<h2>Play of light</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/search/bombay-gymkhana-club-photos" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bombay Gymkhana</a> glows with soft lights on a rainy evening in Fort</p>
<h2>Love at first bite, Gary?</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Gary-Ladu-Samrat_e.jpg" alt="Gary Mehigan (second from right) with owner Siddhant Rakshe (left) at the Parel eatery; (below) Kothimbir Vadi. Pics courtesy/SIDDHANT RAKSHE" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Gary Mehigan (second from right) with owner Siddhant Rakshe (left) at the Parel eatery; (below) Kothimbir Vadi. Pics courtesy/SIDDHANT RAKSHE</em></strong></p>
<p>Masterchief Australia-fame celebrity judge and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/food/article/masterchef-australia-judge-and-celebrity-chef-gary-mehigan-at-the-moment-i-am-loving-medu-vada-and-mumbai-street-food-23295862" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">chef Gary Mehigan </a>seems to have developed a golden-brown soft corner for Maharashtrian snacks. We learnt that Mehigan sat down for a meal at Parel&rsquo;s Ladu Samrat earlier this week, on a local tour guide&rsquo;s recommendation.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Kothimbir-wadi_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;We laid out a spread including Aluwadi, Ukadiche Modak, Sabudana Vadas, and other signature dishes. The Kothimbir Vadi piqued his curiosity with its crisp outer layer and soft filling. Thalipeeth came in a close second. From the shade of the chai, to the texture of our modaks, he was eager to know how every tiny detail comes to life,&rdquo; owner Siddhant Rakshe shared with us. Any delicious plans in the pipeline, chef?</p>
<h2>God is in the details</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Friendly-Ganesha_e.jpg" alt="The fish-friendly Ganesha is made using Shadu" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The fish-friendly Ganesha is made using Shadu</em></strong></p>
<p>What if your <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/thane-civic-body-to-hold-free-eco-friendly-ganesh-idol-making-workshops-in-august-details-here-23642384" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ganesha idol </a>could give back to marine life? Sea...err... see it for yourself with ecologist Anand Pendharkar&rsquo;s fish-friendly idols. Made from Shadu (an eco-friendly clay), they carry a ball of vegetarian fish food like spinach, that disintegrates once immersed. &ldquo;Research shows that papier-m&acirc;ch&eacute; is not as harmless as we once believed. They leave behind mesh-like traps in the sea. Even with Shadu clay idols, the synthetic paint that people tend to use contain heavy metals,&rdquo; Pendharkar told this diarist. Created in collaboration with artisans from his hometown Devrukh, the idols are painted in Mumbai using natural colours such as sandalwood. Each idol takes shape over a period of 10 days, the ecologist revealed. Those keen to book their <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/bombay-hc-seeks-maharashtras-stand-on-pm-modis-appeal-for-eco-friendly-ganesh-idols-23642091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">eco-friendly Bappa </a>can call 9320782810.</p>
<h2>One stripe at a time</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Tiger-board_e.jpg" alt="The tiger&rsquo;s outline is adorned with timely messages. PIC COURTESY/NISARG CLUB" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The tiger&rsquo;s outline is adorned with timely messages. PIC COURTESY/NISARG CLUB</em></strong></p>
<p>The new academic year at <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/maharashtra-mira-road-crane-collapse-kills-21-year-old-injures-two-at-construction-site-23640325" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mira Road&rsquo;s </a>Royal College is already off to a roaring start. On International Tiger Day (July 29), third-year Bachelor of Science student Khadija Shaikh of the Nisarg Nature Club set up a large outline of a Royal Bengal Tiger, which was filled in with messages of hope by students. &ldquo;Save the stripes that paint our forests with life,&rdquo; wrote a student, while another reminded us, &ldquo;Let future generations inherit roars, not regrets.&rdquo; Associate professor and convenor of the club, Radhika D&rsquo;souza, told this diarist, &ldquo;Teaching from books can only go so far. This activity has sparked a renewed interest in wildlife conservation among our pupils.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Past repair</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Sarnath-Banerjee_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>In polarising times, Sarnath Banerjee (below) and professor Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali Zamindar&rsquo;s (right) next title, When We Are Strangers (Penguin Random House), turns to fiction and visual storytelling to redefine our ideas of freedom, heritage, and reparations.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Zaminda_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Released today, the graphic novel is set amidst the Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, and employs Banerjee&rsquo;s stark illustrations to highlight Zamindar&rsquo;s story about two young protagonists&rsquo; unlikely mission to restore a stolen museum relic.</p>

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

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Love at first bite, Gary?

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