Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Staying on top of things

Railway engineers inspect an AC duct atop a bogie stationed at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus yard in Kurla

IN PHOTOS: Women police aspirants sleep on footpaths during recruitment drive in Mumbai

3 months agoPHOTO GALLERY

For Bappa, with love

A student works on an idol at the organisation's Mahalaxmi venue

You'd be doing more than one good deed if you opted for the eco-friendly Ganeshas created by Mahalaxmi-based NGO Om Creations this year. A group of 10 differently-abled students have crafted more than 50 idols under the guidance of artists from Sir JJ School of Art. "We train our students in arts, ceramics, and culinary arts. With help from residents at our branch in Khandpe, Raigad, we will also have modaks and other sweets on sale closer to the festival," a staff member shared. To get your hands on these creations, head to omabode.org.

Finding fiction in Bandra

A cosy corner awaits final touches at the new space (right) a shelf of books that will make their way to the store

For 38-year-old bibliophile Anup Nair, reality is not only stranger than fiction, but also a lot more boring. "The real joy of reading is in fiction," shared the Chembur resident who is all set to launch Fictionary, a new bookstore in Bandra later this month. Nestled in the lane that is home to the popular eatery Bastian, the bookstore-cum-café is currently undergoing final touches before opening its doors.

"The trend seems to have shifted towards self-help and other non-fiction books recently. But I believe that fiction can inculcate the same values in a more engaging way. Romance and crime fiction are still well-known, but through the bookstore, my aim is to introduce subgenres like fantasy, sci-fi and more to the city's readers," Nair (inset) revealed. Inspired by his own book shelf at home, the founder is set to bring nearly 9,000 books to the new 1,200 sq ft store. "We are also working on building a cosy café next to the bookshelves so our patrons can lose themselves in the world of fiction," he informed this diarist.

Emotions on a plate

As GenZ-ers would say, the Disney movie, Inside Out 2, really is cooking. Chef Dean Rodrigues (below) of the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA) in Marol was inspired enough to create a line of pastries each highlighting an emotion shown in the movie.

"Pastry is all about taking inspiration from the unusual. As an instructor, I often work with children, and realise how important the message in the movie is. So, I decided to use the sakura-infused chocolate and mixed berry jelly to create this series," he told this diarist.

Sarga tunes at the Koliwada

Kharde (centre) in a moment from the music video. PIC COURTESY/YOUTUBE

The latest buzz in Versova Koliwada is 24-year-old Bhuvan Kharde's catchy tunes that have become a hit with the native fishing community. Kharde's latest single, Sarga, is a playful conversation between a fisherwoman and a young fisherman about the eponymous sarga fish. "My father has been a performing artiste since 1983. The crowds used to love his live shows in the area. I am simply following his footsteps," shared Kharde, who takes pride in producing songs independently in the quaint neighbourhood.

"The song ideas sometimes come from community members who drop by our studio. We work on them and turn them into presentable songs," the recent engineering graduate revealed. Kharde's single, Nakhwa, had previously grabbed eyeballs on social media for its commentary on the community's never-say-die outlook in the face of natural and financial distress. "Other mainstream genres don't appeal to me. My songs will always reflect where I come from," he assured us.