Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

RK Laxman

Common Needs

A green shade net keeps the iconic RK Laxman's Common Man statue cool during its installation on the Worli Promenade

Sounds about right

Taufiq Qureshi plays the 3D printed bongo with (right) Raghav Sachar. PIC COURTESY/Raghav Sachar

When this diarist met musician Raghav Sachar in his studio last month, he had a promise to keep with veteran percussionist Taufiq Qureshi. Sachar was building a custom 3D-printed bongo for Qureshi. Nearly a month after Sachar's experiments were featured in The Guide, (Tech-dhin-dha!, May 20, 2026), the musician has delivered on his word. Qureshi recently dropped by the Andheri studio to test the drum. "We used a special filament called TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) to mimic the traditional membrane of the drum this time," Sachar revealed. As for the veteran's verdict, it was a confident, "Sounds amazing!"; after a round of Afro beats on the bongos, of course.

Munda lives on in Aarey

Attendees pay tribute at Birsa Munda Chowk in Aarey. PICS COURTESY/DINESH HABALE; PRAKASH BHOIR

Did you know that the most popular spot for cultural gatherings in Aarey is named after a 19th century revolutionary? Nearly 150 attendees gathered at Birsa Munda Chowk in Aarey to pay homage to tribal independence activist Birsa Munda, who was martyred on June 9, 1900 during his fight to protect forests and its inhabitants.

Prakash Bhoir

For senior activists Prakash Bhoir and Dinesh Habale, Munda is ‘Dharti Aaba' (Father of the Earth). "We were glad to see young members from Palghar, Yeoor, Thane, and Aarey's hamlets show up in large numbers. This is the same place where the seeds of the Save Aarey movement were sown. The day ended with a meeting where we revisited Munda's life and times," Bhoir told us.

Debut splash for Tarq in Basel

Incantation, 2025, Rithika Merchant. PIC COURTESY/Rithika Merchant; TARQ

Fort-based gallery, Tarq will debut at the Art Basel in Switzerland on June 18 with a series of new works by Rithika Merchant (below). The showcase titled, As the Universe, So The Soul, taps into Merchant's continuing focus on world-building.

"Her watercolour works become portals into a parallel reality where the viewer encounters not just visual spectacle but a world that engages our understanding," shared gallerist Hena Kapadia.

GnR, once more

Acl Rose and Slash of Guns N' Roses. PIC COURTESY/@gunsnroses

After a May 2025 concert in Mumbai, rockers Guns N' Roses will return to India with shows in Guwahati and Bengaluru this November. While some spirited fans have already started praying frontman Axl Rose warms up his vocal cords better this time, we have simpler dreams: Witnessing November Rain in the cold November rain.