<h2>On a roll</h2>
A <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/amp/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-tuesday-dossier-23626697" rel="nofollow">skater practices</a> an ollie on the promenade near Talao Pali in Thane
<h2>Going by the book</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/Aditya-Thackeray-a_e.jpg" alt="File pic/Shadab Khan" width="1280" height="720" /> 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&rsquo;s eponymous book that pays tribute to one of the world&rsquo;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&rsquo;s water crisis, and Vikram Sood&rsquo;s Great Power Games, the telling account of the world order in flux, from World War II to the fractured present. Quite the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/amp/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-monday-dossier-23626558" rel="nofollow">eclectic mix</a> to add to the Thackeray home bookshelf, we&rsquo;d say.
<h2>Sketches on wheels</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/Sketches-1_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Neha Sharma&rsquo;s sketch of an autorickshaw on a styrofoam cup; (right) Sharma&rsquo;s journal documents the sights of her daily commute" width="1280" height="720" /> (From left) Neha Sharma&rsquo;s sketch of an autorickshaw on a styrofoam cup; (right) Sharma&rsquo;s journal documents the sights of her daily commute
For this artist, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-friday-dossier-beach-cricket-gorillaz-tour-and-paw-some-ipl-nights-23624989" rel="nofollow">Mumbai </a>constitutes a feeling, one that sparks inspiration for her art. &ldquo;What fascinates me most is the city&rsquo;s constant movement; there is never a pause, yet there is always a moment waiting to be noticed if you look close enough,&rdquo; said Neha Sharma, a full-time live sketch artist. Over her long commutes from Chembur, Sharma has found beauty in the city&rsquo;s never-ending grind, and documents it in her nifty sketchbook &mdash; from its frenetic streets to its cosy caf&eacute;s.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/Sketches-2_e.jpg" alt="A sketch of an autorickshaw (right) Neha Sharma. Pics Courtesy/@rangzaara" width="1280" height="720" /> A sketch of an autorickshaw (right) Neha Sharma. Pics Courtesy/@rangzaara
However, there is one thing that dominates the artist&rsquo;s attention &mdash; the quintessential Mumbai autorickshaw. Mumbai&rsquo;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. &ldquo;Travelling in an auto has become a part of my everyday life and routine. It&rsquo;s not just a mode of transport for me anymore, it&rsquo;s a space where I observe the city, its people, and its rhythm,&rdquo; Sharma told us.
<h2>East Indian extravaganza</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/MGP-food-fest_e.jpg" alt="Moments from an earlier edition of the festival. Pics Courtesy/MGP" width="1280" height="720" />Moments from an earlier edition of the festival. Pics Courtesy/MGP
Mumbai&rsquo;s foodies can look forward to indulging in traditional goodies at the East Indian Food Festival 2026 at the St Andrew&rsquo;s Quadrangle in Bandra on May 2.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/MGP-food-fest-a_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
With over 50 stalls, live performances, it promises to be a vibrant celebration. &ldquo;This year, the highlight is our music awards,&rdquo; Alphi Walter D&rsquo;Souza, head, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), told this diarist.
<h2>Return of the voyagers</h2>
In October 2023, Jayesh Malani and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-friday-dossier-a-curated-mix-of-art-travel-music-and-culinary-excellence-23621666" rel="nofollow">Bharat Chandore</a> were featured in mid-day (The village comes to the city) ahead of their first showcase of Nimad &mdash; 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.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/Voyagers_e.jpg" alt="Bharat Chandore and Jayesh Malani during their sessions in Nimad" width="1280" height="720" /> Bharat Chandore and Jayesh Malani during their sessions in Nimad
&ldquo;It has been a beautiful journey. Since our last performance in Mumbai, we have performed across the country,&rdquo; shared the city-based Malani. But they have been returning to Nimad. &ldquo;I still live there. We have worked on many more songs. Some of which will also be part of our next album,&rdquo; shared fellow composer, and co-producer, Chandore.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/apr/Nimad-a_e.jpg" alt="A moment from the troupe&rsquo;s performance at Serendipity Arts Festival 2023. Pics Courtesy/Nimad" width="1280" height="720" /> A moment from the troupe&rsquo;s performance at Serendipity Arts Festival 2023. Pics Courtesy/Nimad
The upcoming concerts will also be marked by the release of the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-thursday-dossier-from-gudi-padwa-to-elephanta-culture-and-clean-ups-mark-the-day-23621523" rel="nofollow">penultimate</a> song of this edition of the project, Guru Gyaan. &ldquo;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,&rdquo; Malani told this diarist.

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Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

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