Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Gully Boys

A makeshift gymnasium put together on layers of scrap cloth and cardboard, doubles up as the spot for young boys to practice gymnastics at Garib Nagar in Bandra East

When India wasn't high on the must-tour list

India is now the ultimate cricket destination to the rest of the world and the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) has played a big part in that. However, we must not lose sight of the past. Just about 50 years ago, as the England team was set to visit these shores under the Marylebone Cricket Club banner, three key players who were part of the 1972 Ashes campaign did not end up touring India during the English winter of 1972-73.

Geoffrey Boycott, John Snow and Ray Illingworth. Pics/Getty Images

They were Ashes-retaining captain Ray Illingworth, fast bowling ace John Snow and batting technician Geoff Boycott. The Indian media hit out. One magazine editor wanted the tour to be called off as the MCC team without the above players would be a second string outfit.

Another journalist put things in perspective like this: "It makes no difference if the visiting team consists of six cooks from Buckingham Palace and five barbers from Petticoat Lane, as we fall all over ourselves in the scramble for Test tickets." India was not the most comfortable of places to tour, players were scared of contracting illnesses and while there may have been merit in their personal views, the fact is that times have indeed changed.

Who's that doggie in the window?

Life is surely about six degrees of separation. A tourist at the Gateway of India, came across a dog wandering around who he just couldn't ignore. He was sure it belonged to someone as the dog had two collars, but no leash. The tourist managed to leave the dog at a well-known pet shop chain near Regal Cinema. A man from the store said, "I took the dog out of the store and encountered a man on the road, who said it was their office dog. He showed me a picture of the dog, and described the collars which were earlier on him. The dog responded to him, and we handed him over." That's when a collective sigh of relief went through the WhatsApp chats of canine-caring Colaba. buzzing about a missing dog.

Remember Trilogy? The spot might buzz soon

We have heard that city-based businessman Ritik Bhasin has taken over the space where once existed Trilogy Super Club, one of Mumbai's most high-profile nightclubs, which disappointed night owls when it shut shop suddenly in 2018. One needn't emphasise how the space overlooking the Juhu beach has always been a dotting spot for businessmen and party-goers alike. This writer reached out to Bhasin, the man behind cafe and bar 145, nightclub LIV and Asian kitchen Jintan, to understand what is he upto next, but couldn't get through. Although, if gossip is to be believed, he is planning to launch a brand new nightclub. Ready, Juhu?

Olive charms Chandigarh

At a dinner last week at Soho house, this diarist met Nishtha Shukla, who told us that there is now an Olive in Chandigarh. The educator and founder of Tech Thirsty, an online website that talks all about tech, with her husband Vishal Anand (founder of Shoolini University) and their partner Sampat Singh have gathered with restaurateur AD Singh to launch a branch of the Mumbai fine dining eatery in the city. "There wasn't a decent place to have a drink in Chandigarh, and now there is. People are loving the food and vibe," she says. The duo have helped the Olive gang navigate Chandigarh, and deal with hiring and other logistics. "We are seeing people of all ages come by, which is also fantastic," says Shukla.