<h2>Flora&rsquo;s Aura</h2>
The silhouette of <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/mid-day-opinion-flora-fountains-distress-is-a-wake-up-call-mumbai-cant-ignore-23622265" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Flora Fountain</a> in Fort paints a dramatic frame in the late afternoon.&nbsp;
<h2>Godsends in Khandala</h2>
A touch of Greek history and mythos will step into Khandala this weekend. The UK-based duo of Wright &amp; Grainger &mdash; writer Alexander Wright, and composer Phil Grainger &mdash; will drop in on the heritage venue of Abbey 301 for a double bill.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Wright_1792541536_s.jpg" alt="A moment from a performance by Wright &amp; Grainger. Pic courtesy/abbey301" width="1280" height="720" /> A moment from a performance by Wright &amp; Grainger. Pic courtesy/abbey301
As part of their India tour, supported by the British Council, the award-winning storytellers will perform two award-winning shows, a live 12-track album, The Gods The Gods The Gods (on Saturday), and the musical rendition of the myth Orpheus (on Sunday).
&ldquo;They [Wright &amp; Grainger] are bringing their unique brand of theatre to Khandala. Gig Theatre uses live songs to tell of interesting and philosophical ideas in entertaining ways. It is meaningful, joyous, and above all, fun. It&rsquo;s also their first <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ind-vs-sa-2nd-test-after-2019-tour-of-india-i-felt-i-would-never-play-tests-here-sa-senuran-muthusamy-23604573" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">tour of India</a> in two years, and we are delighted to host them,&rdquo; shared curator Pushan Kripalani.&nbsp;
<h2>Eighty and going strong</h2>
October 1946 is a dateline that remains etched in the minds of mid-day readers of a certain vintage, who appreciate art, culture and architecture. It&rsquo;s when MARG &mdash; derived from the acronym for the Modern Architectural Research Group &mdash; published its first volume under the editorship of pioneering writer Mulk Raj Anand.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Marg-1_1792541881_s.jpg" alt="A gallery view of the exhibition at the Army and Navy Building" width="1280" height="720" /> A gallery view of the exhibition at the Army and Navy Building
The magazine title also invoked the Sanskrit &lsquo;marga&rsquo;, meaning pathway. It boasted of an illustrious editorial team, many of whom strode India&rsquo;s art and cultural landscapes. Since then, the magazine&rsquo;s office, housed in the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/independence-day-2025-indian-army-and-navy-band-dazzles-mumbai-with-stirring-performance-23589748" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Army and Navy</a> Building in Kala Ghoda, continues to document and dissect the finest research in these faculties.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Marg-2_1792541921_s.jpg" alt="A view of the panel featuring the early edition of the magazine" width="1280" height="720" /> A view of the panel featuring the early edition of the magazine
This diarist stumbled upon an interesting visual showcase, MARG at 80, that celebrates this legacy, in the form of their milestone covers that are on display on the ground floor of the address. It&rsquo;s free, and open to the public till October 31. Guided walkthroughs are also offered during working hours.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Marg-3_1792541961_s.jpg" alt="A view of the cover of the Bombay edition of the magazine. Pics courtesy/Fiona Fernandez" width="1280" height="720" /> A view of the cover of the Bombay edition of the magazine. Pics courtesy/Fiona Fernandez
Those keen to appreciate the art of cover design should hop across, not just to soak in the magazine&rsquo;s contribution to art and culture, but to also pore over a handy timeline of Bombay (later Mumbai) and India, as we discovered during our time there.&nbsp;
<h2>Plates of talent in Kalbadevi</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Bharat--Chowhan_1792542050_s.jpg" alt="Bharat Chowhan" width="1280" height="720" /> Bharat Chowhan
Navratri got an artistic spin at Gaiwadi Navratri Mitra Mandal in Kalbadevi, which has celebrated the festival for 80 years. This year, over 65 men and women showcased their creativity in an aarti thali decoration competition.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Navratri-food-b_1792542019_s.jpg" alt="Colourful aarti thalis decorated for Navratri. pics courtesy/Bharat Chowhan" width="1280" height="720" /> Colourful aarti thalis decorated for Navratri. Pics courtesy/Bharat Chowhan
Organised by 73-year-old Bharat Chowhan, the contest featured intricate grain patterns, colourful embellishments and ornate motifs, including a trident crafted from edible ingredients. &ldquo;Residents give their all to make beautiful thalis and dedicate them to Maa Ambe. Everyone brings something different to the table,&rdquo; he said.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Navratri-food-a_1792542079_s.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
Running for over a decade, the competition rewards the top three winners with gifts, while other participants receive consolation prizes. For Chowhan, the festivities are as much about community spirit as devotion. He hopes younger generations will carry these traditions forward. &ldquo;When I do garba, I still feel 20,&rdquo; he admitted.
<h2>Jalebi miles</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Cycleing_1792542114_s.jpg" alt="Cyclists pedal at Shivaji Park" /> Cyclists pedal at Shivaji Park
Fitness met festive indulgence at MMR United Cyclists&rsquo; Jalebi Ride in Dadar, where 110 runners and cyclists gathered at Shivaji Park for a morning workout with a sweet reward. The Dussehra event, now in its eighth year, was organised by Ravi Agarwal, founder of SoBo Cyclists.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Jelebi_1792542152_s.jpg" alt="A plate of Jalebi and Fafda. Pics courtesy/Ravi Agarwal" /> A plate of Jalebi and Fafda. Pics courtesy/Ravi Agarwal
Participants travelled from across Mumbai, including two cyclists who pedalled 100 km from Panvel. Agarwal cycled 32 km from Bhuleshwar himself. &ldquo;We want to encourage fitness and give runners and cyclists a platform to come together,&rdquo; he said. The morning wrapped up with jalebi and fafda for everyone.
<h2>Let&rsquo;s talk vultures</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Griffon-Vulture_1792542231_s.jpg" alt="Griffon Vulture and Red Headed Vulture" width="1280" height="720" /> Griffon Vulture and Red Headed Vulture
Have you ever wondered how vital vultures are to the ecosystem? Acting as nature&rsquo;s clean-up crew, they pretty much help maintain environmental health. Highlighting their ecological importance, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) organised a Vulture Conservation Awareness Programme for BSc Zoology students at Kaliabor College, Assam, on October 14.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Bohra_1792542307_s.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
Biologist Gitartha Borah (right) led a session on nine vulture species, their identification, threats and rehabilitation, including their release after care in captivity.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Kaliabor-College_1792542270_s.jpg" alt="Students and teachers of Kaliabor College, Assam. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia; BNHS" width="1280" height="720" /> Students and teachers of Kaliabor College, Assam. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia; BNHS
&ldquo;During the presentation, we educated students about different vulture species, their identification and ecological importance. The students also gained ground-level knowledge about declining vulture populations and the role of pesticide poisoning in the birds,&rdquo; shared Borah.
<h2>Nadu made designs to last</h2>
On Tuesday, India&rsquo;s design fraternity woke up to the news of the passing of pioneering designer and educator Professor Sudhakar Shantaram Nadkarni. A key figure in establishing the Industrial Design Centre at IIT Bombay, and later the Department of Design in Guwahati, Nadkarni breathed his last at the age of 91.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/IIT-Guwahati_1792542346_s.jpg" alt="Department of Design at IIT Guwahati. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia; sudhakarnadkarni.org" width="1280" height="720" /> Department of Design at IIT Guwahati. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia; sudhakarnadkarni.org
As enthusiastic as ever in his nineties, &lsquo;Nadu&rsquo; as he was fondly known, was engrossed in putting together a team to compile alumni projects, we learnt. This enduring dedication that led the late iconic architect and urban planner Charles Correa to once admit, &ldquo;Sudhakar is indeed very, very special without a doubt... It is an honour to be his collaborator and his friend.&rdquo;
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Sudhakar-Nadkarni_1792542390_s.jpg" alt="Prof Sudhakar Nadkarni" width="1280" height="720" /> Prof Sudhakar Nadkarni
For IDC alumna and now hip-hop artiste Ashwini Hiremath, Nadkarni &ldquo;was the soil that every student needed to grow.&rdquo; While there might never be another Nadu, his design philosophies will live on through his recently released title, by design, available on sudhakarnadkarni.org.

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