22 April,2026 07:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
PIC/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
A skater practices an ollie on the promenade near Talao Pali in Thane
File pic/Shadab Khan
A little birdie who flew into Kitab Khana earlier this week, returned with a delightful morsel of news about Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray. The politician made an unannounced visit to the independent bookstore in Fort. He browsed through bookshelves for a bit, and picked up a few titles. These included Nalanda, Abhay K's eponymous book that pays tribute to one of the world's greatest universities; Water, Nature, Progress, the timely read by Parameswaran Iyer, Arunabha Ghosh, and Richard Damania that makes a call to Indians to look at the country's water crisis, and Vikram Sood's Great Power Games, the telling account of the world order in flux, from World War II to the fractured present. Quite the eclectic mix to add to the Thackeray home bookshelf, we'd say.
(From left) Neha Sharma's sketch of an autorickshaw on a styrofoam cup; (right) Sharma's journal documents the sights of her daily commute
For this artist, Mumbai constitutes a feeling, one that sparks inspiration for her art. "What fascinates me most is the city's constant movement; there is never a pause, yet there is always a moment waiting to be noticed if you look close enough," said Neha Sharma, a full-time live sketch artist. Over her long commutes from Chembur, Sharma has found beauty in the city's never-ending grind, and documents it in her nifty sketchbook - from its frenetic streets to its cosy cafés.
A sketch of an autorickshaw (right) Neha Sharma. Pics Courtesy/@rangzaara
However, there is one thing that dominates the artist's attention - the quintessential Mumbai autorickshaw. Mumbai's trusted carriage has not only become her preferred mode of travel to her workplace in Bandra, but also her mobile art desk, the 26-year-old explained. "Travelling in an auto has become a part of my everyday life and routine. It's not just a mode of transport for me anymore, it's a space where I observe the city, its people, and its rhythm," Sharma told us.
Mumbai's foodies can look forward to indulging in traditional goodies at the East Indian Food Festival 2026 at the St Andrew's Quadrangle in Bandra on May 2.
With over 50 stalls, live performances, it promises to be a vibrant celebration. "This year, the highlight is our music awards," Alphi Walter D'Souza, head, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), told this diarist.
In October 2023, Jayesh Malani and Bharat Chandore were featured in mid-day (The village comes to the city) ahead of their first showcase of Nimad - a musical project that sources from the regional sounds of the eponymous region in Madhya Pradesh. Almost three years later, the troupe will make their way back to Bandra for a two-day visit starting May 8.
Bharat Chandore and Jayesh Malani during their sessions in Nimad
"It has been a beautiful journey. Since our last performance in Mumbai, we have performed across the country," shared the city-based Malani. But they have been returning to Nimad. "I still live there. We have worked on many more songs. Some of which will also be part of our next album," shared fellow composer, and co-producer, Chandore.
A moment from the troupe's performance at Serendipity Arts Festival 2023. Pics Courtesy/Nimad
The upcoming concerts will also be marked by the release of the penultimate song of this edition of the project, Guru Gyaan. "The music, and the performances have evolved with time as well. This time we will have a spatial audio set up that will highlight the immersive experience," Malani told this diarist.
