<h2>A fishy conversation</h2>
A cattle egret looks at a fisherwoman at work in the BMC market in <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-quarrel-leads-to-murder-outside-malad-restaurant-23593596" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Malad West</a>.&nbsp;
<h2>Bringing Chhau to Mumbai</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Chhau-Durga-puja_e.jpg" alt="Chhau dancers perform during Durga Puja in Mumbai. pics courtesy/vibgyor" width="1280" height="720" /> Chhau dancers perform during Durga Puja in Mumbai. Pics courtesy/Vibgyor
The city&rsquo;s Bengali community will soon be able to witness two new stage acts of Chhau, a folk dance from Purulia, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/tmc-mla-jyotipriyo-mallick-attacked-by-stranger-accused-arrested-23601408" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">West Bengal</a>. Scheduled for December 7, at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi, it is part of the second edition of the initiative, Chhau Porbo, by VIBGYOR, a platform engaging people with Indian culture and heritage. To know more, this diarist reached out to founder-member Indranil Mukherjee (right).
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Indranil-Mukherjee_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working on this initiative for months now. As a Bengali, I want to showcase the folk culture of [my home state] in Mumbai,&rdquo; he said. He further explained, &ldquo;Chhau is associated with martial arts, but many don&rsquo;t know that it is used to narrate mythical stories. The event will feature Hara Gauri Chhau Nritya Dal, a Purulia-based troupe. They recently performed during Durga Puja across Mumbai, at venues from <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/mumbai-police-rescue-newborn-baby-found-crying-in-borivali-east-nullah-23600419" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Borivli</a> to Panvel. The response we got was incredible.&rdquo;
<h2>History repeats itself</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Sam-Dalrymple_e.jpg" alt="Sam Dalrymple. pic courtesy/@travelsofsamwise" width="1280" height="720" /> Sam Dalrymple. pic courtesy/@travelsofsamwise
Author Sam Dalrymple, will be signing copies of his acclaimed debut, Shattered Lands (HarperCollins India) on Tuesday, November 11, at Trilogy Curated Bookshop and Library, Bandra. The event is part of his book tour across Mumbai. &ldquo;This is a book-signing event; Dalrymple is going around town to different book stores for similar signing events,&rdquo; said Ahalya Naidu Momaya (right), co-founder of Trilogy.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Ahalya-Naidu-Momaya_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
She added, &ldquo;[The book] is very quickly winning over readers everywhere. [Dalrymple&rsquo;s research] delves into the lives of leaders and their tactics. Through very insightful anecdotes, it provides context to the epic changes in Asia leading to five partitions. This unmaking of the Indian Empire continues to affect geopolitics even today.&rdquo; She added that the team is thrilled to host the author and welcome readers to meet him in-person.
<h2>Books for peace and freedom</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Geeta-Seshu_e.jpg" alt="Geeta Seshu (right) in conversation with Freny Manecksha at the event" width="1280" height="720" /> Geeta Seshu (right) in conversation with Freny Manecksha at the event
<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/key-infra-works-on-mumbai-s-kalyan-badlapur-section-completed-during-night-block-says-mrvc-23602289" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Mumbai</a> for Peace was started to create a free space for expression without fear or hate especially when voicing an opinion,&rdquo; journalist Geeta Seshu informed this diarist, as the collective hosted its first-ever Book Festival in early November at a Fort venue. The unique event invited book lovers from across the city to share and exchange their most cherished reads across different genres, with a small note of what the book meant to them.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Book-self_e.jpg" alt="Various titles were donated at the event. Pics courtesy/Mumbai for Peace " width="1280" height="720" /> Various titles were donated at the event. Pics courtesy/Mumbai for Peace&nbsp;
Journalist and author Freny Manecksha spoke on the Suppression of the Word in Kashmir, highlighting the ban on 25 books and the shrinking space for journalism in the region due to government restrictions. The festival&rsquo;s larger message was clear &mdash; to counter communal hate and uphold Mumbai&rsquo;s enduring spirit of peace, tolerance, and inclusivity. In a time of noise and division, words became the city&rsquo;s quiet call for harmony.
<h2>Arty milestone</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Studio-painting_e.jpg" alt="The artwork titled, Irrational Gaze, at the studio. Pics courtesy/Sajid Wajid Shaikh" width="1280" height="720" /> The artwork titled, Irrational Gaze, at the studio. Pics courtesy/Sajid Wajid Shaikh
Artist Sajid Wajid Shaikh from Navi Mumbai is the first Indian to receive the prestigious Henry Clews award by the La Napoule Art Foundation, France, where he completed his one-month residency on November 7.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Shaikh_e.jpg" alt="Sajid Wajid Shaikh" width="1280" height="720" /> Sajid Wajid Shaikh
&ldquo;The award recognises a distinguished sculptor. During my time in Mandelieu-La Napoule, I worked in an open studio surrounded by the sea. My works are philosophically themed around death and morbidity,&rdquo; he shared with us.
<h2>Sing me an East Indian song</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/nov/Cloudious-Fernandes_e.jpg" alt="Cloudious Fernandes sings on stage. Pic courtesy/Cloudious Fernandes" width="1280" height="720" /> Cloudious Fernandes sings on stage. Pic courtesy/Cloudious Fernandes
The East Indian community of Kurla took stage for old times&rsquo; sake last week. At the Junah Te Hai Sona (Old is gold) music showcase, community songs from a bygone era were sung with great enthusiasm by members as young as 12. &ldquo;The songs are in the East Indian (EI) dialect, making it doubly important to preserve them for future generations. We were surprised to see over 20 participants ace the songs, word for word,&rdquo; revealed Cloudious Fernandes, who sang a rendition of Nagapattinam Chi Mauli, originally sung by celebrated EI singer Gilbert D&rsquo;Souza.

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce: A cattle egret looks at a fisherwoman at work in the BMC market in Malad West

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The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

A fishy conversation

Bringing Chhau to Mumbai

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Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

A fishy conversation

Bringing Chhau to Mumbai

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