Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Ashish Raje

Final touch

An artist in Lalbaug paints snake idols in time for Nag Panchami on August 9.

IN PHOTOS: Motorists face traffic snarls on Eastern Express Highway after closure of Sion bridge

3 months agoPHOTO GALLERY

Vasai's paw-some celebrations

The animal shelter re-imagined through an AI-generated artwork by the team

On August 13, Poonam Ahuja will throw a party for the 75 cats and dogs housed at Vasai's Ahuja Animal Care Foundation. "We are celebrating my birthday!" shared Ahuja, who founded the shelter with Altaf Ahuja after nearly 25 cats she regularly fed were poisoned during the pandemic. "I was devastated but it galvanised me into action," she recalled, adding that she has rescued and cared for hundreds of animals since then until they could be released. "For the ones who cannot be released, I continue to offer a home," she added. The day will be celebrated with a special ‘doggo and catto' cake, their favourite treats, and a call to action. "I'll use this occasion to raise awareness and funds to continue looking after them. Any kind of contribution is a gift," she shared. Those who wish to be part of the birthday bash, head to @catsforeversanctuary.

BEST birthday

The exhibition will highlight various milestones achieved by the BEST Corporation

The Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika kicked off the celebrations for the 77th BEST day on Tuesday. "We have put up an exhibition at the BEST Museum in the Administrative Building in Sion. It sheds light on the history of BEST buses of Mumbai, from 1874, when we had horse-drawn trams to 2024, when we have electric buses.

An illustration at the exhibition announces the launch of electric buses

The exhibition will be open to the public till August 9," shared Sunil Vaidya, public relations officer. The team had a separate event in Matunga, where employees celebrated by forming a band and performing plays, among other activities.

Building bridges for the arts

Theatre person, facilitator and creative producer Sameera Iyengar (below) launched a new entity this week. Best known for her work in the play, Be-loved, she began her creative journey with Prithvi Theatre, followed by founding her own theatre initiative, Junoon. "True to its name, Freestyle plays with various arts modes to bring audiences, artistes and arts projects into ongoing conversations that are stimulating, thought-provoking, and fun! The aim is to unleash and celebrate the arts in action," Iyengar shared. She will meet up and collaborate with artistes to create theatrical productions of diverse genres.

Fish on-the-go

The interiors of the space

There is something fresh in the Bandra air these days. The pair behind seafood haven Fresh Catch want to add their touch to the neighbourhood's cafe culture. Their cloud kitchen Frys with Fries at Hill Road has evolved into a dining space. "We started out as a cloud kitchen, but always wanted to check how the concept of seafood on the move will work. It took us a year before we decided to concretise the idea," shared co-owner Adith Fernandes.

Adith and Ankita Fernandes

Sister Ankita Fernandes added, "We soft-launched the space about 15 days ago, and the response was good. The idea was to create a dining space that offers seafood that is fuss-free and easy to eat on-the-go." With the dishes built around a concept similar to London's famed fish-and-chip shops, Adith remarked, "The cuisine is laced with our masalas rooted in desi culture, but with an international feel."