<h2>Swaddled in love</h2>
<p>A toddler snoozes on his mother&rsquo;s back while she shops at Linking Road, Bandra</p>
<h2>Suhani Shah&rsquo;s magic moment</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/Suhani-Shah-a_e.jpg" alt="PIC COURTESY/FACEBOOK" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>PIC COURTESY/FACEBOOK</em></strong></p>
<p>Mentalist and magician Suhani Shah is weaving her magic beyond India now. After being invited to perform at a smaller space in London&rsquo;s acclaimed Soho Theatre last year, Shah will take the stage at the Main House in April. The performances, scheduled from April 11 to 15, will also flag off a multi-city tour for Shah, who is reportedly the first woman mentalist in India. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a big win for the art form in India. It&rsquo;s like a dream come true. It feels incredible to be able to perform at such a prestigious venue,&rdquo; the social media sensation told this diarist. The mentalist will present a 75-minute set at the London theatre, where she hopes to showcase the mysteries of the human mind. The 33-year-old, who began performing magic at the age of seven, added, &ldquo;I started off showcasing magic in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. From there, to Soho Theatre, feels surreal. I will probably be the first Indian magician to perform there. The idea is to show the world what Indian magic is today; such an opportunity helps me present the art in my country globally.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>The mightier pen wins</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/Yogesh-Maitreya_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>BR Ambedkar: A life in books, a children&rsquo;s title by Yogesh Maitreya, a poet, writer and founder of the publishing house Panther&rsquo;s Paw, recently received the NISSIM PRIZE for English Prose 2023 (Special Mention). The writer mentioned that the book, for children aged four years and above, traces Ambedkar&rsquo;s younger days as a reader. He believes his work is an attempt at bridging the gap in the education system regarding literature that talks about equality and justice. &nbsp;&ldquo;Recognitions like this award make me hopeful, not as a writer, but for subjects that are being historically denied today. If these stories are being acknowledged by people from all walks of life, it means our literature is reaching where it is supposed to,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<h2>Give colour to conservation</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/SGNP-a_e.jpg" alt="A kid pets replicas of characters from The Lion King at SGNP" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A kid pets replicas of characters from The Lion King at SGNP</em></strong></p>
<p>To mark World Wildlife Day today, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) has put out a call for a poster-making competition. An initiative by the Nature Interpretation Centre (NIC), the contest is themed on wildlife conservation and is open to participants of all ages. Shubham Murlidhar Hadkar, nature education and extension officer at NIC, shared, &ldquo;The idea is to inspire people, especially kids, to engage with wildlife conservation. We want them to explore and be aware of the wildlife and biodiversity around them, and understand illegal wildlife trade. We&rsquo;ve already started receiving entries, from as far as Kathmandu.&rdquo; To send in entries, head to @sanjay-gandhinationalpark.</p>
<h2>Ricky wants you to pause for effect</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/Ricky-Kej-ak_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>A three-time Grammy winner should know all about the magic of a pause. Music composer Ricky Kej&rsquo;s nomination as the face of World Wildlife Fund&rsquo;s Earth Hour seems appropriate. Commemorated on March 25, the annual event encourages people to turn off all non-essential electric lights for one hour from 8.30 pm. &ldquo;At the end of the day, when it comes to deforestation, pollution and climate change, people often do not know how they can contribute to the cause. They think it is the job of leaders, corporations or politicians. There is little individual action.&rdquo; The singer said that he would use his influence to encourage people around the world to take action by turning their lights off for an hour. &ldquo;Our consumption patterns are causing a lot of problems. To switch off for one hour might seem symbolic, but at the same time, it sends a strong message that it is our consumption patterns that need to be addressed,&rdquo; he said. Sharing that he has his own carbon footprint audited every year, Kej suggested, &ldquo;We need to rethink our relationship with our energy, our food and the fibre we wear. The Earth Hour is an attempt to encourage people to reflect on it.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Community on the table</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/PP-event_e.jpg" alt="Diners enjoy a meal by Talpade" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Diners enjoy a meal by Talpade</em></strong></p>
<p>The first Sunday of every month is a busy affair at the Talpade household. Chimboriche khadkhadle, kismur, bombil methkut, kharwas &mdash; the menu by home chef Kalpana Talpade for her Pathare Prabhu pop-up is extensive, and so are her stories about her community.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/mar/Kalpana-Talpade_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;Our cuisine is not easily available at restaurants. I want people to know about the food of my community,&rdquo; she told us about the pop-up which is slated for this Sunday.</p><p>
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Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

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