plant are the best options. Curtain Creepers crucially mitigate air pollution," he revealed to this diarist.
(Left to right) Siddhant Shelar, Naseeruddin Shah, and Nandini Pillai. Pic courtesy/Siddhant Shelar
When independent filmmaker Siddhant Shelar began working on a short film about air pollution, he knew the message needed a voice that audiences would instantly respond to. That voice, he says, belongs to Naseeruddin Shah. "To my surprise, a cold email brought his unexpected reply. The veteran actor agreed to be a part of my film," said Shelar. The film, AQI Yeh Q Hai? centres on the growing concern around India's Air Quality Index (AQI) and the strange normalcy surrounding worsening pollution levels. It also carries a subtle nod to the film, A Wednesday (2008) in which Shah played an ordinary citizen confronting a pressing public issue. Shot over two days last winter, the short film marks Shelar's directorial debut as the film releases on Instagram and YouTube on March 11.
