<h2>Branching out</h2>
<p>A man rests under the shade of widely branched out tree near the RTO office in Wadala</p>
<h2>Sweets for Delhi, and beyond</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Kulfi_e.jpg" alt="Kulfi is one of the most popular items on the eatery&rsquo;s menu " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Kulfi is one of the most popular items on the eatery&rsquo;s menu</em></strong></p>
<p>One of the city&rsquo;s oldest dessert hubs, Parsi Dairy Farm is looking to spread its wings. Starting this week, the dairy will deliver their creations across Delhi. Having started deliveries in Pune last week, they will also look to open their account in Bengaluru by the end of February. Dessert lovers in the city need not worry. The out of town offerings will focus on kulfi, toffees and other delicacies that have a long shelf life, while the Mumbai-classics like malai sandwich, barela peda will remain exclusive to the city, shared Zeenia K Patel, brand director, Parsi Dairy Farm. &ldquo;If we see a positive response in these three cities, we will look to expand to other cities as well,&rdquo; Patel added.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Rock the rick</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Dj-Auto_e.jpg" alt="Desiree Saldanha (in centre) in a still from the music video " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Desiree Saldanha (in centre) in a still from the music video&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<p>Bandra-based musician and DJ, Desiree Saldanha recently jammed to songs in a moving auto-rickshaw. Unsurprisingly, the video has earned viral fame. &ldquo;I thought this was a fun and accessible way for people to jam to songs during their travel,&rdquo; Saldanha told us. Travelling through the streets of Versova, the DJ remixed popular tracks on the go. &ldquo;Though it was a task to set up the console in such a small space, it has definitely piqued our interest in conducting such gigs in other modes of transport too,&rdquo; she said.</p>
<h2>Justice in her name</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Shanta-play_e.jpg" alt="A moment from a previous production of the play" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A moment from a previous production of the play</em></strong></p>
<p>For her directorial debut on stage, actor-director Parna Pethe will take on renowned writer and critic Shanta Gokhale&rsquo;s Three Monologues on Truth and Justice. The production will open in Andheri tomorrow, and delve into complex themes of truth, injustice and freedom. Titled Something Like Truth, Pethe shared that it explores the lives of four women set in different eras, countries and contexts. For Gokhale, the monologues serve a larger cause.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Old-women_e.jpg" alt="Shanta Gokhale" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Shanta Gokhale</em></strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;The problem of injustice is not specific to any time or country. I wrote the play because the theme is as relevant to me as it is to all of us [women],&rdquo; Gokhale shared. Building on the playwright&rsquo;s monologue form, Pethe&rsquo;s production will use music and physical movements on stage. &ldquo;When I read the text, I was immediately interested in the theme and structure. In the play, even though the women belong to different eras, and are talking about their own stories, the relevance of the issues being brought up is not lost on the audience,&rdquo; Pethe told us.</p>
<h2>United in celebrations</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Gulabi-mela_e.jpg" alt="A moment from a dance performance at the event " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A moment from a dance performance at the event</em></strong></p>
<p>As a part of the Mumbai Pride Month, the city recently saw the successful commencement of the Gulabi Mela 2025, hosted by Yaariyan, the youth initiative of The Humsafar Trust, with over 1,300 attendees in Andheri. The event celebrated queer entrepreneurship and artistry, featuring 52 LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs and more than 15 performances, complete with a flashmob. Participants had a chance to attend workshops, including a dance session by Bollyqueer and a zumba workshop by Lokesh Rane, interactive sessions, and a film screening of Tutti Frutti Cake, a short film on parental acceptance. &ldquo;Gulabi Mela is more than just an event &mdash; it&rsquo;s a testament to the power of queer creativity, resilience, and community,&rdquo; Dhruv Goenka, advocacy officer at The Humsafar Trust told this diarist. Goenka noted that the event emphasised community spirit and provided a platform for queer entrepreneurs and artists to bring their work to wider audiences.</p>
<h2>For natural bonds</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/jan/Nature_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>The month of February might be one for the cameras. Twenty-three environmental organisations across the country are teaming up in a unique effort to celebrate nature around us. Starting tomorrow, organisations including the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Aaranyak, The Habitat Trust among others will come together in a campaign urging people to share pictures, videos and artworks related to nature which will be reposted and then collated at the end of the month. &ldquo;In a world facing environmental crises and loss of natural habitats, collaboration is crucial,&rdquo; said Parveen Shaikh (inset), scientist at BNHS, adding that the initiative is a collective effort to document biodiversity. &ldquo;Diversity is critical for conservation efforts, and this is our way of getting people involved to take collective action,&rdquo; Rushikesh Chavan, head of The Habitat Trust added.</p><p>
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