The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Satej Shinde
Winging it
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Local residents feed pigeons at the Powai Lake promenade.
When Trevor Chappell got his timing right
A little birdie tells us that former Australia all-rounder Trevor Chappell, 72, was to visit the Wankhede Stadium on the same day that New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon dropped in at Mumbai’s 2011 World Cup final venue. Chappell and Luxon visited at different times on Thursday, but imagine how odd it would have looked if both had landed up at the same time.
Trevor Chappell at the Cricket Club of India on Tuesday. PIC/CLAYTON MURZELLO
Chappell, who was in Mumbai briefly earlier in the week, had bowled an underarm delivery to NZ’s Brian McKechnie in Melbourne on February 1, 1981, to prevent a tie. Chappell spiralled into infamy for no fault of his as he was only following his captain’s (brother Greg’s) instructions. Those who comprehend how seriously NZ as a country viewed the underarm incident would have been tickled had Chappell visited Wankhede in the first half of the day.
Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik (right) with NZ PM Christopher Luxon at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. PIC/MCA
But we are sure there would have been a lot of laughs too, even without the presence of Brian McKechnie, the Kiwi batsman who faced the underarm. Both parties have moved on and probably laugh about it now. And that’s what makes the willow game so special to all of us.
Rebuilding the city... one stitch at a time
Maruti Chavan
Hamari Silai is holding its first annual event on March 29, from 2 pm to 6 pm, at the BD Somani International School, Cuffe Parade. The institution, based out of Ambedkar Nagar, has been working at equipping young women and girls with skills that will lead them to head to a place of empowerment instead of labour or even forced marriage. Maruti Chavan, the founder of the organization, says, “Other than a fashion show the point of the event is to show the girls who are always in the danger of early marriage that they can achieve something that the world too will recognise. We wanted to felicitate the graduates from our academy and will have a cultural show with textiles so that more girls join the academy this year and choose the path of self-employment,” says Chavan. We hope there is always a needle and thread in the lives of these young women... and if you can, please go and support them!
(S)well way to mark 300 years
A Jashan in celebration
As the Bhikha Behram Well (Parsi Bavdi) at Cross Maidan, South Mumbai smashes a glorious 300 years, the community, historians, writers, Mumbaiphiles—almost everyone is celebrating. A Jashan was held in thanksgiving for the tricentennial. Among those who made it to the celebrations are the Panday family, who travelled to the city from Australia and Spain. They are descendants of the 18th-century merchant Bhikha Behram, who was commanded to build the well in a divine dream in 1725.
(L-R) Rami and Ana Panday, Freny Tayebjee, Khorshed and Fali Pocha
Waternamah: 300 Years of Mumbai’s Bhikha Behram Well, edited by writer Bachi Karkaria, a collection of 32 essays on the well’s remarkable story as well as the universal sacred and secular significance of water, was also launched at a celebratory event late on Friday evening at Albless Baug in Charni Road.
An ominous tale
We have heard plenty of ominous crime tales from Mumbai, but a haunting story from neighbouring Goa demands attention. Filmmaker Patrick Graham, in his latest work, explores the sinister life of Mahanand Naik, Goa’s most infamous serial killer, in his true-crime documentary Dupatta Killer.
Patrick Graham. PIC/INSTAGRAM@jplgraham
Known for preying on vulnerable women under the guise of love and marriage, Naik’s chilling crimes shook the nation. Through survivor accounts and expert analysis, filmmaker Graham delves not only into Naik’s mind but also into the systemic cracks that enabled his spree. “This is more than a crime story,” Graham states. “It’s an exploration of societal neglect—how marginalised women, lacking opportunities, become easy targets.”
The documentary also raises questions about justice and rehabilitation, particularly as Naik’s potential release looms. Premiered last Friday, the documentary also highlights the commendable police efforts in later investigations, contrasting them with earlier missteps that may have cost lives. You can watch Dupatta Killer on DocuBay.
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