Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Sirf namaste se kaam nahi chalega!

While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis greets yoga guru Ramdev with folded hands, the baba prefers a jaadu ki jhappi, taking the CM by surprise on the third day at the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. Pics/Suresh Karkera

On air with Amitav Ghosh

While Amitav Ghosh is having a rather busy week with exhaustive promotions for his latest title, Gun Island, the celebrated writer is ensuring that he has a fair share of fun, too. From capturing stunning views of the Gateway of India from his Colaba five-star suite to catching up with old pals including Shobhaa De, Ghosh is making every day memorable.

And when he was recently at the All India Radio office in Mumbai, the uniqueness of the occasion was not lost on him. "Can't believe that I am sitting in the spot as George Harrison, when he was interviewed by Pt Ravi Shankar," said the writer.

Chor, police aur Waman

We are guessing that in his heyday, Waman must have been quite the cool stray around Colaba, thanks to his exploits. This, we gathered after having spotted a glowing tribute posted by The Welfare of Stray Dogs about his passing earlier this week.

Waman with the first aid team of The Welfare of Stray Dogs. Pic courtesy/Vedika Singhania

Turns out, Waman who lived a happy 16 years patrolling the streets and bylanes around Colaba Police Station, was very popular among the men in khakhi. He grew up in the premises, and was looked after by them; in fact, according to an old hand, he was named after a cop. He would hop into police vans and travel with teams during their rounds! This four-legged street patroller will be surely missed.

A plate of kindness

"Place called home! Australia, its generous people, their love for food and heart-warming stories," chef Ranveer Brar wrote on his Instagram with an accompanying post that shows him having fun in a kitchen Down Under.

Brar is known to go off the beaten track with his food escapades - what with his shows like Station Master's Tiffin, where he explores food journeys through Indian railways - so it's fitting that the celebrity chef is now shooting for a show with Tamil Feasts, a social enterprise that supports people seeking asylum in Australia through fundraiser dinners. That's the kind of food that is sure to touch hearts.

Books for keepsakes

Bookworms or not, it is a treat owning first editions or signed copies of at least a few of your favourite paperbacks. Now, as StoryLTD, an online auction platform, experiences an increased demand for such collectibles from young clients and bibliophiles, they have launched the second edition of an auction dedicated entirely to first editions, signed and limited edition books.

The list includes delicious reads like Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, Aristophanes' Lysistrata illustrated and signed by Pablo Picasso, first editions of My Experiments with Truth by MK Gandhi (volume I and II), and a collection of 26 signed volumes of novels, short stories and non-fiction by Salman Rushdie. While the books are available for viewing at Saffronart in Prabhadevi, the 24-hour sale will be on from June 25. This is a heads up for the hoarders of Mumbai.

Hasan gets the hypocrisy

American comedian Hasan Minhaj's humorous, yet bold web series Patriot Act does a fine job at exposing the hypocrisy of politicians across the globe. While he took on Indian politics in March, his latest episode highlights Internet inequality in America.

While commending Minhaj for covering the topic through a tweet, senator Joe Manchin basically glorified himself, stating that he was "the only member of Congress to challenge a Federal broadband coverage map." Minhaj went on to thank Manchin by reposting his tweet but along with another screenshot - a news article stating that the senator had voted to confirm Ajit Pai (known for his opposition to Net Neutrality) as the Federal Communications Commission Chairman. To this we can only say - well played, Hasan.

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