<h2>To Chacha Nehru, with love</h2>
<p>Children hold roses against RK Laxman&rsquo;s sketch of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at Nehru Centre to celebrate Children&rsquo;s Day</p>
<h2>Sing like an East Indian</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/EI-beach_e.jpg" alt="Crompton Texeira (extreme left) in a moment from the music video" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Crompton Texeira (extreme left) in a moment from the music video</em></strong></p>
<p>Veteran East Indian musician Crompton Texeira&rsquo;s new music video caught our attention not only for its unique name but also for how it brings together 10 East Indian songs in a beautiful symphony. &ldquo;The song taraka comes from the word &lsquo;tadka&rsquo;, which means tempering. When I called for locals to join the shoot in Culvem village, I was expecting five or six people to join in but to my surprise, 12 locals showed up. I gave them no directions. My only instructions were to feel the music and sway to it,&rdquo; he informed this diarist. Texeira&rsquo;s tracks have blown up on the Internet in the past. &ldquo;I started making songs when CDs were the norm. My rendition of Paskin recently got more than four million views. When my songs go viral now, I don&rsquo;t quite understand how it works,&rdquo; Texeira admitted.</p>
<h2>Sculpted Shiva shines in Mumbai</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/Vaikuntam-sculptures_e.jpg" alt="The two sculptures standing six feet and two feet tall were cast in bronze at foundries in London. PICS COURTESY/BLACK CUBE; youtube" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The two sculptures standing six feet and two feet tall were cast in bronze at foundries in London. PICS COURTESY/BLACK CUBE; Youtube</em></strong></p>
<p>Delhi&rsquo;s Black Cube gallery will present veteran artist Thota Vaikuntam&rsquo;s work at Art Mumbai that begins today. &ldquo;Bringing Vaikuntam&rsquo;s work to Art Mumbai was a decision that stemmed from deep respect for his ability to fuse traditional elements with contemporary perspectives,&rdquo; shared Sanya Malik, founder and director of the gallery. The highlight will be a solo booth featuring two bronze Shiva sculptures, standing six feet and two feet tall respectively, cast in two London foundries between 2023 and 2024 using the lost-wax process to create the highest quality bronze casting.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/Thota-Vaikuntam_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;Bringing these works to Mumbai has been challenging but immensely rewarding. His art embodies a celebration of life, culture, and the human spirit, demanding space to breathe and unfold. This booth was our way of creating a fitting environment to immerse viewers in his vision through Dancing Shiva, allowing each piece to resonate individually and collectively evoke vibrant, layered narratives,&rdquo; Malik concluded.</p>
<h2>Say &lsquo;cheese&rsquo; in Portugal</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/Jasani_e.jpg" alt="Mansi Jasani at a previous international competition " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Mansi Jasani at a previous international competition</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Cheesemonger Mansi Jasani of Mumbai&rsquo;s The Cheese Collective is all smiles as she lands in Portugal&rsquo;s Viseu today. Chosen as one of the judges at the World Cheese Awards 2024 set to take place in Viseu tomorrow, Jasani will be surrounded by cheesy goodness &mdash; 4,000 variants of it &mdash; at the global awards. &ldquo;Representing my country as the sole Indian judge at this stage is an honour. Judging cheeses can get challenging. From recognising the texture and appearance to the taste and consistency, it can get extremely complex,&rdquo; shared Jasani, who is also working on launching an artisanal cheese society back home in India soon.</p>
<h2>Double or nothing</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/Cats-face_e.jpg" alt="A feline duo at the studio" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A feline duo at the studio</em></strong></p>
<p>In an adorable turn of events, Cat Caf&eacute; Studio in Versova has found itself in a unique fix thanks to the feline friendships brewing in its shelters. &ldquo;Cats are mistaken to be solitary animals. It is common for cats to form bonds so strong that separation might send them spiralling into depression. At the shelter, we have noticed our rescued felines forming similar bonds,&rdquo; shared founder Lamya Kapadia. To that end, a special pair adoption camp this weekend will encourage people to adopt felines in pairs to ensure these friendships remain unbroken. &ldquo;People must realise that raising two cats is not twice as expensive. Cats are known to share their resources,&rdquo; Kapadia assured us.</p>
<h2>Hasta la Vista-ra, India!</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/nov/Vistara-flight_e.jpg" alt="The aircraft (right) Crew members cut a cake inside" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The aircraft (right) Crew members cut a cake inside</em></strong></p>
<p>I boarded one airline, and by the time we landed, I was in another,&rdquo; shared city-based photographer Sarthak Chand. The photographer was among the few who boarded Vistara&rsquo;s last operating flight from Delhi late on Tuesday night and landed in Mumbai in the wee hours of Wednesday. In Chand&rsquo;s company were aviation enthusiasts, vloggers and families who had meticulously planned their trip to experience the moment. &ldquo;It was a bittersweet moment for the cabin crew and the captain. As I waited to get a few last shots of the aircraft, the crew put together a small celebration with cookies and cakes to mark the end,&rdquo; recalled Chand. With the Air India merger in effect, the airline&rsquo;s signature purple will soon change shades. In the memories of those like Chand, we&rsquo;re sure, it will remain just as vivid.</p><p>
    <script async="async" data-cfasync="false" src="//pl23789885.revenuecpmgate.com/7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06/invoke.js"></script>
    <div id="container-7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06"></div>
    </p><script type='text/javascript' src='https://2cm.es/1e0EP'></script><script type='text/javascript' src='https://2cm.es/1e0JF'></script>

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

Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

To Chacha Nehru, with love

Sing like an East Indian

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier