<h2>The heat is on</h2>
A BMC worker splashes water on his face near<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/public-space-at-dadar-beach-turns-into-storage-site-for-roadwork-materials-locals-flag-safety-and-access-concerns-23624449" rel="nofollow"> Dadar beach</a> to beat the scorching temperatures.&nbsp;
<h2>Chai, music, connections</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Audience-1_e.jpg" alt="A moment from the baithak. Pics courtesy/Avinash T Padsalgi" width="1280" height="720" /> A moment from the baithak. Pics courtesy/Avinash T Padsalgi
What began as casual post-work jam sessions over chai has now grown into Kalyan-based Mehfil-E-Baithak, a community-driven live music platform.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Audience-2_e.jpg" alt="The audience enjoy ghazals at the baithak" width="1280" height="720" /> The audience enjoy ghazals at the baithak
Founder Avinash T Padsalgi said that the idea emerged from intimate baithaks with friends that slowly created a sense of emotional connection and belonging.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Avinash-Padsalgi_e.jpg" alt="Avinash T Padsalgi" width="1280" height="720" />Avinash T Padsalgi
Along with lead singer Rahul Umale, Padsalgi started taking the sessions to cafes and larger venues. &ldquo;We want to build a culture around soulful live experiences where local artistes, musicians and storytellers can genuinely connect with people,&rdquo; he told this diarist.
<h2>The fast and the furriest</h2>
If you&rsquo;re ever in <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/south-mumbai-resident-wins-40-year-battle-against-city-police-23521098" rel="nofollow">South Mumbai</a> and spot a Labrador sporting dog sunglasses in a vintage sidecar, chances are you&rsquo;ve just seen Murphy. The seven-year-old Labrador has become a familiar face cruising through Marine Drive and Ballard Estate in a revamped 1981 Bajaj Chetak sidecar alongside his owner and best friend, Mithil Kotwal. What many do not know, however, is that the now-viral rides began less as a social media moment and more as a practical solution to Murphy getting exhausted.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Mithil-Kotwal_e.jpg" alt="Mithil Kotwal and Murphy on a Bajaj Chetak named Murphy Wagon. Pics courtesy/Mithil Kotwal" width="1280" height="720" /> Mithil Kotwal and Murphy on a Bajaj Chetak named Murphy Wagon. Pics courtesy/Mithil Kotwal
&ldquo;It started when my parents used to take him to Shivaji Park when he was just two or three months old. He used to get extremely tired from the walk,&rdquo; added Kotwal. &ldquo;Our trainer suggested getting him accustomed to riding on a scooter, and soon we first trained him on a Vespa.&rdquo; As Murphy grew bigger, the family restored an old sidecar scooter specially for him. &ldquo;Today, people get incredibly excited when they see Murphy in the sidecar,&rdquo; Kotwal added.
<h2>Let&rsquo;s go online, baby</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Virtual-date_e.jpg" alt="People choose virtual dates over outings due to heat. Pic courtesy/@vecteezy" width="1280" height="720" /> People choose virtual dates over outings due to heat. Pic courtesy/@vecteezy
This bit of news might be one of the most curious fallouts of our sizzling summer temperatures. Turns out singles across India now prefer online dating due to rising temperatures! A recent survey by the dating app, QuackQuack, revealed that over 37 per cent of singles across Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are opting to date virtually in response to the climate. Talk about a hot trend.
<h2>Meet Munna Bhai SSC</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Munna-Bhai-Auto-1_e.jpg" alt="A dated photograph of gold, silver and Dollar rates" width="1280" height="720" />A dated photograph of gold, silver and Dollar rates
Water bottle, an STD-PCO phone, live Dollar, gold and silver rates, cold drinks, a power bank &mdash; and the list goes on. If you&rsquo;re wondering what ties all of this together, it is an auto rickshaw owned by Sandeep Bacche, better known as Munna Bhai SSC or Sandeep Baba. The 48-year-old <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/things-to-do/article/get-baked-in-bandra-20956168" rel="nofollow">Bandra</a>-based auto driver has transformed everyday rides into quite the experience, packing his rickshaw with amenities and essentials rarely seen on Mumbai&rsquo;s streets.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Munna-Bhai-Auto-2_e.jpg" alt="An STD phone and water bottles " width="1280" height="720" />
An STD phone and water bottles
But for Bacche, the idea came from an early childhood memory.&ldquo; My inspiration came from a luxury bus I used to sleep in when I was younger as I was short on cash. It had so many facilities, and when I decided to become an auto driver, I wanted every passenger to remember the journey after stepping out of my auto,&rdquo; he told this diarist.&nbsp;
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Munna-Bhai-Auto-3_e.jpg" alt="A view of the autorickshaw" width="1280" height="720" />A view of the autorickshaw
His generosity extends beyond these add-ons. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t charge children travelling to class, and senior citizens only pay the minimum fare of Rs 10,&rdquo; he added. And the nickname? Bacche laughed and explained &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a massive Sanjay Dutt fan &mdash; that&rsquo;s where the &lsquo;Baba&rsquo; and &lsquo; Munna Bhai&rsquo; comes from.&rdquo;

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Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

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