Give your mother a break from routine, pamper her with a breakfast in bed or a spa hamper for Mother's Day, which falls on May 13 this year. Mikita Laad Gupta, Senior Designer at Bonito Designs and Abraham Santhosh, Head Designer of Elegancia, have shared ways which can help you bring a smile on your mother's face:

1. A day free from the 'Mom routine': Mothers never get a day off from their daily routine and they never complain too. Every mother always has a list of things she needs to do, so why not do it for her? Let her relax at home while you do the grocery shopping, run to the post office, pick up dry-cleaning or whatever else Mom needs you to do. She will definitely appreciate the gesture!

2. Breakfast in bed: The first part of Mother's Day should be her breakfast. A meal ordered from her favourite restaurant. Let her relax and not think about breakfast for everyone at home, because you have already taken care of it.

3. Sparkle up the home for her: Cleaning the house is a huge task for every mother. On this day, help her out by cleaning it before she starts her day. Fix those things that she always wanted to be repaired and make her day.

4. Home decor makeover: Mothers always want to make a change in their house, but they never really get the time for it due to their daily chores and work. This Mother's Day, make her dream come true by doing what she has always wanted to - could be a vegetable garden, or a mini library or a music library or even revamp the sitting room.

5. Pamper her with a spa hamper: Everyone loves a massage, some of them crave for a fresh manicure and pedicure. Some of them have not had a good haircut and colour since a long time. So here's a chance to pamper your mother with a spa hamper and let her have a relaxing day and look pretty as she always should.

6. A photo family tree: Everyone loves to see their old photos. It brings back memories and family tree of photos is the best way to see everyone you love right there. Create a family tree of photos on a wall at home as a surprise for her as she has always wanted to do it but never had the time.

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Mothers seem to be almost supernaturally gifted with the ability to instantly lift spirits and make us feel loved and cared for. As International Mothers Day draws closer, let us celebrate their wonderful presence in our lives by making them feel extra special. Satish Kannan, Co-founder and CEO of DocsApp and Ankit Garg, Co-founder and CEO of Wakefit.co give away some solutions that can make your mother happy:

1. Gift her a healthy life: Let her know how much you appreciate her selfless care by gifting her on-demand medical assistance and access to quality medical consultation.

2. Gift her blissful sleep: After a hectic day at work and home, the least your mother deserves is a good night's sleep so she can be fully rejuvenated to face the next day with abundant energy. Help her sleep healthier with a high quality and comfortable mattress that makes her feel more rested in a shorter period of time.

3. Gift her career growth: It is not unlikely that your mother took a professional break to raise you and your siblings. Now that you're all grown up and independent, encourage her to kick-start her career once again.

Here are some more interesting ways to thank your mom:

4. Plant flowers for her: It is time to make the most of the summer season. Buy flowers like lilies, zinnia, marigold and plan them for your mom.

5. Cook her favourite dish: Your mom must be cooking for you on each and every day of the year. But, on Mother's Day, let her take a break from routine kitchen activities and you cook her favouriet dish. Bring all ingredients in advance, make the dish and let her relax and enjoy a delicious meal.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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Caroline (Laura Mishra) pours out her fears about her rocky marriage to the governess Ms Chacko (Pooja Nair)

All the world's a stage, but that doesn't make all of us actors, as we discovered after three long hours of watching an adaptation of Agatha Christie's Go Back For Murder by the theatre group, Making Noise. The play follows the protagonist Chloe Miranda (played by director Laura Mishra), on her journey to prove her mother innocent of her father's murder.

The catch is, the murder happened 15 years ago, and her mother is no longer around to defend herself, having passed away in prison. So, Chloe joins hands with her lawyer Filip Calisto (male lead essayed by Navin Talreja) to piece together who really killed her father. They track down friends and family members who were present on the day of the murder. Everyone returns to the scene of a crime in Goa to recreate the events leading up to the murder.

True to form, the tight plot devised by the queen of crime writing keeps the audience guessing until the very end when the killer is finally revealed in the denouement.

Unfortunately, there is another murder that needs to be addressed — that of the play itself. The warning signs appeared from the very beginning: Actors stumbling over their words, even forgetting their lines at times; lacklustre delivery was a problem throughout the play. Direction was, dare we say, missing. Actors killed a ridiculous amount of time milling about on stage, unable to hold still even during conversations with other characters. As a result, even though the advertised run time was two hours and 15 minutes (including the interval), the audience was trapped for an extra 45 minutes. The delay did not go unnoticed by the director, who apologised for having taken up so much time.

It would not be an exaggeration to call the performance a snoozefest; many in the audience had nodded off within the first half hour, while others gave up and left the auditorium midway.

Actor-director Laura delivered one of the few believable performances but failed to draw out the same from her cast. There were other peculiar directorial calls, such as one of the characters holding the same cigarette to his mouth for over two hours. In all the scenes with multiple characters, several actors had visibly zoned out on stage while the lead actors droned on. A theatre aficionado who accompanied us said it was like a "school play", hardly the kind of fare one would expect to see at St Andrew's Auditorium.
When: May 27, 7.30 pm
Where: St Andrews Auditorium
Entry: Rs 200-Rs 1,000
Contact: 26410926

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Kylie Jenner on vacation with her daughter Stormi. pic courtesy/ instagram.com/kylie jenner

Last month, social media star Kylie Jenner was severely mom-shamed by keyboard warriors for heading to a music festival without her infant daughter, Stormi. While Internet trolls are no experts, what exactly does it take to form a bond with your baby?

“Fundamental human nature includes adapting to changes. For a woman to transition into motherhood is common, nevertheless, it’s not a cakewalk. Many women experience post-partum blues for about two weeks after delivery. Should it extend beyond this period, it could be a sign of a post-partum disorder. Therefore, we need to build a society that accepts and understands the plethora of emotions that a new mother experiences,” says Maithili Thanawala Kanabar, counselling psychologist.

Dr. Bindu KS

Here’s our primer on how to face up to it, and move on.

1. Return to working out
“The body needs six weeks to heal — whether it’s a natural birth, caesarean or an episiotomy [which involves a vaginal cut]. The body’s physiology gets back to normal in six weeks, the uterus comes back to shape and body fluids return to normalcy. Whether a housewife or a working woman, it is advisable that she resumes her fitness regime in six weeks,” says Dr Ranjana Dhanu, consultant, gynaecology and obstetrics, Hinduja Healthcare Surgical. But if you have been regular with your fitness routine before and during your pregnancy, you can even go back to working out within a week if you have had a normal delivery. “Start with light exercises such as stretches and walks,” says Dr Bindhu KS, consultant, gynaecology, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. The body, especially the spine, kidneys, heart and lungs and not just the reproductive organs, undergo changes, says Dr Bindhu.

2. Get back to the office
Kanabar explains that there is no “mother manual” that defines the best time for a new mother to dive into a competitive workspace. “Try being around the baby for the first few months. Talk to your baby about beginning work and scaffold it for him/her. If your baby is used to co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and you are finding it difficult to wean him/her off, they may take some time to get used to your absence,” says Kanabar. Unfortunately, not many companies in India have a full-time crèche facility. “Indian companies must make it mandatory to have a full-time crèche at the workplace. This will increase the overall efficiency of working women, especially when it comes to the corporate workplace,”
believes Dr Dhanu.

Dr Ranjana Dhanu

“Almost all companies have a six-month maternity leave policy. The key is to strike a balance between motherhood and work,” says Dr Bindhu. If it gets overwhelming, Kanabar suggests reaching out to your support system. However, she warns that it is imperative for mothers to remember to not board the overcompensating train, which might drive one to overdo things and become more lenient.

3. Take a break
“Any wound takes six weeks to heal and it heals well in this period for any kind of birth. Hardcore physical or adventure activities are absolutely safe after six weeks. All the medical textbooks say that the body needs to resume some kind of exercise or physical activity post six weeks of delivery. If you can afford it, take a nanny along,” suggests Dr Dhanu.

4. Slip into a chic mode
Be it exercising or getting your glam on, pursuing something that makes you look and feel good is a good way to boost your morale. “Me-time is viewed as a selfish concept while in reality, it is a safe space that every human needs to visit to rejuvenate,” says Kanabar. It is the quality of time spent with the baby that matters.
Dr Bindhu adds that people also spend only two to three hours with their child but that does not mean there is no bonding.

Maithili Thanawala Kanabar

Mother, baby and attachment

Some studies suggest that the first three months are the most crucial. Infants develop representations of attachments based on the bond with the primary caregiver. Pioneering British psychiatrist John Bowlby suggested that this attachment acts as a prototype for their future relationships and psychological health.

An infant communicates in rudimental ways and attending to those needs reinforces the infant’s sense of security. It is essential that the mother is attentive and spends quality time with the infant, but there is no need to spend every breathing moment with them. Comforting, breastfeeding on time (or feeding the baby yourself), and communicating with the baby leads to a secure attachment.

Usually, securely attached babies cry when the mother leaves and allow the mother to comfort them when she returns. Every baby responds differently. Remain receptive to the baby’s needs and spend quality time without distractions.

Watch for signs like how the baby responds when you return after a brief absence. Most would allow you to comfort them and look at you when they are inching towards exploring something new. And lastly, mum knows best. So look out for every sign.

Mandira Bedi with her son Veer, who is six today. pic courtesy/jitu savlani

I was fit when I was pregnant. After birth, I had to wait for 40 days before I could exercise again. On the 41st day, I stepped out for my first walk. It was pouring at the time but I had decided that come rain or storm, I will go for it. Later, I started jogging, moved to gymming and lifting weights. I had gained 22kg and was able to return to my pre-pregnancy weight in six months. I had serious post-partum depression that lasted for those 40 days. My depression disappeared after I started exercising. I had a baby pretty late in my life [at 39]. I didn’t fall in love with him at first sight. I wondered, ‘This is the end of my freedom. Will I get work after this?’. It was overwhelming. It’s important to be aware that what’s going on with you is normal and okay. But in that period of 40 days I eventually fell in love with him. Giving birth to him is the best thing I have done. But motherhood is not the only thing that defines me. I am hands-on, but I think you can be a better mother if you are not thinking about it 24/7. That little time for you is crucial. The rule in our house is either parent has to be there at home, always. Working out has less to do for me physically than what it does for me mentally.

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"
The cast and crew of Malgudi Revisited

Malgudi - the famous fictitious place that RK Narayan created - has a certain sense of innocence that seems incongruous with the fast pace of life in a city like Mumbai. It offered the characters a chance to enjoy the simpler pleasures of life, be it a young boy following the journey of a paper boat down a nullah or chucking pebbles into a lake. But now, people here can also get a chance to spend a day in the laidback town, as Tantra Theatre Group brings it to life in a series of short plays called Malgudi Revisited.

In it, a narrator will take the audience around different locations, making them meet the locals who populated Narayan's much-loved book. The day begins early, at 8 am, with a visit to the school where Swami - one of Narayan's most iconic characters - studied with his friends. Their exploits were of an everyday nature. And yet, there were lessons embedded in the story that are relevant even today, such as how a wall of conflict can be broken down with just a bit of empathy and understanding.

The short play featuring the astrologer

Then, around noon, the audience will be taken to a chowk where they will meet "the talkative man", who narrates a story called Old Man of the Temple. It deals with how the talkative man had once encountered a ghost while driving by a roadside temple, who possessed the spirit of the young man at the wheel. Krishna Battar, the ghost, was the one who had built the temple. But his spirit refused to leave the area even after his death, since there was no one else to take care of the holy place. Eventually, the talkative man convinces Battar that it is important to let go of the past, no matter how tough that is. And in the end, it seems that Battar has understood this point, because the next time the man comes around to that temple, the ghost is nowhere to be seen.

Later in the afternoon, the scene shifts to a bank, where a watchman is sitting outside the gate. This watchman tells the audience about how, after retiring from his job, he had discovered a talent for making paper dolls. He had received a lot of love for the same, but one day, he got a registered letter from a bank whose manager had been one of the recipients of his dolls. Now, back at that time, receiving a registered letter invariably spelt financial doom for a person. So, the watchman cursed himself for giving the manager his gift, and the insane fear he felt about opening the letter finally made him lose his mind. The irony, though, is that the envelope had contained a sum of `100, which the manager had sent the watchman, elated with his gift.

Soumitra Acharya

After that, in the evening, the audience is taken around to a marketplace, where they meet an astrologer whose quick thinking saves him from being pummelled by a man he had once tried to kill in his village. And finally, the narrator notices that a light is still switched on in the bank, so he goes to find out if someone is still working there. In the process, the audience comes across the character who was the protagonist of a story called Forty Rupees a Month. This man had decided to quit his soul-crushing job to spend more time with his family. The sum of Rs 40 was not completely peanuts back then. But it still didn't allow him to take his wife and children out for movies, for instance, and so he decided to hang up his boots. But at the last moment before submitting his resignation letter, he found out that he had got a pay hike of `5, and that made him change his mind about packing up his working life and calling it a day.

Soumitra Acharya, who directed and wrote the short plays, and also essays the role of the narrator, reveals this plot structure to us. He also points out how relevant Narayan's stories continue to be. "For instance, the main character in Forty Rupees a Month might well be me, where instead of taking my family out for a movie, my ambition could be to take my parents on a foreign trip. So, like him, even I am stuck in my comfort zone, and refuse to get out of that rut come what may," he says, pointing out how some issues remain constant through the years, and some places like Malgudi - fictitious as it may be - have a sense of timelessness that persists through the ages.

ON: May 13, 7.30 pm
AT: Whistling Woods - Andheri Base, Link Road, Andheri West.
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com
ENTRY: Rs 350

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London: While scientists agree that the Sun will die in approximately 10 billion years, they were not sure what would happen next, until now. A new study now says that it will turn into a massive ring of bright, interstellar gas and dust, known as a planetary nebula.

"This is a nice result... We even have found out what the Sun will do when it dies!" said one of the researchers Albert Zijlstra, Professor at the University of Manchester in Britain.

A planetary nebula marks the end of 90 per cent of all stars active lives and traces the star's transition from a red giant to a degenerate white dwarf.

But, for years, scientists were not sure if the Sun in our galaxy would follow the same fate as it was thought to have too low a mass to create a visible planetary nebula.

To find out, the team developed a new stellar, data-model that predicts the lifecycle of stars.

The model, detailed in the journal Nature Astronomy, was used to predict the brightness (or luminosity) of the ejected envelope, for stars of different masses and ages.

"When a star dies it ejects a mass of gas and dust - known as its envelope - into space. The envelope can be as much as half the star's mass. This reveals the star's core, which by this point in the star's life is running out of fuel, eventually turning off before finally dying," Zijslra explained.

The new models show that after the ejection of the envelope, the stars heat up three times faster than found in older models.

This makes it much easier for a low mass star, such as the Sun, to form a bright planetary nebula. The team found that in the new models, the Sun is almost exactly the lowest mass star that still produces a visible, though faint, planetary nebula.

"It is only then the hot core makes the ejected envelope shine brightly for around 10,000 years - a brief period in astronomy. This is what makes the planetary nebula visible," Zijslra said.

"Some are so bright that they can be seen from extremely large distances measuring tens of millions of light years, where the star itself would have been much too faint to see," Zijslra added.

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A frame from the series, Music for Everyone. Pic/Yuyang Liu

The town of Siem Reap in Cambodia is a fascinating blend of history, modernity and culture. While the magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat is no more than 6 km away from the picturesque location, it is also home to artisan collectives and Cambodian Cultural Village that gives a glimpse of the country's diverse cultural heritage. Since 2005, the city has also been the venue for Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops (APFW), a non-profit cultural association founded by noted names in photography from across the world - including members of Magnum Photos - to nurture Asia's photographic community by providing an affordable and self-sustainable platform for professional training.

From the series, Two Eyes Good, Four Eyes Bad. Pic/Rebecca Chew

Over the years, emerging photographers from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Japan and Cambodia among other Asian countries have attended tuition-free professional workshops, worked on a photo story inspired by their surroundings and showcased their project at the end of the festival. The APFW alumni community is a thriving one, where collaborations and creative exchange is common. Photographers from Mumbai, too, have participated in the festival, and to introduce emerging lensmen from the city to its upcoming edition in December, APFW alumni will conduct an interactive session this Saturday. The session, being held in Mumbai for the first time, is part the Angkor Hangover series of events organised across Asia.

From the series, Bokator, on young Cambodians trying to resurrect a traditional form of martial arts. Pic/Zishaan A Latif 

"The mentors are people whose work I admire. And when a group of 30 individuals with eclectic practices and realities specific to their countries come to learn from them, they also learn from each other," says freelance photographer and filmmaker Aishwarya Arumbakkam, who participated in the festival in 2016 and is one of the organisers of the Mumbai session. Multimedia projections by photographers from the 2016 batch are also a part of the evening.

From the series, Ahp. Pic/Aishwarya Arumbakkam

While applications are shortlisted on the basis of merit, freelance photographer and alumna Karen Dias explains that to keep the programme accessible and inclusive, there is no upper age limit for applicants. Fellow alumnus of the 2009 batch, Zishaan Akbar Latif, recalls, "As a budding photographer, you are terrified of showing your work, but you realise that others are in the same boat, too. Being in that quaint part of the world at a workshop that's different from its uptight counterparts helps you loosen up," he shares.

APFW organising committee member Andrea Fernandes, who has been associated with the festival for five years, sums up its nature, "This event is initiated by alumni and this is the direction we want the festival to go in - where every person associated can have a space to speak about their work and collaborations."

ON: May 12, 5 pm to 7 pm
AT: Trilogy by the Eternal Library, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
CALL: 8080590590

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Palash Kothari. Pic Courtesy/Fahama Sawant

It's a hot, toasty afternoon in Mumbai. We can see bits of the pumpkin-coloured sky through the window blinds. The phone rings once, twice. On the other end is 21-year-old Palash Kothari aka Sparkle and Fade. "I really don't know what to expect," Kothari admits, speaking about his upcoming gig with Bengaluru-based producer-drummer duo Nikhil Narendra and Shreyas Dipali.

The Fringe is a new gig series to be launched in the city, which will feature artistes who create hybrid music. "Hybrid is very open. It can be analogue or digital, classical or jazz, acoustic or electronic, basically the coming together of conventional and non-conventional methods," explains Sainath Bhagwat, programmer at Mixtape, a Mumbai-based artist and event management company.

Nikhil Narendra + Shreyas Dipali. Pic courtesy/Mayuresh Vartak

"In the current scenario, there's a bulk of electronic and live music being made, which cannot be performed/consumed in a traditional club space. The idea for this night was born out of a collective desire to create a platform to showcase these artists in the right environment," Sainath adds.

Unsure of what to call Kothari's music, we dawdle between electronic and bedroom producer (a term used for musicians making and producing experimental music in their bedrooms) hoping to understand the use of Hindustani classical samples in his older EPs. "I am not sure what to call my music either. I began playing the synth when I was three and then, I trained in Hindustani classical. That was my first step into music, so the influence comes from wanting to put a little bit of me as a child into the music I make now," he elaborates.

"I was listening to pop and EDM in high school. Swedish House Mafia's concert in India inspired me to finally put my music out. Then I got bored, because it wasn't satisfying. So, I started making music that I felt right about. I mellowed down a little as a person and I guess that comes through in the sound, which is more solitary now," he says.

For Kothari, while the influences are aplenty, not mimicking takes conscious effort. "I am working on something now. So, I am going to stop listening to other music because it's difficult not to emulate them. I don't see any point in making music that already exists. In effect, this will probably also be my last gig before my new stuff is out," he signs off.

ON: May 10, 9 pm onwards
AT: The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Girgaum.
LOG ON: TO insider.in
CALL: 8329110638
COST: Rs 499

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Innovation Driven Approach and Creative Content Soars Radio City’s Share% to 12.4% (Source: RAM, Delhi, 12+ All)
Mumbai : May 08, 2018: Radio City 91.1FM, India’s leading radio network, backed by its innovative and enriching content has yet again dominated the capital city of India, emerging as a strong no.2 radio station as per the RAM (Radio Audience Measurement) ratings in Delhi for the week 12-15, 2018. Pioneering unique 360-degree intellectual properties spread across entertainment genres and superiority in programming content helped, Radio City secure a remarkable Share% of 12.4% over the past four weeks.
Radio City is #2 based on Share % in Delhi. (Source: RAM, Markets: Delhi, Demographic: 12+ All, Statistic: % Share, Daypart: Mon-Sun 12 am - 12 am, Place of Listening: All, Week 12-15 2018).

Commenting on the performance, Mr. Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City said, "We are very excited to see growth in reach for Radio City in Delhi over the past few weeks. These ratings reinforce the loyalty conferred by our listeners in the city and encourages us to continue our effort in providing them with enriching content. Our innovation first approach has truly paid off as we can see that our station has emerged No.2 in Delhi amongst listeners and advertiser. Truly Dilli ki Rag Rag Mein Daude Radio City”

Radio City has also emerged as the No.1 player as per the latest RAM ratings In Bangalore with Share % of 25.4% Source: RAM, Market: Bangalore, Demographic: 12+ All, Statistic: % Share, Daypart: Mon-Sun 12 am - 12 am, Place of Listening: All, Week 12-15 2018). Radio City ranks No 1 in Mumbai with Share % of 16.5% Source: RAM, Market: Mumbai, Demographic: 25-44 Sec AB, Statistic: % Share, Daypart: Mon-Sun 12 am - 12 am, Place of Listening: All, Week 12-15 2018).

Radio City’s consistent top rating once again proves its popularity in one of the most competitive and prominent markets by providing its listeners with innovative and clutter breaking content

About Radio City 91.1FM:

Radio City, a part of Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) is a subsidiary of Jagran Prakashan Ltd. Radio City was the first FM radio broadcaster in India and brings with it over 16 years of expertise in the radio industry. as on March 31, 2017, Radio City reached out to over 52.5 million listeners in 23 cities covered by AZ Research (Source: AZ Research Report).

Music Broadcast Limited currently has 39 stations, including 11 newly acquired stations in Phase III auctions. Radio City in its third phase expands to Kanpur Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, Udaipur, Patiala, Patna, Jamshedpur, Nasik, Kolhapur and Madurai.

Radio City has spearheaded the evolution of FM radio programming by offering content that is unique and path-breaking. The network introduced humor and the concept of agony aunt on radio with Baber Sher and Love Guru respectively. It also initiated the Radio City Freedom Awards and provided a launch pad to budding singers with Radio City Super Singer, the first-of-its-kind radio talent show in India. Through its ‘Rag Mein Daude City’ philosophy, the network has adopted a local approach that resonates with the listeners while inculcating a sense of city pride and infusing local culture and flavour on-air. The network provides terrestrial programming along with 51 other web-stations, through its digital interface, www.radiocity.in.

Radio City has been featured consistently in ‘India’s Best Companies to Work For’ study conducted by Great Place to Work Institute. The network has repeatedly been called out as amongst the best in the media industry. In 2017, the company was included in the list for the 6th time.

For further details, log on to www.radiocity.in

Representational picture

Are you someone that likes living life on the edge, from salary to salary, buying something as and when you set eyes on it, without worrying about your savings, and a "dekha jayega" attitude? That may seem cool -- but it's also a short cut to financial disaster. Walnut App CEO and Co-Founder Patanjali Somayaji lists five ways to ensure you don't go broke. Ever.

Download a money management app to track your expenses
If you have never been the type to track your expenses, now is a good time to start. You can download an app that tracks your spends and set a budget, keep a watch on your upcoming credit card and utility bill payments, as well as see how much you owe or have to get from others. This is the first step to getting your finances streamlined.

Make a plan and set goals for yourself
Set short-term (a few months ahead) and long-term (a year and beyond) goals. It could be anything from taking up a new hobby like learning the guitar, to buying a new phone/laptop/camera, getting married, buying a new house or being debt-free by a certain date, and so on. Based on the plan, break it down into quarterly and monthly goals so you know how much to save, how much is safe to spend and so on. Having a plan will give you an overview and much better control of your finances.

Set up an emergency fund
Once you're tracking your spends and have set goals, you know how much money you need to allocate to each of them. You would also get an estimate of your spending pattern and expenses for each month. Based on this, have an emergency fund in place that will take care of at least 6-8 months' worth of living expenses so that in case of a mishap or a loss of job, you don't go broke, and have something to fall back on. You can set it up so that a certain percentage of your salary/income each month is automatically transferred to this fund. It could be in a different bank account, a fixed deposit, or even a liquid fund -- and most importantly, it should be accessible easily and quickly when needed urgently.

Set limits for your spend categories
Take a look at your spends in greater detail to understand where the money goes each month. Assign limits to each of these categories for the month and see how you're doing at the end of the month. This will give you an idea of your lifestyle and if you're spending more than you earn, as well as where you can cut down on unnecessary spends.

Stay debt-free
Credit cards can be extremely useful -- for regular spends as well as during emergencies, and over time, with a good payment history, can boost your credit score too. However, if you're the type of person who cannot pay off credit card bills in full each month or who just pays the minimum amount due, stick to using your debit card or cash, or even a Line of Credit, which has a lower interest rate. Revolving credit on a credit card can be dangerous for your finances, and it can take you several years to repay the entire outstanding amount.

There will always be changes in situations, your current needs and requirements as well as your cash flow, so every 3-6 months, you should re-look at your plan and goals, and modify as needed to stay on top of your finances.

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Make your summer stylish and comfortable by teaming up your right dress with apt jewellery and perfect accessory. Shreyasi Pathak, Stylist, Vajor and Sonal Sahrawat, Creative Director, Sonal's Bijoux & Adawna list some tips to look stylish this summer.

1. Jumpsuit: Jumpsuits are the most effortless and sought-after choice when you want to dress up effortlessly in this scorching heat. Sleeveless with floral prints along with a flared silhouette is what will keep you going throughout the day. Wear it with a pair of flats, sunglasses and statement earrings to walk the streets in style.

2. Dress: A casual summer dress is a must during bright sunny days. Whether you opt for solid colours or for soothing prints, nothing can come to your rescue in this heat other than a nice breezy dress. Keep the look chic and boho and style it well with a pair of sandals, tassel earrings and candy pop sunglasses.

3. Top and bottom: For someone who loves to keep their looks effortless, minimalist yet full of class, for someone who loves to explore places when on a vacation, a fun top with a pair of bottoms is your go-to choice! Complete your look with a slip-on and a sling and you're ready with your on-the-go look.

4. Bright coloured stones: Go colour-crazy with your wardrobe and try mixing in some vibrant coloured stone jewellery. Dare to rock a more-is-more look and brighten up your summer outfits with unique coloured jewellery pieces.

5. Stylish pearls: Pearls are something that never goes out of style and this year is no exception. Wear it as a stud or as a dangling earring, this style will never fade away. Opt for long dangling style pearl earrings for any parties, weddings or social events and make a style statement to rock your gorgeous look this year.

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Dress up in light and bright outfits for a summer wedding. At the same time, do not forget to play with appropriate fabrics. To look bright and beautiful, experts suggest minimalistic embellishments and soft Maheshwari and Chanderi fabric for your attires. Designer Sweety Arora, and Renu Rana, Founder at Sihali Jageer, have listed what to wear under the sun, literally.

1. During summer, go with cool fabrics suited to a sizzling day. Think feather-light hand woven silks, fluid modal and cottons. A flowy dress from the traditional Maheshwari cottons and matching Coimbatore cotton silks with Chinese collar will add the extra glam to your look. You can also try Tangail fabrics beautiful cape tops with ikkat pants that look extremely trendy.

2. Colours like pink, blue, and yellow exude charm and tenderness. So, go for delicate pastels, soft maheshwari and Chanderi with a hint of metal, with gold and silver jamdani hand embroidery and booties. It is a perfect synthesis of traditional fabrics for contemporary needs and style.

3. To create an ethnic look, pair chanderi kurta and silver pajama with heavy Dhakai jamdani dupatta. You can also add an angrakha jamdani wraparound kurta over it for a dramatic twist.

4. For a beautiful fusion of traditional and contemporary look, the clothes must blend different styles from various parts of the country, from Rajput to Afghani traditions to our own Indian heritage, thus creating looks which are classy, glamorous and reflect one's signature style and love of colour. This mixture of different influences only helps in creating unique designs, clean cuts and modern style.

5. Rely on breezy prints with minimalistic embellishment.

6. Go for silhouettes that don't bog you down. Go for sheer skirts and wrap tops, cowl dresses, draped saris, light lehengas and anarkalis.

7. Keep your footwear as quirky and off-beat as the rest of your ensemble. Go for customised jutis, or blingy canvas shoes.

8. Invest in nice statement neckpieces and layered neckpieces as they look elegant, comfortable and unique. Try double rings with pearly strings, palm rings and pearl kadah.

9. Try to explore new designs and shapes in bags like bucket bag-inspired potlis, give an indo twist to messenger bags. You can also opt for customised miniature bag packs as those will make you stand out from the crowd.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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New Delhi: From decor options to the fabrics to colour code, tweaking your decor can help you keep your home feel cool in summer, say experts. Anuj Srivastava, co-founder and CEO of Livspace, and Adarsh Menon, Vice President and Head of Private Labels at Flipkart, share some tips to keep your home fresh and cool.

Decor options: Going Scandinavian is a summer-friendly choice to make. The emphasis is on creating a muted colour palette with clean lines, to allow the space to breathe and eliminate chaos. You can add plenty of greenery to the mileu that will help keep the temperatures from rising. Floating flower arrangements or installing a waterbody at home, along with muting the lighting to cooler options, will also help.

Keep it cool: Plenty of factors, apart from air conditioning, can aid in keeping your home cool. Replace the heavy rugs, blankets and drapes with lighter, eco-friendly materials in fresh colours like white, light blue, pink and green. If you do have an outdoor space, no matter how small, you should clean it up and set up seating options. If space permits, you can even set up a barbeque and move the party outdoors. As far as fabrics go, stick to cotton, linen and sheer materials to keep your home summer fresh. You can also opt for florals in cushions, accent pieces and paintings, or even get fresh cut flowers for the table to brighten up your living spaces.

Pastel palette: Doing up the home furniture in pastel shades adds a tinge of coolness to the eye that finds its way to the mind. Apart from making one feel cooler, pastel colours add that quirky look we so like. These colours can be incorporated in dining table chairs, bean bags, sofa sets, wardrobes and beds.

The forest look: One of the most refreshing looks for the summers is the forest look. Juxtapose the dark wood furniture with green plants. You can go for real or artificial plants and use them at the sides of your solid wood study table, dark wood TV units, bedsides, on top of dining table. For more adorned look, you could cover the flanks of your wardrobes, and even inside the bathrooms.

Cooling gel mattresses: They go a long way in making summers bearable. Gel memory foam mattresses do not trap heat like latex or ordinary foam mattresses. They are made using open cell technology which helps in air circulation resulting in a cool mattress for your comfort. Apart from giving a luxurious feeling, it also gives comfort.

Metallic accents and glass: Use of of luxe metallic touches in home decors is not new. The choice of metallic finish makes a huge difference. Think silver metallic finish with dark accents. It adds oomph and makes the area look neat and clutter-free.

Important tip for all: Invest in trendy, good quality, affordable furniture. When buying furniture, one major concern is durability. In a market that is largely unorganised the assurance of durability is hard to get.

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New Delhi: Jewellery is timeless but when it comes to trends, every season, occasion and era brings with it a wave of intriguing new designs so make sure you are opting for the right pieces this season. Ishu Datwani, Founder of Anmol Jewellers, lists some tips.

• The big jewellery trend to look forward to in 2018 will be very classic European with designs and finish in an international tone.
• Classic diamond jewellery with statement diamonds and precious coloured gemstones like emeralds, rubies and tanzanite is expected to trend in 2018.
• Jewellery set in rose gold is another very popular trend as rose gold gives a very classy, elegant and luxurious look and works well for Indian skin tones.
• When it comes to bridal jewellery, diamonds will continue to shine as the eternal charm of Polki is here to lead the show.
• Samir Sagar, Director, Manubhai Jewellers, agrees that rose gold is expected to continue shining in 2018, especially in the lightweight segment.
• The metal has become popular as the warm pink hue brings with it a dash of luxury and can be clubbed with yellow gold and white gold jewellery too.
• Daily wear lightweight jewellery studded with diamonds in pink gold is trending amongst the young, urban, working women. The USP of these diamond collections is that they give the wearer the pleasure of adorning the luxury metal with diamonds on an everyday basis as the range starts from Rs 35,000 only.
• In bridal jewellery segment, Jadau continues to be in trend.
• Gold chokers with long kanthas studded in kundan karigari with colourful gemstones in hues of green, pink, red, blues and pearls have become a new trend, especially with Bollywood divas donning the same for reel and real life weddings.

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Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja

Bollywood's resident fashionista Sonam Kapoor got married to entrepreneur Anand Ahuja in a star-studded ceremony on May 8. The fairytale wedding was filled with glitz, glamour and romance, as one of the hottest couples tied the knot in front family and Bollywood's best.

The theme was "Indian festive shades of white". Celebrity hairstylist Asgar Saboo who is the go-to stylist for Sonam shows you a step-by- step guide on how you can get Kapoor's glamorous hair for you to steal the show!

Step 1
Begin by centre parting your hair, and dividing it into three separate parts. Do this by making two at the front and one, which will be to accommodate the large braid, at the back.

Step 2
Start with the left section of your hair by French braiding it and attaching more from the sides as you go along. Then loosen the braid before you move on to the right side by setting it aside. Repeat on the right.

Step 3
After braiding, tie elastic at the end of your hair to keep it in place. Take the front sections and tie them to the back.

Step 4
Then take the gajra you have chosen for your hair and place a bobby pin at the top. Wrap the gajra in a zigzag manner down the braid and as you come to the very end, secure it with an elastic band. Fancy trying out others? Then check out some of these simple easy-to- do styles to get the ideal locks!

View Photos: Sonam Kapoor-Anand Ahuja's wedding reception: SRK, Salman, Akshay attend the grand bash

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New Delhi: With the summer heat scorching and the mercury level soaring, comfort is a serious concern for many. In this scenario, selecting the right fabric is a necessity so opt for the right clothing that makes you feel fresh. Designers Prarena Grover and Dhruv Sehgal list some must haves fabrics and few avoidable ones.

Must have fabrics
Cotton: Beyond any doubt pick up that cotton dress or the cotton shirt from your wardrobe. It not only makes you look smart and elegant but also scores high on the comfort level.
Reason: During summer it is a general tendency to sweat a lot and in such a situation cotton is just the apt fabric that absorbs this sweat. This helps in giving the much required relief and helps in cooling down your body temperature. In addition, cotton fabric gives you a relief if you are prone to any allergic reaction. Thus, cotton is just too apt for your sensitive skin.

Linen: The pastel coloured linen wear is just so perfect for your summer days. Fret no more and choose the right linen wear for yourself.
Reason: Tired of threat of unnecessary sweat? Considering that linen is highly absorbent and a good conductor of heat it helps in keeping your body free of moisture. So, the linen dress or blouse not just feels good to touch but also quickly removes your perspiration during the summer days.

Khadi: Khadi saris to the dress to shirts, it is the perfect wear for your summer evening.
Reason: Khadi is that handloom fabric which uses no chemicals in manufacturing. This skin friendly hand oven, organic fabric is just too perfect for your summer days.

Sheer: This is the ideal fabric for humid days. It is the fall and the interesting cut of the fabric makes it a must-have in your summer days.
Reason: As a fabric usually meant for wedding gowns or floral costumes or stockings or lingerie sheer does very little in the way of warmth for the wearer. This is the reason why it is one of the favourite fabrics for summer wear.

Avoidable fabrics

• Denim: Denim is a strict no for your summer days. It hugs your body too much and creates unnecessary suffocation in summer.
• Synthetic wear: Never indulge in a mix fabric in summer. It creates discomfort and may sometimes cause skin infections in this regard.

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One of the major factors for any bouquet or flower to last longer is how it has been conditioned. Each flower has a different science to it so when your flowers first arrive at your door step, all they need is a bit of pruning and fresh water to perk up! Anuja Joshi, Marketing Director and creative face of Interflora India lists the reasons on keeping flowers fresh

1. Remove the flowers from the box and wrap the bouquet

2. Fill a vase 2/3rd with room-temperature water.

3. Empty the entire sachet of Interflora flower food that's provided and stir to mix.

4. Trim 1 to two inches of the stems at an angle using scissors or a sharp knife.

5. Place the bouquet into a vase, Tweak the arrangement as needed and watch your flowers perk up before your eyes!

How to change water in your flower arrangement:

1. Water wisely: Since flowers continue to drink water after they've been cut, it's important to keep fresh flowers in water always. Exposing the stem to air, even briefly, can cause the water-absorbing cells to shrivel which can shorten the life of your flowers.

2. Cut stems: Trim the flower stems at an angle before inserting in water. Cutting the stems at an angle prevents them from sitting flat at the bottom of the vase which can block the absorption of water. Re-trim the stems once every few days.

3. Prune daily: Look out for dead or loose leaves that may be submerged in water and remove them. Leaving them will cause bacterial rot which can shorten the life of your bouquet.

4. Avoid heat and drafts: Place your flowers in an area that's protected from excessive heat such as heat-generating appliances like heaters or ovens and direct sunlight

5. Important information: For those with allergies or sensitivities to flower fragrance, the best non-fragrant options are tropical flowers such as orchids, anthurium, birds of paradise or other tropical varieties

Tarun Joshi, Co-founder and CEO of IGP.com (Indian Gifting portal) also have some ideas to share

6. Unwrap the plastic/paper wrapping as soon as possible.

7. Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills and other areas with full sun where flowers can wilt due to overheating. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

8. Keep your vase filled with water! All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink!

9. If your flowers came in a basket or other container with foam, add fresh water every day.

10. Immediately remove dead or wilting leaves and stems from fresh flower arrangements.

11. Watch your water. When it gets cloudy it's time to change it out.

How to change the water in your flower arrangement

1. First remove any dead or dying flowers from the arrangement.

2. After carefully removing the good flowers, clean the vase thoroughly with soapy water to remove any bacteria that could cause the fresh flowers to deteriorate even quicker. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

3. Replace the water and mix in the flower preservative provided by your florist, according to the instructions on the packet.

4. For best results, cut stems with a sharp knife at an angle about one to two inches from the bottom. This allows them to better absorb water. Do not use scissors to cut your flowers because they can crush the stems and prevent water absorption.

5. Place loose stems or wrapped bouquets of fresh flowers in your water mixture as soon as possible.

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Beards are to men what make-up is to women, and a quick Internet search of actors in a pre- and post-beard phase will confirm this. Such has been the impact and acceptance of facial hair that they have gradually crossed the barriers of hipsterdom to find their way to boardrooms. But are corporate firms with a strict formal dress code open to men with beards?

"We have a strict dress code, where a shabby demeanour is unacceptable. We even keep daily checks; employees cannot walk into the office in jeans or sports shoes, especially when they have client interactions. But full beards are not a concern. We have employees with full beards and twirled moustaches," says Sudhir Dhar, CHRO – director HR, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

Dr Sujaya Banerjee

Rohan Vaswani, CHRO, Nexus Malls, a fully owned subsidiary of investment firm Blackstone Group, shares a similar thought. The company follows a formal dress code from Monday to Thursday and smart casuals on Friday. "You can't walk into the office with your shirt not tucked in or in bright blue trousers. But beards, if they are well-kept, are fine," shares Vaswani.

Dress to impress
"The first impression is created by the physical appearance of a person; it's later that you have an interaction and people get influenced by your personality. So, if you seem shabby, you create a perception even before you talk," says Dhar.

He adds that as long as one is confident of carrying it off and not look out of place, a beard is acceptable.

Rohan Vaswani

"We conduct training on executive presence — how to look, behave and dress like a leader. These aspects are now becoming increasingly important as often, you find that people are competent but they don't make it beyond a point because they don't look like the part or someone who can represent the organisation before multiple stakeholders. It's not about good looks but about appearance. A haircut and a well-groomed beard are a part of this understanding. You can't have a two-day stubble where you look like you have just woken up and come to work. We actually check if there's a valid reason behind an unkempt stubble: Is the employee unwell? Or is he battling a low?" says Dr Sujaya Banerjee, CEO and founder of Capstone People Consulting.

Do you shave before an interview?
Most HR personnel we spoke to felt there's no middle ground; you either opt for the clean-shaven look or wear a groomed full beard. "It's better to shave off a two-day stubble and not go in between. It can be interpreted as a sign of laziness," warns Dhar.

"I am more interested in knowing if a person has the right competence and capability for the job. The older generation, however, associates beards with carelessness and mistrust. Traditionally, even in films, the bearded guy will always be the villain or from the underworld. If a full beard is groomed, it's fine. Long hair is not allowed. You are not an artist or performer, you are corporate. Hence, certain norms remain. We allow personal freedom as long as you stay well-groomed," adds Banerjee.

Make a bearded impact
"Some people look smarter with a beard," says Dhar. Vaswani feels that real estate companies are often promoter-driven, and the vision of the promoter and the top management often reflects on the staff where people would go the extra mile to keep with the image. "Those with gaunt features can look fuller with a beard. It also saves you the trouble of having to shave every day. A good beard can actually help you appear stronger. Also, today, people look for organisations where individuality is encouraged, where you can bring your authentic self to work. It's motivating to be in an organisation where you can express who you are, as long as it doesn't hamper business. So, if the beard is within acceptable parameters, all's well," says Banerjee.

Grooming tips
Keep it clean
Wash your beard three times a week to prevent the build-up of dead skin cells.
Keep it moisturised Oil your beard daily to keep it soft and moisturised.
Shape it up
Trim your beard when you see stray hair or as desired to maintain the shape. Repeat this once every two weeks when you want to maintain a consistent length.
Kaushal Pratab, founder, Shepherd For Men 

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The Louvre Museum

The Mona Lisa. Pic/AFP

The Louvre: Also known as the Louvre Museum and the Musée du Louvre in French, it is considered the the world's largest museum and a historic monument in Paris, France. Housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II, It is the world’s most-attended museum as of 2015. Opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being royal and confiscated church property. Because of structural problems with the building, the Louvre was closed in 1796 until 1801. The Louvre's collections are divided among eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings. Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is the Louvre's most popular attraction.

The main entrance of the British Museum in central London. AFP PHOTO

British Museum: Located in the Bloomsbury area of London, the British Museum is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence with a permanent collection of over 8 million works. Established in 1753, the museum first opened to the public on 15 January 1759, in Montagu House in Bloomsbury. It was largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. Some objects in the British Museum's collection, most notably the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, have caused controversy and calls for restitution to their countries of origin. The museum's expansion over the following two and a half centuries has resulted in the creation of several branch institutions, the first being the British Museum (Natural History) in South Kensington in 1881. The centre of the museum was redeveloped in 2001 to become the Great Court, surrounding the original Reading Room. The Rosetta Stone and the Sumerian Queen's Lyre are popular exhibits.
The British Museum houses the world's largest[h] and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities (with over 100,000[58] pieces) outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Grounds and entrance to the Smithsonian Institute Castle, Washington D.C.

Smithsonian Institution: Termed "the nation's attic" for its holding of 138 million items, the Smithsonian Institution chiefly located in Washington D.C. is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States. The Institution has nineteen museums, nine research centers, and a zoo including historical and architectural landmarks, mostly in the District of Columbia. Additional facilities are located in Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York City, Virginia, and Panama. A further 170 museums are Smithsonian Affiliates. The museum has over 30 million visitors annually, who are admitted without charge. The Wright brothers' 1903 Flyer, the original Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History; the Gem Hall (including the Hope Diamond) at the National Museum of Natural History, and the Apollo 11 command module at the National Air and Space Museum are some of its main attractions.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece

Acropolis Museum: The museum, which was founded in 2003 in Athens, Greece was opened to the public on 20 June 2009. The Organization of the Museum was established in 2008. Nearly 4,000 objects are exhibited at the Acropolis Museum over an area of 14,000 square metres. It is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens and was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on its feet, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. The museum also lies on the archaeological site of Makrygianni and the ruins of a part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens. The Acropolis Museum has received numerous awards and accolades over the years. During the August full moon nights, the museum remains open until late at night and welcomes visitors for free. Also the same night concerts take place on the museum's courtyard. Excavation below ground level continues. The site and process are visible through the ground level glass flooring. The site will be available for visitation once the excavation is complete. The Silver Cup designed by Michel Bréal and awarded to the Marathon Winner Spyros Louis at the first Modern Olympic Games (1896), is displayed at the Acropolis Museum and will remain to the Acropolis Museum until the completion of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, where it will be permanently exhibited.

The Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum: Also known as the Imperial Museum, the Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam and has on display 8,000 objects of art and history, from their total collection of 1 million objects from the years 1200–2000, among which are some masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. The museum also has a small Asian collection which is on display in the Asian pavilion. It is also the largest art museum in the country and was the most visited museum in the Netherlands with record numbers of 2.2 million and 2.45 million visitors in 2013 and 2014. The Rijksmuseum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw. The museum was founded in The Hague in 1800 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace and later in the Trippenhuis. The current main building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and first opened its doors in 1885. On 13 April 2013, after a ten-year renovation which cost € 375 million, the main building was reopened by Queen Beatrix. Frans Hals' Portrait of a Young Couple (1622), Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck's Girl in a Blue Dress (1641) are some of its popular exhibits.

The Winter Palace during the day

The Double Triumphal Arch, the General Staff Building

Hermitage Museum: One of the world's largest and oldest museums, the Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. It is located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Also called the State Hermitage, its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items including the largest collection of paintings in the world, which occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors. Of six buildings of the main museum complex, five, named the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage and Hermitage Theatre, are open to the public. Entrance is free of charge the first Thursday of every month for all visitors, and free daily for students and children. The museum is closed on Mondays.

The Museo Nacional Del Prado in Spain

Museo Nacional Del Prado: Alternatively known as the Museo del Prado, it is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid, Spain and features one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of Spanish art. Established in 1819, El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world with over 2.8 million visitors in 2012 and is the largest in Spain. It is considered one the greatest museums of art in the world. The numerous works by Francisco de Goya, the single most extensively represented artist, as well as by Diego Velázquez, El Greco, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch are some of the highlights of the collection. The collection currently comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings among others out of which 1,300 works were displayed in the main buildings by 2012, while around 3,100 works are on temporary loan to various museums and official institutions. The Museo del Prado authorities are planning a 16% extension in the nearby Salón de Reinos, to be opened in 2019.

Exhibits at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Pic/Sameer Markande

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya: Formerly known as Prince of Wales Museum of Western India it is Mumbai's main museum and was founded on 10 January 1922 by prominent citizens with the aid of the government to commemorate the visit of the then prince of Wales. Located in the heart of South Mumbai near the Gateway of India, the museum was renamed in the 1990s or early 2000s after Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire. The CSMVS houses approximately 50,000 exhibits of ancient Indian history as well as objects from foreign lands, categorized primarily into three sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History. Indus Valley Civilization artefacts, and other relics from ancient India from the time of the Guptas, Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakuta are also housed there. In its recent modernization programme (2008), the Museum created 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) space for installation of five new galleries, a conservation studio, a visiting exhibition gallery and a seminar room, in the East Wing of the Museum and it also houses a library. a host of activities have been planned at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. The events have been designed keeping this year's theme, Museums and Cultural Landscape in mind. Start the day with a guided walk through Fort and listen to stories about its history. (Read more)

Guggenheim-Bilbao

The Guggenheim Bilbao located in Basque Country, Spain, and was constructed in 1997 by Frank Gehry.
It overlooks the Nervión River, and it was created from glass, limestone, and Titanium. Meant to look like a bunch of flowers growing by the river. It is also known to have started what is poppularly known as the “Bilbao Effect”, an effect that is now used to describe the phenomenon of comissioning 'starchitects' to design structures in the city.

Jewish Museum in Berlin

The Jewish Museum in Berlin located at Lindenstrasse in Berlin was constructed in 2001 by Daniel Libeskind. The new building (pictured above) is meant to look like a zigzag pattern and feature sharp angles, dark and narrow paths, interior walls of bare concrete, as well as a titanium-zinc facade with minimal openings. It is meant to document the history of the Jews of Germany and commemorate the Holocaust

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Louvre-Abu Dhabi is located in Abu Dhabi and is a dome shaped structure overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Inspired by Al Ain, which is an oasis emirate, and Islamic and Arabic architecture, this structure was designed by Pritzker Prize winner Jean Nouvel

Museo-Soumaya

The Museo Soumaya, located in Mexico City, Mexico, was constructed in 1994. It was funded by
Carlos Slim and cost 47 million Euros to build. The avant-garde structure with a reflective outer wall brings to mind the sculptures of Auguste Rodin is constructed with an exterior wall of 16,000 polygonal Aluminium panels. It houses various types of art pieces from Europe and Mexico.

Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum of Islamic Art is located in Doha, Qatar and was constructed by I.M.Pei in 2008. Inspired by the mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt and Islamic architecture, the museum overlooks the the Arabian Gulf, is composed of a 5-floor building that is linked to an education center by a vast courtyard.

Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum

The Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, located in Niteroi, Brazil was built in the year 1996. A result of the collaboration between prominent architect Oscar Niemeyerand structural engineer Bruno Contarini, the museum was based on the futuristic design resembling an alien spaces ship. The Museum is encircled by a reflecting pool and has a very striking red ramp

The Louis Vuitton Foundation

The Louis Vuitton Foundation is located in Paris, France and was constructed by Frank Gehry in 2014.
The 143 dollar cultural center is not only a museum but is also a cultural centre that enourages the growth of contemporary art. The musum was designed so it looked as if it were floating against gravity.

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Representational picture

New Delhi: Apart from making healthy organic life choices, incorporating a night time skincare regime into our daily lives, will go a long way in keeping the skin looking healthy and glowing. Start your regime by thorough cleansing and do not forget to use a toner, suggest experts. Shankar Prasad, Founder, Plum, and Megha Sabhlok, Brand Director, Just Herbs, have given some inputs:

Cleanse: Going to bed with make-up on is the worst thing you can do to your skin. It leads to chemical accumulation, blocked pores and reduces the ability of skin to absorb nutrients. Make sure that you use a gentle cleanser first to remove make-up and grime. If required, follow up with a foaming face wash.

While the idea of cleansing the grime on your face with castor oil might seem unappealing to you, however, it not only can draw out the dirt from your pores and purge, it also has anti-inflammatory properties. People with all skin types can benefit from this method.

The best natural cleansing technique is to use one-third castor oil mixed with two-thirds of any oil of your choice; almond, sunflower seed, virgin olive or any other natural, organic oil. Massage the oil gently onto your face with firm strokes focusing on your problem areas

Use a soft washcloth soaked in warm water to cover your face. The warmth allows the oiled pores to soften and open up in order to gently release the toxins and impurities.

Gently wipe without scrubbing and repeat again. This should remove the oil along with the dead skin cells, bacteria and impurities from your face leaving you with deeply cleansed glowing skin.

Tone: This helps reduce pore size, balance skin pH and remove any leftover dirt and make-up still left. Toning will further nourish and hydrate your skin leaving it supple and refreshed. Rose water tops the list for its fragrant refreshing appeal and its universality in suiting all skin types.

Refrigerate a good organic brand and apply all over face and neck using a cotton ball. Green Tea with a few drops of tea tree oil makes for an antibacterial toner that especially suits oily skin types.

Anti-ageing serums: Address your anti-ageing concerns with elixir serums as they nourish and restore the natural glow and youthfulness to tired, ageing and pigmented skin. Plant polyphenols, carotenoids and flavonoids present in these serums slow-down skin ageing process. Once applied, let your skin fully absorb the serum for some time while you rest.

Massage with night cream or gel: Begin by spreading it across the forehead, down the nose, across the cheeks, the chin, neck and towards the chest. Gently massage the cream in upward strokes and circular motions by using your fingertips. This helps in evenly distributing the moisture all over your facial skin, increases blood circulation and minimises puffiness.

The facial oil: Facial oils repair and replenish the facial skin while you sleep. Apply 4-5 drops of facial oil on fingertips and gently massage it in circular motions from nose towards ears while applying horizontally, and always against the gravity while applying vertically.

It is usually applied after the gel/cream as it helps seal-in the moisture.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

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New Delhi: You may not be able to escape the sweltering heat when you are outside, but you can make your home a cool haven by playing around with colours and adding greenery to your walls, suggest experts. A colour palette, when used well, can help in creating a naturally refreshing environment at home.

Peeyush Bachlaus, Head of Marketing at Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd, suggests four decor trends, in hues that range from cool blues and soothing greens to mellow yellows:

For a blissful green escape: Surround yourself with the colours of a secret garden, leaving everything else a pristine white. The colour green is well-associated with nature, allowing a room to feel relaxing to the eyes and refreshing for your mind. When paired with white, this palette can turn a bland room into a welcoming paradise. Green is also one of the easiest colours to adorn your interiors as pairing various shades of green with just about any other colour can work beautifully.

For a breezy haven: Large plants and strong colours are natural decor accents that bring lushness into one's home. This summer, transform your interiors into a cool breezy tropical paradise with the help of verdant aquatic colours with a cheerful palette of cool blues, mellow yellows, bright oranges and lush greens. These colours will make sure that your time home is a breeze and you feel the freshness of an aquatic theme.

For an eccentric summer makeover: Given our busy lifestyles and the sweltering heat to add to it, we all need an escape. Let your home be that much needed exotic escape by curating one area in your home. Mix and match cool blue and violet walls fearlessly, framing it with crisp white accents. Natural materials and details make this a room for all to enjoy. Colours such as blues and whites are cool colours as they help keep our mind cool and relaxed even during the sweltering heat of the summers.

For a refreshing classic look: A carefully curated palette of white and near white tones that form a blank canvas to your artistic home. As a trend, masterpiece white walls are refreshing. Radiant light coming in through the windows is the accent in these calm rooms. Bring artwork to focus by trying out alternative accent wall colours.

Sujit Jain, Founder, Griin, says vertical gardens can transform your dull walls immediately and purify the environment too.
"Vertical gardens not only add to the aesthetic value of the walls but they come with a lot of functional benefits also. The thick vegetation limits the movement of heat and helps to regulate sunlight and temperature even during the hot afternoons that makes it a perfect fit for summer decors.

"Some varieties of plants are also useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside modern buildings. In addition to this, incorporating vertical gardens in the decor of any building brings a living element to the environment and being around greenery helps in reducing the stress levels also."

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The art display at the debut edition of the festival

This weekend, if you step into the heritage precinct of the Great Eastern Mills compound in Byculla, you’ll get to feast your eyes on oil and watercolour paintings by 50 artists from across India. The showcase is part of the second edition of Art 35, a three-day carnival that celebrates affordable art. “Though we had a basic festival last year, I have taken it to a bigger scale this year by curating carpet displays, fashion apparel, jewellery and food stalls; paper and origami workshops for children and music performances too,” shares Charu Tewari, CEO of Ficus Fine Living, that’s presenting the festival.

Mooralala Marwada

The performance line-up includes an afternoon of Sufi renditions by Mooralala Marwada, a well-known folk singer from the Janana village in Kutch district of Gujarat. The artiste, who sings in the Kaafi form of music, will regale the audience with poetry of Kabir, Mirabai and Ravidas. Other must-catch acts include a Dastangoi storytelling session with Ankit Chadha and a stand-up comedy show titled Oye... Stand Up by Ankita Shrivastav and Mohit Sharma. The latter will also perform a solo act of Toba Tek Singh. The play based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s famous short story set in the aftermath of Partition will see the actor don 19 characters in 60 minutes.

Mohit Sharma in an earlier performance of Toba Tek Singh

The fest also offers a range of workshops — from one on digital photography by Himanshuu Chandrakant Sheth to tarot card reading by Ruchi Shah, finger painting, fabric painting, mural painting, collage making as well as cupcake decoration with fondants and frostings. Each workshop is curated for specific age groups, including two-year-olds.

What’s a carnival without yum food? Dig into chaat, sandwiches, baos and organic fare from the stalls set up at the fest. These include gourmet lunchboxes for `500 whipped up by Savor, a subscription service launched by the folks behind The Secret Supper Project along with probiotic European fermented milk drink, Kefir, by Moina Oberoi, who runs the city’s first Kefir delivery service. You can also binge on Mutton Kheema Samosas, biryani and other sumptuous fare from a pop-up by The Bohri Kitchen.

If you’re looking for retail therapy, check out faux and semi precious jewellery, fashion apparel by Neelu Oberoi as well as exotic carpets and hides from The Merge Projekt in Bandra.

A still from Some Stories Around Witches

In the tribal villages of Odisha, a teenage girl kills an elderly relative believing that she is a witch and the cause of her father’s death. Overnight, a village turns into a mob to kill three people — a man and two women — who were identified as witches by a witch doctor. Meanwhile, a family is threatened and ostracised, for it is believed they bring ill fate, after they cook meat.

Lipika Singh Darai

The audience is engaged with three real life incidents in the 53-minute documentary, Some Stories Around Witches. Directed by Bhubaneswar-based FTII alumnus Lipika Singh Darai and produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT), the film explores the politics of witch hunting and the humanitarian crisis surrounding it. It will be screened tomorrow as part of the 22nd edition of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum’s monthly screening programme, Movies At The Museum.

“There is a mystery surrounding tradition and myths about witchcraft but we should also see it in the light of socio economics and politics to understand the complexity of the events. The cases are very sensitive and my priority was to make the camera’s presence insignificant,” says Darai, who will be present for a Q&A session post the screening, which marks its premiere in Mumbai.

At the event, also catch the screening of another PSBT production, There Is Something In The Air. Directed by Delhi-based filmmaker Iram Ghufran, the Hindi-Urdu documentary is a series of dream narratives, and accounts of spiritual possession as experienced by women ‘petitioners’ at the shrine of a Sufi saint in north India.

Key, Chair

As the morning sunlight casts a warm glow on a terrace in Andheri, Yash Soni hands us a small glass bottle with a cork stopper. It fits between our thumb and index finger. Glinting at us from within is a tiny guitar carved out of the nib of a pencil.

Mic and fist, Eiffel Tower

A ‘wow’ escapes our lips as we squint to check out the intricate details — there are strings, tuning pegs, a saddle and Soni’s name carved on the instrument’s body. “It took me four hours to make it,” says the 26-year-old artist, one of the few in the city creating microscopic art out of pencil lead. This weekend, he will present a live carving session at Maker Mela, an event that celebrates art, engineering and science with a DIY mindset, at KJ Somaiya’s Vidyavihar campus.

Watch, Guitar

Russian inspiration
With a professional background in event management, Mumbai-born Soni’s tryst with pencil art began two years back, when he came across the works of experimental Russian artist Salavat Fidai on Instagram. “He carved a heart within a heart on a pencil. I was fascinated. Since art had been a hobby (he has created graffiti and speed painting works), I decided to try this too. I bought a pencil, a five-rupee cutter, and tried to carve a heart in a car, while travelling to Thane, and I was able to do it,” recounts the self-taught artist, who watched Fidai’s art-making videos repeatedly to learn the finger movements. “Now, we correspond too. His advice to me: be gentle and use minimal movements with fingertips,” he says.

Yash Soni with spool-and-needle carved on a pencil tip. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Be patient
Till date, Soni has created over 50 pencil carvings, including a key, a stiletto, a champagne glass, a watch, a chair, the Eiffel Tower, a fist with a detachable mic, a windmill with rotating blades and even a needle and spool, carved entirely out of the wood and lead of the pencil. On his wishlist are a scooter, a neckpiece and Mukesh Ambani’s tower of blocks, Antilla.

Soni’s tool set comprises two scalpels and a needle

“Carving on pencil requires a lot of patience. Since I prefer to focus on the details, it takes about four to five hours to make a piece, though I can make a heart in 20 minutes,” reveals Soni. The artist uses three basic tools — two scalpels with surgical blades and a needle fitted into a pen-like holder. “I start by shaving the wood with the scalpel and then, use a needle to carve the finer shape and details,” he adds. When we ask if he works in a particular kind of light, he confesses, “Initially, I would use a USB LED lamp attached to my laptop as a source of light when I needed to carve at night. My parents were anxious about it affecting my eyesight. Now, I’ve become more careful but I can work from any spot,” he adds.

Pencil matters
Soni uses a range of pencils, from 2B to 8B leads with a shiny finish, graphite pencils featuring matte-finish leads and carpenter pencils with a flatter surface. “Indian pencils aren’t great in quality and often, the lead within the pencil is already broken. The biggest challenge is breakage. 8B leads are thicker which helps me carve more intricately,” says Soni, who preserves the pencils in glass bottles or in customised frames.

Last week, he conducted a workshop-cum-exhibition at IIT-Chennai. Now, he also customises his works and sells them, starting from `4,000. “Most people are dismissive of the art since it’s on a pencil. My aim is to give micro sculpting the credibility it deserves,” he signs off.

A Nepalese farmer’s son will walk the ramp at the upcoming Mumbai style extravaganza, Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017, and ‘he’ isn’t modeling menswear Anjali Lama, born Navin Waiba to a family of agriculturists in Nuwakot, is Nepal’s first transgender model. In another first, she is about to become the first transgender person to model clothes at an Indian fashion show next month.

Before Anjali, 32, could tackle the identity crisis, she was battling poverty. “My family is uneducated. We hail from a small village. We had no electricity when we were growing up. I completed my education by studying under lanterns,” she says, her flawless skin showing no signs of the struggle when we meet her at a central Mumbai hotel.

But juggling her dreams with anguish was something she learnt early. For as long as she can remember, Anjali wanted to be a girl. Finding solace in the company of her late mother and female friends, she realised she didn’t identify with the gender she was assigned at birth. “By the time i hit my teens, I was drifting away from the family. My brothers wondered what was wrong; they had already heard rumours. I decided to come out. When I did, they told me to stay away from the family. But my mother supported me. She would have been thrilled to see this,” she says, taking a moment.

Anjali’s success coincided with Nepal making progress in recognising the rights of transgender communities. The country allows its citizens to choose their gender identity, and issues passports with a third gender category.

In Kathmandu, where she moved to find her freedom, she was ostracized in the hospitality industry that she tried breaking into. Then, she met others like her and was guided to a community center that worked for LGBT rights. Friends suggested that with her lean frame (she’s 5’ 9”) and killer cheekbones, she stood a chance at modelling. “I liked the sound of it,” she says about the career she dabbled in back in 2009 while continuing to work for the centre. When she was featured on the cover of Voice of Women, a Nepalese magazine, that same year, she thought it would be her big break. “There were times I was better than the others but didn’t make it. My trainer at a modelling agency admitted it was my orientation that was coming in the way of success. Brands didn't want to associate with me.”

The next year, when she walked for an event titled, Monsoon Fashion Show, she caught a blogger’s eye, who told her story to the world. That was the turning point. “By 2016, I had established myself in Nepal,” she recollects, although she was yet to crack a premier fashion week. “I didn’t have the money to travel far or invest in an expensive photoshoot.” India was close at hand. She wrote to the Lakmé organisers last year to check if they’d entertain an entry from a transgender model. And although, they were game, she failed the audition. A disappointed Anjali returned to Nepal but couldn’t take the idea of walking the ramp before hundreds out of her head.

“I couldn’t sleep, and began working out to distract myself. I spent the year reaching out to agencies in Mumbai, gymming and learning the catwalk from youtube videos. “The models out there were young, beautiful. I was already 30,” she says, explaining how an attempt to put on weight with calorie rich foods ended in acquiring a paunch. “I decided to work out every day for 30 minutes, and managed to crack the auditions this year. I was in the top 5.”

Anjali says if she hadn’t made it, she was planning to quit modelling. But that’s another story.

Shacking up with friends at an apartment in Santacruz, she is already dreaming big the way everyone does in Mumbai. The breast augmentation she underwent in 2010 was a step towards transitioning fully, which she hopes to do with a sex change surgery. “I hear things get better for models with this big a platform, but my orientation worries me. That the fashion industry is a lot more open gives me hope,” she says, wondering if she’ll ever model for the designer she has her heart set on. “Manish Malhotra… I want to walk for him.”

'I realised I’m not the typical model'
He is “obsessed” with Manish Malhotra’s designs, but also digs Sabyasachi and Manish Arora. That’s a string of strong likes for someone who will model on the Indian runway for the first time.

Czech-born Petr Nitka, 23, is used to making news. And it’s no different here, with a ramp gig planned at fashion week in early February. Hailed as Czechoslovakia’s first gender-neutral model, Petr says over an email from his country that he, like his colleagues back home, is curious about what Indian designers are going to dress him in.

Having taken to modelling like fish to water, Petr first modeled for designer Alexandra Blanc at the South Africa Fashion Week in July 2016. Johanessburg-based menswear designer Roman Handt saw an article on him in a publication the next day, and was keen that Petr become the face of his brand.

A career in fashion, predictably, allowed him to explore his passion for make-up and clothes. Growing up in Ostrava, a city in north-east Czech Republic, he remembers a childhood marked by an unusual interest in getting made up. “When I was a kid, I was disappointed that I couldn't wear make-up or nice clothes. Contrary to that, I feel free now.”

His mother’s support and a move to Australia to pursue academics proved to be game changers. The trip led to a meeting with independent photographer Bharathan Kangatheran in Perth. When pictures from a shoot were published in a leading magazine, Petr met his moment of truth. “I realised that I wasn’t the typical model. The best aspect of being a gender-neutral model was that I could pursue my profound love for fashion.”

Petr, who in an interview to fashion magazine, Emma, last year, said he was a bit of a man and woman (“I am empathetic [like a woman] but I am lazy like a man. I’m a mix of both sexes.”), has worked towards moving away from conventional gender identification. Gender-neutral persons prefer not to identify as man or woman, and have recently begun taking on unisex pronouns like ‘they’ or ‘them’. Petr’s variegated choices reflect in long, mascara-lined lashes and unwaxed arms.

When he isn’t working, Peter prefers to dress in unisex clothing. “But I am skinny and it is difficult to find basic male clothing. I prefer simple fashion for women — skinny jeans and tops. They look like they were made just for me.”

Petr is excited at walking the ramp in India, because it’s only in strange places that he has found fame and acceptance. His career really began outside of his own country after he found that no Czech agency wanted to represent him. Now, he walks for brands that make menswear (Brandt) and womenswear (Jaroslava Prochazkova, Marcel Holubec, Lukas Krnac). Although, he does admit to designers finding it challenging to figure what they will dress him in.

Is Manish Malhotra racking his brain?

Bombay To Barcelona Library Cafe in Marol and a tray of herbs

While many high-end restaurants in the city are struggling to execute the farm-to-table experience, street kid-turned-author Amin Sheikh has found a way to add fresh herbs into the fare prepared at this four-month old Bombay To Barcelona Library Cafe in Marol. Sheikh, who launched the café to help provide employment to street boys and girls and give back to society, has installed a vertical garden in the premises. “At the café, everything is made-to-order.

We wanted to enhance the organic experience by adding fresh produce,” says the 35-year-old, who received the modular, four-tier, self-watering system from the Mumbai-based start-up Enverde, specialising in urban farming. The owners happen to be regulars at the cafe.

“I bought herbs like basil, lemongrass, parsley, oregano, coriander and even spinach from a nursery at Bhavan’s College, and planted them last week. We get ample sunlight so we will wait for the plants to grow and then use them in the food,” informs Sheikh, who had earlier visited farmers’ markets but found the produce too expensive.

The café was launched with the funds Sheikh had gathered from the sale of his autobiography Bombay Mumbai Life Is Life I Am Because Of You (self-published in 2012), which captures his gritty success story. Run by seven staffers, it serves Spanish tapas, Spaghetti, sandwiches, rolls, muffins as well as Indian fare — all the dishes are priced under `200. “A friend of mine in Spain, a chef, just finished a nine-day training with the boys,” shares Sheikh, who plans on launching the café in Barcelona too.

Time: 10 am to 10 pm
At: 3 and 4, Gold Nest Housing Society, Marol Naka, Andheri (E)
Call: 9820212029

Haitham with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dil Hai Hindustani where the two sang SRK’s chartbuster Jabra Fan

When we meet Haitham Mohammed Rafi inside the dimly-lit sets of a popular music reality show, he stands out from those sitting beside him. The white of his traditional dishdasha and the colourful turban — called the massar — make him look like an anomaly. The 23-year-old appears to be closely observing his fellow singer — a girl half his age — who is on stage and singing the famous DDLJ-towel song, 'Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye,' when we raise our hand and call for his attention. There is instant recognition.

"Wallah!" he yells out in Arabic. "How come, you here?" he goes on, in his Middle-Eastern accent.

It has been three years since we first met Haitham. The last time it was in his hometown Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman. "I will sing in Bollywood, someday, Inshallah!" he had then rapped, much to the amusement of this correspondent. At the time, we had wished him luck, without mocking his expectations or pointing out the risks.

Last week, when a video of filmmaker Karan Johar sitting in stunned silence after Haitham’s performance of Naina Thag Lenge, went viral on Arab social media, this writer was glad she had kept mum then.

Haitham, an Omani national, has just made it in the final 11 of the first season of music reality show Dil Hai Hindustani. Being an Arab, has only worked in his favour. For the judges, Johar, Badshah, Shalmali Kholgade and Shekhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame), the first question on their mind was, “Can an Arab sing in Hindi?”

"Okay, maybe!" "But, that good!"

"I have Mohammed Rafi’s blessings," Haitham jokes. Not like, we hadn’t been meaning to ask him the story behind his namesake. Haitham al Balushi takes his middle name, Mohammed Rafi, from his father, who was surprisingly christened by the veteran Hindi singer himself. "Though Omani, my grandfather was a huge fan of Mohammed Rafi," he recounts. “When my father was born, Rafi saab was performing in Bahrain. My grandfather, who was working there, went for the show and managed to have a quick chat with him backstage," he says, adding, “He told Rafi saab, I want you to name my newborn.” The rest, as the Balushi family recalls, is history.

Until seven months ago, Haitham worked as a personal banker with a leading national bank in Muscat. “It was so boring. I hated going to work...it was suffocating," he says. Unable to take it anymore, Haitham put in his papers, and ferociously started looking for opportunities to sing. "I wanted to pursue my passion," he says. We ask him what that is? And, pat comes the reply, "I want to become the first Arab playback singer and composer in Bollywood." Haitham has been harbouring that dream since he was 11.

In Oman, Haitham says, there is no concept of vocal training. "If you're a good singer, you're a good singer." His only source of Bollywood music was audiocassettes and CDs as a child, and later YouTube. "So, when I told my Omani friends that I wanted to become a singer, they laughed. They said, 'You can’t make it big in India…it is so tough'."

On an Indian friend’s advise, he started listening to a lot of ghazals. "I was told that it would help me get my nuances and accent right," he says. His favourite ghazal singers are Jagjit Singh and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. But, that's how Haitham’s Bollywood dreams first took flight.

In 2012, he became the first Omani to win Muscat Idol, which sees participants mostly from the Indian Diaspora. From there on, due to dearth of a great body of work, Haitham started composing music for Omani TV shows. “But, I realised that I wasn’t enjoying Arabic music. Each time, I sang in Hindi, I was happier,” he says. Of the 500 songs he has composed, 450 were in Hindi. “My mum knew I wasn’t meant for Oman. So, she kept pushing me to try my luck at Indian reality shows,” he says. He tried thrice and failed. The fourth time, he decided to think practically and opted for 'The Voice Ahla Sawt', the Arabic version of the international music show. “Even there, I could not fit in,” he says. This December, after five years of working towards his dream, he got the call. And, that too, from India.

Here, he is still just another contender at the show. But, back home, things have changed for Haitham. After a video of his performance went viral, Omanis in Muscat, who he claims love Hindi cinema, have gone into an overdrive. “I’ve already signed 13 shows in Muscat and Dubai,” he says. “My friends are buying the Indian digital channels, just to watch my show.”

"I think it's a proud moment for my country," Haitham says. Just as we end, he gets his cellphone out, and shows us a photograph of his, clicked with Shah Rukh Khan, where the two are facing each other, striking the latter's signature pose. “India has already opened its arms to me," he gushes.

Bombay Chamber Orchestra concert

Did you know that world renowned classical composers like Mozart, Beethovan and modern day legends like George Gershwin and Nat King Cole were Freemasons?

Well, they were. Freemasonry is not the shadowy organisation it is made out to be in popular fiction. Freemasons are actually the world's oldest and largest non-religious, non-political and charitable organisation. It also has the honour of being the world’s largest fraternal society.

The first Grand Lodge in England is said to have been formed on June 24, 1717. This means that 2017 is the 300th or Tercentenary Anniversary.

The Freemasons are celebrating the completion of three hundred years of their formation, with a series of events in Mumbai, spread over the two days of January 27 and 28.

Many non-Freemasons, know very little of Freemasonry, and even if they do, consider it a secret society. Even lesser is known about the fact that Western Classical music has been deeply influenced by Freemasonry and many leading composers were Freemasons themselves.

Freemasons, together with the Bombay Chamber Orchestra have invited leading performers from India and abroad, and have put together a once- in-a-life time musical soiree. The event is scheduled to be held on Saturday, January 28 at 6:00pm, Sophia Bhabha Hall, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai.

ALSO READ: Not such a secret society, after all

Donor passes for the premium segments of Rs 5000 and Rs 1500 have already been sold out. The last few regular seats at Rs 1000 are still available. The funds raised by the event are earmarked towards the cause of dementia.

So you have got to rush and book those passes right now.

For programme details and online donor passes log on to:
http://freemasonryintheeast.dglbombay.org/concert/

Baby Olive ridley turtles all set to embrace the sea in Velas.

Turtles - female Olive ridley turtles in particular - have a phenomenal memory. In their lifespan of about 50 years, where they swim for thousands of miles in the underwater world, they never forget one route. The females return to the same beach where they hatched to give birth to new life. The creatures are also communal in nature - they arrive at their native beach in thousands to lay eggs. The phenomenon, which makes for a stunning sight, is called Arribada.

Inhabitants of warm waters, the species has two haunts on the Indian coastline: Rushikulaya in Odisha and Velas in Ratnagiri. Over the years, Olive ridley turtles have borne the brunt of human activities and are now recognised as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Conservation measures have been underway to ensure the eggs hatch in a conducive environment and the hatchlings safely take their first steps to the sea. If Arribada has piqued your interest, a two-day eco-tour organised by Mumbai Travellers will take you to the Velas beach where you can watch the phenomenon unfold before your eyes.

"The baby turtles trek to the sea in early mornings and evenings, so we take travellers straight to the beach as soon as we arrive in Velas," shares Karishma Joshi, eco-tours division head of the travel group. The trip includes a visit to the Bankot Fort and Harihareshwar. "In the evening, travellers will be taken to conservationist Mohan Upadhye's home, where they will watch a documentary on the turtles. This will be followed by a skit presented by local children on turtle conservation," shares Joshi.

WORKSHOP

Do yoga by the sea
Sat, feb 25 & sun, feb 26 Set your mat aside and dig your toes deep into the sand. Listen to the sound of the waves and breathe in the fresh air as you move through energy boosting yogasanas. Taught right on the shore by Shweta D’souza, this yoga class is structured to give you a full body and mind workout.
TIME: 7.30 am to 8.30 am
AT: Silver Beach (beach entrance from Godrej House), JVPD, Juhu.
CALL: 9820401592
COST: Rs 650 per class

PLAY

Witness a strange reunion
Sun, feb 26 Catch a play titled Class of 84, which tells the story of seven friends who belonged to a tight-knit college group from 1979-84. They come together because of the death of their eighth friend. Will the friends come to terms with this death, and, more importantly, themselves, through the course of the evening?
TIME: 8.30 pm onwards
AT: Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutir, Juhu.
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com
COST: Rs 500

ART

For the love of pets
Till today View the work of young artist Manish Bobade, whose love for animals finds expression in his series My Pet. Bobade has created his works in the semi-abstract genre, which showcase dogs, cows, goats and in some instances, birds.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Gallery Pradarshak, 100, Kalpana Building, Plot 338, 12th Road, Khar(W).
CALL: 26462681

Go artsy with humour
Today Attend a talk on art and a demonstration by Sanjeev Sonpimpare at the Bombay Pier Pop-Up. The artist is known for reshaping Mumbai street scenes, middle class protagonists, magazine covers, and advertorial images with a tinge of humour in his works.
TIME: 5 pm to 6 pm
AT: Radio Club, 26, PJ Ramchandani Marg, Apollo Bandar, Colaba.
Call: 22845025

SHOP

Drop in at a flea
Sun, feb 26 Attend the Big CSR Flea and shop for a cause. The curated flea market will comprise stalls put up by a number of NGOs, women entrepreneurs and start-ups. There will be an array of handmade products to choose from.
TIME: 11 am to 10 pm
AT: Urban Community Development Center, 104/B, 14th Road, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9833984214

Get ready for summer
Ongoing Kolkata-based designer Vedika M brings her latest Spring Summer 2017 collection to Mumbai. The collection, which comes in vivid hues, uses a combination of brush and block printing techniques. Pick from short and long dresses, skirts and jackets.
CALL: 9830020022
LOG ON TO: vedikam.com
COST: Rs 3,000 onwards

FOOD & DRINK

Celebrate Margaritas
Till tues, feb 28 Raise a toast to Margarita Day by celebrating it for a whole week. Paying tribute to the refreshing citrus beverage that is loved the world over, a special menu has been curated to honour iconic women from Mexico. Try drinks named after not just the famous Margarita Carrillo Arronte, but also Frida Kahlo, Ellen Ochoa, Salma Hayek, and more.
TIME: 12 pm to 1 am AT The Good Wife, ground floor, The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex.
CALL: 40039433
COST: Rs 450 plus taxes for each drink

Take a bite of cheesecake
Ongoing Dig into a new cheesecake menu that includes unique flavours such as Sprinkle Birthday Cake, Banoffee, Ferrero Rocher (in pic), Gluten Free Smores, and the seasonal classic, Strawberry, which features organic Mahabaleshwar strawberries and homemade strawberry jam.
TIME: 7 pm to 1.15 am
AT: Bastian, B/2, New Kamal Building, opposite National College, Linking Road, Bandra (W).
CALL: 26420145
COST: Rs 500 (per slice), Rs 2,750 (full cake)

Try a festive menu
Ongoing Celebrate the Year of the Rooster with a new menu featuring dishes like Beggar Spring Chicken (in pic), Charcoal Grilled Spare Ribs, Wood Baked Spiced Oily Pomfret, and more.
TIME: 6 pm to 1 am
AT: Dashanzi, JW Marriott, Juhu.
CALL: 9769311654

DEAL WITH THE WEEKEND

Be an early bird
Till March 31 Arrive for dinner between 7 pm and 8 pm, and enjoy a 30 per cent off on a dinner buffet featuring soups, salads, starters, main course and desserts.
AT: The Earth Plate, Hotel Sahara Star, Vile Parle (E).
CALL: 39895000
COST: (after discount) Rs 1,610 plus taxes

Shop for a steal
Ongoing Get up to 70 per cent off on the entire collection of 80 designers. Shop from a wide variety of outfits along with clutches and jewellery.
TIME: 10.30 am to 9 pm
AT: Kashish Infioré, Hughes Road.
CALL: 23613111

Go sip happy
Sun, feb 26 Enjoy extra long Happy Hours this Sunday and indulge
in unlimited drinks
such as Apple & Malta Sangria, Watermelon & Mint Sangria, flavoured wines, and beer, all for `899 (inclusive of taxes). Dig into Crab Cakes and Pork Van Dogh.
TIME: 11 pm to 12.45 am
AT: Veranda, Hotel Executive Enclave, Pali Hill, Bandra (W).
CALL: 33126749

COMEDY

Laugh at a ladies' special night
Today Ladies, if you think you are funny and have an opinion about booze, boys, Bobbi Brown or anything else under the sun, register for the stand-up comedy open mic evening, hosted by Kaneez Surka. Not only do you catch her at her best, you also get to attempt to be the next comic star.
TIME: 8 pm onwards
AT: The Cuckoo Club, Mc Ronell's Compound, Pali Hill, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9619962969
COST: Rs 200

Pick the best performer
Tues, Feb 28 Ten stand-up comedians will be trying out new jokes and you get to choose the best performer. All the jokes may not work, but the fun lies in listening to fresh material. The show will be hosted by Hijas Moosa.
TIME: 9 pm
AT: Backstage Cafe and Bar, Andheri (W).
CALL: 98927 20001
COST: Rs 200

MUSIC

Sing along
Thurs, mar 2 Catch Yatharth Ratnum, the winner of the first season of singing reality show, The Stage, at a gig. He will be joined by four other finalists from across the last two editions of the show.
TIME: 8.30 pm onwards
AT: Hard Rock Cafe, Wadia International Center (Bombay Dyeing), Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli.
CALL: 24382888
COST: Rs 750

Catch a tribute concert
Wed, Mar 1 Ustad Zakir Hussain and the SOI Chamber Orchestra will pay tribute to legendary composer Vanraj Bhatia, who is known for his iconic scores in films like Manthan, Junoon, Mandi and more.
TIME: 7 pm onwards
AT: NCPA, Tata Theatre, Nariman Point.
CALL: 24382888
COST: Rs 500 onwards

Tune in to the santoor
Thurs, Mar 2 Immerse yourself in soulful tunes by santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
AT: A concert, being held to raise funds for an NGO. The funds will be used towards promoting the welfare of children.
TIME: 7 pm onwards AT Nehru Centre, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli.
CALL: 24964676
COST: Rs 300 onwards

FOOD & DRINKS

Dig into a Thai feast
Till Mar 5 Take a culinary tour of Thailand with a new menu of Hued Grob (fried mushrooms in Thai black pepper sauce), Gai Yang (chicken leg marinated in curry paste), Koong Phad Kaprao (prawns tossed with garlic), and some interesting rice and noodle preparations.
TIME: 7 pm to 11.30 pm
At: Saptami, Holiday Inn, Saki Naka Junction, Andheri (E).
CALL: 40851800
COST: Rs 1,399 plus taxes

Bake teatime treats
Tues, Feb 28 Learn to make melt-in-the-mouth cookies like Earl Grey shortbread, jam drops, cardamom tea cookies, oat biscuits and the classic Shrewsbury biscuits. These make for the perfect accompaniment to your hot cup of chai, or a delightful gift for a loved one. Registration closes 24 hours prior to the class date and time.
TIME: 10 am to 1 pm
AT: Cakesmiths, second floor, Jatia Chambers, Dr VB Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda.
CALL: 30213333
COST: Rs 4,255

Get rid of a hangover
Ongoing Recover from a night of excessive drinking with this special Hangover Breakfast menu. Dig into oven-baked egg white omelette topped with vegetables and cheddar, chicken sausages served with French fries and salad, and even comforting pancakes, served alongside espresso and freshly squeezed orange juice.
TIME: 8 am to 11.30 am
AT: Silver Beach Cafe, Jaldarshan Building, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu.
CALL: 9819966495

SHOP

Dress in your festive best
Ongoing Pick an outfit from Shyamal and Bhumika's Spring Summer 2017 Collection, titled Fragrant Winds. The collection combines Indian silhouettes with patterns of blooms, grasslands and birds.
LOG ON TO: shyamalbhumika.com
CALL: 9833525200

ART

Marvel at the muse
Till mon, Mar 6 Head to a solo exhibition of paintings titled Muse 2, by artist Vijay Belgave. Through his works, he attempts to showcase the beauty of a young, sensitive woman and her thoughts, besides depicting the attachment between young lovers.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
At: Jehangir Art Gallery, MG Road, Kala Ghoda.
CALL: 9820960057

PLAY

Head to the smoking zone
Thurs, mar 2 Catch the play, Dhumrapaan, set in the smoking zone of a corporate building where employees discuss appraisals, politics and all that comes with working in an office. The stress and fears will help you draw a parallel with your own life.
TIME: 8.30 pm onwards
AT: Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.
CALL: 26149546
COST: Rs 300

South Dandies Swaraj rappers, Tamizh (left) and Sean YKV (centre) who are working on their debut album, recently performed with Kadhal Jack (extreme right) of Kacheri Movement in the city. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

“I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There’s no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it.” Eminem, the global Rap icon, had elucidated the fundamentals of the genre cogently, whose origins are in Africa and Jamaica. Owing to the free flow, it entered India on a blissful note.

Legendary actor Ashok Kumar offered its first glimpse with the song, Rail Gaadi (Aashirwad), in 1968. Within two decades, the genre found allies in AR Rahman and Ilaiyaraaja. South Dandies Swaraj — a Rap duo comprising Suresh Agailan Bose (Sean YKV) and Rahul Prasad (Tamizh) - are taking forward the legacy, albeit in the independent space. The Mumbai-based group raps in four languages, but their highlight is Tamil.

Message in music
Sean, the lead rapper, wants to bring about a change through an album, that’s in the making. “My motto is Rap for change and Hip-Hop for life. I try to convey a message through every song. I am looking for a producer,” says Sean. The name of the band is suggestive of their South Indian roots. Earlier, the group had more members. “We were a Hip-Hop Collective with nine people, including a miniature artiste and a graffiti artiste. We had to bid goodbye to some members,” he shares.

The 28-year-old from Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) resides in Mahim and believes that rapping in different languages will help him reach out to more people. “It helps me connect to more listeners who understand these languages. We want to take our regional languages abroad,” he adds. Sean also performed alongside Apache Indian and Shankar Mahadevan in his initial days. “I didn’t get any break after those shows. But kids would take my autograph while senior citizens would kiss my hand. They thought my Tamil was retro,” he says.

Society matters
“Our music talks about recycling, rape, terrorism, social media and other social issues,” says Sean, who can also rap in Marathi. His colleague, Tamizh, sticks to Tamil.

One of the singles from the Dandies’ kitty is Idli Vada, the traditional breakfast in South Indian households. “I observed Idli and Vada vendors and wrote a song around their daily struggle, and how they see the society through customers,” explains Sean. The track, Social Kadhal/Pyaar, dwells on the overuse of social networking sites. “The world has become dynamic with Facebook and Twitter. This song is about the youngsters who spend hours on it.” The group also has a track dedicated to the feminists, called Nari Meri Nari.

The Dandies also developed a brother culture, being close to Kacheri Movement, a Rap outfit from Dharavi. They are often seen playing gigs together.

Sean is hopeful about his music’s reach. “I am not a party person. I am interested in the social issues. We know how African Americans changed the face of Hip-Hop when they used music as a vehicle for their struggle. I will try to do the same,” he signs off.

Unlock the mystery of butterflies

12 PM: Attend a session, where you will witness first-hand the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. The session will also include a short introduction on the life cycle of the butterfly, the plants that it attracts, and how you can rear your own winged insect.
WHERE: Green Hope, HDIL Dreams, Bhandup West
ENTRY: Rs 1,000
CALL: 8108900312

Groove with DJ Lloyd

5 PM: Bid adieu to the sun's last rays with DJ Lloyd serving you groovy tunes at Thalassa. A veteran in the music and programming industry, Lloyd Gueizelar, popularly known as DJ Lloyd, performs on psychedelic, house and various genres of electronica. While dancing, you can also dig into the delicious food.
WHERE: Thalassa, 21st Street, Khar (West), Off Carter Road
FOR RESERVATIONS: 9820004018/9820004019
FREE

Create that dynamic poster

BOOK A SEAT
11 AM: Don't miss this interactive Indiefolio masterclass conducted by illustrator Raj Khatri, creative art head of Marching Ants Advertising. At the session, Khatri will discuss the art of making movie posters. With movies having multiple characters — plot lines, venues, and themes — Khatri will talk about how one can package all those nuances and details into one poster. With 14 years of experience behind him, he is the man behind some of the most famous Bollywood movie posters of the last decade, including Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Bang Bang, Kahaani and Baahubali.
WHERE: antiSOCIAL, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, Khar West,, Mumbai, India 400052
TO BOOK: events.indiefolio.com
FREE

Go on a filmi tour

12.20 pm and 2.30 pm: Hop on for a two-hour guided bus tour of Film City, which will offer you a rare glimpse of the famous studio that has been the venue for some of the greatest movies in Indian cinematic history. If lucky, you may also get to see a live shooting in progress.
WHERE: Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagri, Santosh Nagar, Gate No. 1, Film City Road, Goregaon East
ENTRY: Rs 599
TO BOOK: in.bookmyshow.com

Talk about colour

11 AM: Do you know why there's no pink in a rainbow? Arnab Bhattacharya, a scientist at TIFR and a passionate science communicator, will discuss this and more in a special lecture on why colour is central to our lives.
WHERE: Prithvi Theatre, 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu
CALL: 26149546

Enjoy a Bohri dawat

12.30 PM: Enjoy a shahi home-cooked meal with this curated menu by The Bohri Kitchen. With smoked mutton kheema samosas for starters, and the legendary raan in red masala, lagan ni seekh and saancha ice-cream, your Sunday lunch is going to be a treat. Address and details will be shared once you confirm your presence.
CALL: 9819447438

Surf the coast

4 PM: Take your family out for a sunset sailing experience in the evening. The two-hour boat ride along the Arabian Sea will end with the gorgeous spectacle of dusk settling over the horizon. This could just be the perfect short break you needed to wind down, after a long work-week.
WHERE: Near Taj Mahal Hotel, Jetty No. 5, Colaba
ENTRY: Rs 1,300 per person
CALL: 7738073691

Watch a political satire

7 PM: Make time for a political satire this evening. Ghashiram Kotwal, an adaptation of a play written by the acclaimed playwright Vijay Tendulkar, is based on Ghashiram Sawardas, who trades his daughter to Nana Phadnavis — a minister in the court of the Peshwa of Pune — in exchange for the position of police chief. The play highlights how people in power give rise to new ideologies and agendas and reject the same when their purpose is served.
WHERE: Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, Sophia College Campus, B. Desai Road, Breach Candy
ENTRY: Rs 500 - Rs 2,000
TO BOOK: in.bookmyshow.com

ORDER OF THE DAY

Grow greens at home

MARCH 12, 11 AM - 2 PM: If you want to do something for the environment, start with your own backyard. Learn to make terrariums, miniature plants in glass. They are easy to maintain and perfect for most of us who live in flats. So sign up for the workshop, Make Your Own Terrarium (miniature gardening) organised by Urban Fireflys where you will learn the A-Z of making and maintaining your own terrariums and take home your own baby terrarium.
WHERE: Vrindavan Cafe, Dosti Club House, Dosti Acres Wadala (East)
ENTRY: Rs 2500
CALL: 9820341463

Go ga ga over mean machines

MARCH 9 - 12, 11 AM ONWARD: Attend the Mumbai International Motor Show which will feature some impressive automobiles, a 4x4 test drive track, a simulator zone, an accessories section, tyres pavilion and more.
WHERE: MMRDA Grounds, BKC Rd, G Block BKC, Bandra (East)
ENTRY: Rs 250

Laugh with Aseem Banatwalla

MARCH 10, 6.30 PM: Listen to Azeem Banatwalla from East India Comedy who is back with an hour of new jokes on travel, road rage, religion and his personal favourite — married life.
WHERE: Experimental Theatre, Nariman Point, NCPA Marg
ENTRY: Rs 399
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com

Live the good life

MARCH 9, 6 PM: Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway on your anniversary or an activity-packed family vacation, there's a yacht for every occasion. All you need to do is sit back, relax and experience the joy of a fully crewed charter yacht sailing along the Mumbai Harbour.
WHERE: Blue Whale Water Sports, Apollo Bunder Road, Opposite Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba.
ENTRY: Rs 12,000
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com

MARCH 06, MONDAY

Stuff your face with gujiya

TILL MARCH 13, 3.30 PM - 11.30 PM: Puranmal, a 90-year-old traditional Indian restaurant, has rolled out a Holi food festival titled Colour Me Food. From Gujiya, samosa stuffed with a mixture of grated and roasted dry fruits and khoya to the Chandrakala, a moon-shaped North-Indian Holi dessert, there's lots to look forward to.
WHERE: Puranmal, Bharat Bhavan, Juhu Road, Ville Parle (West)
CALL: 26718105

MARCH 07, TUESDAY
Listen to a married man's rant

9.30 PM: Attend a stand-up comedy night with Amit Tandon, who is known as 'the married guy' of stand-up comedy. After marriage and two kids, he realised it couldn't get any worse and took
to humour. With over 700 shows across India, Tandon is popular
for his witty observations culled from everyday life.
WHERE: Hard Rock Cafe, Sharyans Audeus, Fun Cinema Lane, near Balaji Telefilms, off Veera Desai, Andheri (West)
ENTRY: Rs 1,000
CALL: 8898087841

MARCH 08, WEDNESDAY

Watch Einstein come alive

6 PM and 9 PM: Watch Naseeruddin Shah make the great scientist come alive on stage. Gabriel Emanuel's Einstein, directed by Ratna Pathak Shah, captures the essence of Einstein, the man, who despite being a towering thinker, was plagued by doubt and disappointments.
WHERE: Prithvi Theatre, 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road
ENTRY: Rs 500
CALL: 26149546

MARCH 09, THURSDAY
Get an extra dose of chai
9.30 AM - 11.30 PM: Tea Trails has rolled out happy hours in the form of Thirsty Thursdays. So choose any signature tea and bites, and get another for free. Try out the South African Red Tea, Japanese Genmaicha or the Smokey Chinese Lapsang Souchong.
WHERE: Kingston Building, Ground Floor, Tejpal Road, Near Old Railway Crossing, Vile Parle (East)
CALL: 9022337766

MARCH 10, FRIDAY

Whip up a gluten-free breakfast

2 PM - 5 PM: Learn to prepare healthy, yummy food devoid of eggs, refined sugar, refined flour, processed salt, preservatives and gluten. This workshop will teach you how to make buckwheat porridge, five lentil dosa, ragi pancakes and nutty fudgy granola bars.
WHERE: Convent Avenue, Santacruz (West)
ENTRY: Rs 2,100
LOG ON TO: insider.in

MARCH 11, SATURDAY
Shake it like Shakira
6. 30 PM - 8 PM: Ladies, let your hips do the talking in this belly dance workshop with dancer Nupur Shah. She will teach you how to do hip lifts, pull off a basic shimmy, breathing techniques to keep in mind while you move and more. Apart from being a dance form, it's an effective way to lose weight.
WHERE: Aleph-The Divine Space ( Hippie Yoga Cafe ), 7-28/29 1st floor Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, Juhu
ENTRY: Rs 550
CALL: 9930384641

Holi shakes!
till Mar 15 This Holi, say hello to The Holy Freak! Sip on this tall sinful glass of rabdi churned with vanilla ice cream, cake and milk, layered with special home-made jalebis and topped with colourful sprinkles.

TIME: 9 am to 1 am
AT: D:OH!, ground floor, Unit 2B, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
CALL: 62372829
COST: Rs 299

Shop
Fashion for men
ongoing Gentlemen, give your appearance a touch of glam with the Black collection featuring bracelets crafted in Onyx stone and pure leather, cufflinks, pocket squares, lapel pins and tie bars in quirky designs.

log on to thebrocode.in

Shining stars
ongoing Add some bling to your life with the jewellery from Radhika Jain, which features pendants, necklaces, bracelets and earrings made using handcrafted fibres finished with metallic elements.

AT: FUEL Store, 14th Road, off Linking Road, Khar (W).
TIME: 11 am to 8 pm
CALL: 9831030700

Shoulder talk
till mar 13 Ladies, avail a stylish deal where, for every handbag you purchase, you get a discount of 30 per cent on any mobile pouch and sling bag.
AT All Baggit outlets.

log on to baggit.com

Art
A visual feast
till tues, mar 7 Attend a solo exhibition of abstract paintings by Chandrakant Prajapati. His artworks are colourful, and he uses rollers, bold brushstrokes and knife work to create hidden patterns and shapes.

TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Jehangir Art Gallery, 161B, MG Road, Kala Ghoda.
CALL: 9825656177

Common lives
starts tues, mar 7 Catch a series of paintings, Living Lines at 360⁰, which is an extension of Ashok Hinge's earlier Living Lines series. This one looks at the
common man and society, including family bonding, friendships and crowded market places.

TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Discovery of India Building, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli.
CALL: 9930103369

Event
Painting party
wed, mar 8 Take your girlfriends, sisters, daughters or mothers and join a painting party with Bombay Drawing Room. Art supplies, a glass of Sangria and an appetiser will be provided.

TIME: 11 am onwards
AT: Raasta, Rohan Plaza, SV Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 9619273009
log on to: instamojo.com
COST: Rs 1,650

Laugh riot
tues, mar 7 Get your weekly dose of laughter from Amit Tandon, the comedian known as 'the married guy' of stand-up comedy. His humour centres on everyday life and issues that affect all of you.

TIME: 11 am onwards
AT: Hard Rock Cafe, Sharyans Audeu, Fun Cinema Lane, near Balaji Telefilms, Andheri.
log on to: insider.in
COST: Rs 500 (Entry) + RS 500 (Cover)

Thali deal
Every Monday Men, this deal is for you. Drop in at Khandani Rajdhani and get a 50 per cent discount on your thalis. Enjoy dishes like Masaledar Puri Bhaji, Zaikedar Paneer Aur Masala Dal Ke Saath Roti Chawal, Karare Farsan, Amdavad Ni Dhokla ke Sath Khatta Meetha Chutney, Crispy Jalebi and Swadisht Rabdi, Rasila Gulab Jamoon, and Halwa.

TIME: 12 to 3.30 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm
AT: All Khandani Rajdhani outlets.
CALL: 65226074 (Ghatkopar)

Garhwali delights
till mar 12 Savour the lost cuisine of Uttarakhand at a Flavors of Garhwal food festival. The food includes Urad Dal Pakodia, Jakhiya Machchi, Mutton Tari, Koda Khichdi, Jhangora Khichdi, Kafuli and authentic Garhwali desserts like Jhangore ki Kheer, Till a Laddoo and Swala Bhangjiri.

AT: JW Cafe, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.
CALL 28538656
COST: Rs 2,199 plus taxes

Travel
Grape escape
from wed, mar 8 Head out of the city for a grape-stomping break, featuring walks through vineyards, good food, wine tastings and a chance to see how wine is made.

TIME: 11 am onwards
AT: Soma Vine Village, Village Ganghavare, Gangapur-Ganghavare Road, Nashik.
COST: Rs 1,500 per barrel

Perform
Woman, unleashed
wed, mar 8 Attend Devi Unleashed, a unique theatre experience combining monologues, story reading, classical dance and singing, performed by women artistes.

TIME: 7 pm to 8.30 pm
AT: Title Waves, St Pauls Media Complex, 24th Road, Bandra (W).
CALL: 24920482

Genius speak
tues, mar 7 to Thurs, mar 9 Learn about the life of Albert Einstein in this Motley play. Enacted by Naseeruddin Shah, it looks at the spirit of the scientist, who was plagued with doubts and disappointments.

TIME: 6 pm, 9 pm
AT: Prithvi Theatre, 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu.
CALL: 26149546
COST: Rs 500

Posters created for the podcast. Pics courtesy/Chuski PoP Facebook

"Mujhe woh haseen dard de do, jise aaj ke baad main kisi doosre ke saath na baant sakun." This cheesy line from the movie Prem Aggan is the start of what goes on to be a fun, witty podcast about the fascination about Valentine's Day and how V-Day should be called a U-Day.

Welcome to Chuski Pop, a desi podcast starring Sweety and Pappu, 'two desi women riding the fourth wave of feminism in their salwar kameez and golden heels'. Sweety is a graphic designer and Pappu, a copywriter. Their podcast, launched in 2015, has a new episode releasing every second week and has 27 episodes out already.

Each podcast starts with a cheesy, ridiculous line from a Hindi film. It lasts for about an hour or longer, and usually sticks to one topic, but the two women talk about anything that happened through the week. The tone is conversational, with a few over-the-top reactions thrown in for effect. They talk about eating their 'shiny, glossy candy toes', make-up, explain mansplaining, how not to be a cool girl, social media detoxes, body positivity and finding like-minded girlfriends to hang out with.

They've even introduced Bhindi Awards (showing the ladies' finger to patriarchal society) given to women who celebrate being themselves. Past awards gave gone to MIA, Beyonce, Harnaam Kaur and Lily Singh. Their 19th episode was a collaborative one, with fellow desi podcasters Chai Tea Party.

Search engine giant Google unveiled a special doodle on Holi. The doodle shows a group of children splashing the Google logo with many colours.

According to Google, "Today, the Google letters are taking on a fresh set of colors in honor of the Holi festival. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the vibrant celebration looks a lot like the Doodle: people run around happily covering each other in a rainbow of powdery hues.

Amid the cloud of red, blue, yellow, green, and everything in between, festival-goers can often be found laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited “Festival of Colors” that undoubtedly lives up to its name."

About Holi
Holi is a Hindu spring festival in India and Nepal, also known as the "festival of colours" or the "festival of love", It signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest.

The first day is known as Holika Dahan (हà¥ÂŠà¤²à¤¿à¤Â•à¤¾ दहन) or Chhoti Holi and the second as Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Dhulivandan.

Podcasts - best described as audio shows you can play at your convenience on your smartphone - are now enjoying immense popularity in the US, and have begun picking steam in India, too. Earlier called audioblogging, podcasting became more commonplace only in the 2000s, with the introduction of broadband Internet and portable devices such as the iPod.

If you're interested in learning about this medium, head over to The Revolver Club for two workshops that will equip you with all the information you need to start producing your own audio podcasts.

The workshops, conducted by podcast experts Chhavi Sachdev and Dhaval Mehta, will take you through not just the basics of creating content, but also deal with radio etiquette, sound editing, distribution platforms, and how you can go about marketing your finished product.

Chhavi Sachdev

Make it available
Chhavi Sachdev, who runs audio content and production house Sonologue, first began making podcasts back in 2008. "Smartphones weren't really around when I started. Recording a podcast involved a lot of effort, and only a diehard enthusiast would do it. Today, it is simpler once you learn the necessary skills," says Sachdev, who is a regular contributor to BBC and NPR podcasts.

At the upcoming workshop, she will touch on the basics of podcasting. "I'll begin with how you can fine-tune the kind of content you want to talk about, move on to what equipment to use, and how you can record and mix. Finally, I will discuss how you can distribute your podcast," adds Sachdev.

Dhaval Mehta

Make it visible
Dhaval Mehta, CEO of digital marketing agency DPM*Social, will follow this up with a workshop on podcast marketing. "Although I've been making podcasts since 2005, this is the first time I'm hosting a workshop on the subject," he says. Mehta will share his personal trade secrets on how he promoted various podcasts in non-traditional ways to gain listeners.

"Earlier, I used to email newsletters about my latest podcast to friends and family. It's a simple thing that worked. Today, getting your podcast to a larger audience would involve sharing it on social media platforms."

Interested folks may sign up for one or both workshops. All you need is your laptop, headphones and ideas for that path-breaking podcast.

Sexual harassment is one of the most unfortunate acts that can happen in a workplace. It is a crime in its truest form that puts a woman’s safety and security in question. Sexual harassment is not only difficult to experience, but also an adverse event that is difficult to eliminate. We have heard stories related to sexual harassment in workplaces several times and about female employees getting wrong hints from their male colleagues (managers at times), dirty looks, unwanted dinner invitations, being touched inappropriately or hearing lewd comments. Sexual harassment should be dealt smartly and tactfully. We have listed six such measures to tackle sexual harassment in a workplace:

1. Get in touch with the HR team: Almost every organization has a dedicated Human Resource cell that looks after anti-harassment policies. A woman who falls prey to sexual harassment should immediately get in touch with the anti-harassment team of the HR division for immediate action against the accused and his untoward behavior. Also, the HR team possess good knowledge of anti-harassment policies, which they should implement without any delay.

2. Document the situation: Do not endure sexual harassment and report it immediately. Find out if there are other victims also, gather witnesses and secure the statement of witnesses in written. Also, find out if there are any video recording or CCTV footage of the event. Put all documents and video recordings in front of the HR or top management while complaining.

3. Inform the supervisor: Whoever is harassing you, be it your team member or somebody from other teams, inform your immediate supervisor about the entire incident. Write an official email citing the incident and request the supervisor for a personal meet. A supervisor has the right to know about what is going on with the team members.

4. Draw a line: It is good to engage in jokes and informal talks with colleagues, but do not forget to draw a line and maintain a gap between you and the male colleagues. Be direct and straightforward and speak up when you are not liking their attitude or behaviour towards you. Ask them to stop their 'over-funny' acts and not to cross limits. This will help you tackle sexual harassment in the initial stage right after you get wrong vibes.

5. Talk to the harasser: Do not stay away from the accused and speak with him directly. If he does not apologize and discontinue doing so, let him know that you are going to file an official complaint for being sexually harassed at workplace. If he still continues to harass, take strict and immediate action. Women have the right to go for legal actions too. 

6. Get in touch with senior management: If everything fails and your supervisor cannot take any action against the event, get in touch with the senior management of the organization. Put forth all evidences including video footages and written statements and let the senior management know about it. Ensure that the management handle the situation tactfully and take strict steps against the accused.

Many women who are victims of sexual harassment tend to stay quite because of threats or the fear of losing their jobs. However, this is not the solution to prevent sexual harassment. Women must raise their voice if they are molested or sexually abused in their workplaces. Only if their voices are raised, they will get the strength to fight against such ill acts.

Based on a discussion with Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi, the DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) issued fresh guidelines regarding 'sexual harassment of women at workplace' in December 2016. Following are the guidelines the DoPT issued:

1. Brief details of the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act including the number of cases received and disposed shall form a part of the Annual Report of all ministries/ departments and authorities there under.
2. The enquiry of cases must be completed within 30 days and under any circumstances within 90 days from the date of the complaint.
3. The ministries/ departments etc. have to keep a watch on the complainant so as to ensure that she is not victimized in any manner because of her having filed the complaint. The aggrieved woman has been given further option to send representation to the Secretary or head of the organization in case she feels that she is being victimized because of her complaint. The concerned authority will be required to dispose of this complaint within 15 days.
4. All ministries/ departments etc. are now required to submit a monthly progress report to the Ministry of Women and Child Development so that the progress can be monitored.

Check out a festival that celebrates women's writing across genres, and the long and short forms of writing. Organised by SheThePeople.TV, there will also be workshops on how to get one's work published.

ON: Today, 1 pm; March 18, 11 am onwards.
AT: Goethe-Institut, Kala Ghoda.
REGISTER: shethepeople.tv

MUSIC

Melodious tunes
Sun, mar 19 Get enthralled by the music of Rakesh Chaurasia, one of India’s most promising musicians and an accomplished flautist. He blends his flute with mixed instruments. He will be accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on the tabla.
TIME: 7.30 am
AT: Prithvi Theatre, Juhu. LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
COST: Rs 300

Travelling musician
Tonight Catch Nicolette Gore, a singer, songwriter from Ahmedabad, performing original numbers at a gig tonight. An avid traveller, her songs are inspired from her numerous trips across the country.
TIME: 10.30 pm
AT: Tuning Fork, first floor, Hotel Unicontinental, Khar (W).
CALL: 9833358490
COST: Rs 550

ART

Beauty and nature
Ongoing Catch the latest works of artists Ishaque Ali Sayyed and Avinash Deshmukh, which feature nature, still life and spiritual elements, at an exhibition titled Funne–Hayyat.
TIME: 11 am to 8 pm
AT: Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Worli.
CALL: 9833833149

Recycled furniture
Till sun, mar 19 View a unique exhibition, Installation Furniture, which has 60 furniture pieces divided into three series, Emotional, Recycled and Art. The recycled series uses materials like old tyres, cloth, wood, trees, and chains.
TIME: 11 am to 8 pm
AT: The Art Hub, Atria Mall, Worli.
CALL: 9167221322

WORKSHOP

Yoga for peace
Sun, mar 19 Attend a workshop with Bijay J Anand and learn how to deal with the physical and emotional pain in your life. He will be using Kundalini Yoga mantras and kriyas to lead you on a better path.
TIME: 11 am to 12.30 pm
AT: Arts in Motion, 57, Rajdoot, Khar (W).
CALL: 65533333
COST: Rs 1,000

Droning on
Sat, mar 18 Learn to make drones and quadcopters. You will learn about each component and how they work together, and get to fly the drone you create.
TIME: 10 am to 1 pm
AT: Todi Mill Social, 242, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65110361
COST: Rs 2,500

SHOP

Bridal stop
Till mar 31 Upgrade your wardrobe, especially your wedding collections, at Payal Singhal’s annual sale. On offer is a 50 per cent to 70 per cent discount on all outfits at the store.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Shop No.3, Raj Mahal Building, Altamount Road.
CALL: 65656121

PLAY

The Juhu life
Sun, mar 19 Take a peek into the lives of Balvinder aka Bubbles, brother Goldie Siddhu and sisters Pammi and Smiley, a dysfunctional family living on the 14th floor of a high-rise, Sea View Towers. Despite the location, there are problems in the building and within the family. These issues form the basis of the play, The Siddhus of Upper Juhu.
TIME: 7 pm
AT: TATA Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
COST: Rs 975

Diplomatic treaty
Sat, mar 18 Motley production, A Walk in the Woods, is about two diplomats who take a walk in the woods to achieve a breakthrough in negotiations between their countries. Rajit Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah play the lead roles.
TIME: 7.30 pm
AT: Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9892585856
COST: Rs 200 onwards

FOOD & DRINK

British brunching
Sun, mar 19 Join this Sunday brunch and enjoy dishes such as Grilled Ham and Salami, Stuffed Omelettes, French Toast, Chicken Tikka, Pepperoni Pizza, Shepherd’s Pie, and Bread Butter Pudding. Sip on craft beer or apple cider.
TIME: 12 pm to 4 pm
AT: The British Brewing Company, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65656121
COST: Rs 600 to Rs 1,200

EVENT

Jenga fun
Sat, mar 18 Unwind this weekend over UNO and Jenga contests. UNO will be knockout style while the Jenga games will be one
on one or team-based. Winners get free beers.
TIME: 3 pm to 8 pm AT Reise All Day Bar & Kitchen, Andheri (E).
CALL: 33836086
COST: Rs 300 to Rs 500

Deal with the weekend

Pocket friendly
Today Now, enjoy your favourite cocktails and other drinks at prices starting at just '70. Premium drinks are available for an additional '70.
TIME: 4 pm to 8 pm
AT: All Hoppipola outlets, except Todi Mills.
CALL: 8286089737 (Khar)

Jim Beam day
Sat, mar 18 Groove to the beats of DJ Nikhil while sipping on Jim Beam for just '150, this Saturday. There will be cocktails like Sunrise, Bourbon House, House Side Car and Big Booty available as well.
TIME: 8 pm onwards
AT: The House Gastropub, Bungalow 1, JP Road, Aram Nagar, Versova, Andheri (W).
CALL: 39652955

Happiest hours
Till mar 19 Drink unlimited beer (till your bladder bursts) for only R420 or unlimited Sangria for R899. You can also munch on Chicken Faffa and Caribbean Chicken Strips while you drink.
TIME: 5 pm to 8 pm
AT: Raasta Bombay, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, SV Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 8655000811

A group of Assamese dancers perform Jhumur, the dance form associated with tea gardens

Asam, known for its picturesque river basins and tea gardens in and around the Brahmaputra Valley, is steeped in the arts with music occupying a special place. The sounds change with every region. There is Jhumur dance (associated with tea gardens), Bihu (the celebrated folk dance and music) and Kamrupi lokgeet (music from the Kamrup district) to name a few. Amid the melodies, there also lies a rich tradition of folk tales and folklore. “I used to listen to a lot of stories from my grandmother, both fictional as well as mythological,” recalls singer Joi Barua, who hails from Jorhat. The 39-year-old didn’t take the Bihu route to come under spotlight. He stuck to his Rock sound, but wrote songs based on those old stories.

Singer Joi Barua borrows from traditional folk tales of Assam and incorporates them in his music. Pic/Nimish Jain

Barua, who juggles between working in films (including regional projects) and making independent music, will present a set of stories in the form of music with his band, Joi, at the Living Traditions concert that celebrates the northeastern state.

“We are a Rock band in the World Music space. We try to retell folklore, talk about the history of traditions as well as contemporary history through our songs. I also like to weave music around traditions still in practice,” shares Barua, who composed two songs sketching the antiquity of bareback horse races in Jorhat. The event, more than 100 years old, doesn’t allow jockeys to have a saddle or a stirrup. One of the compositions is Riders Of The Mist. “It talks about the origins of the races and the horses (there are many horses who are brought to the race from across the Brahmaputra River). There is another song on the same subject, called Pitol Soku. In Assamese, Pitol means brass and soku means eyes. It means a jockey with copper eyes. The song has a stadium-like vibe to it,” he explains.

On the other hand, the song Tejimola is about a girl who was tortured and beaten to death by her stepmother. “This is a story written in the early part of the last century. She is buried in the garden and a flower blossoms out of her grave one day. The story celebrates the girl in different forms,” says Barua, who was inspired to make original and independent music after listening to the stalwarts, Khagen Mahanta and Dr Bhupen Hazarika in his early days.

“I have grown up within the tradition of listening to music about the land, the rivers and the culture. My band will be presenting the same kind of music in the contemporary fashion. These songs shaped our state as well as our musical selves,” he reasons.

Barua’s music pays tribute to his homeland and Mumbai — his current work sphere. He has sung tracks like Dusokute (Margarita With A Straw), Dil Dhadakne Do (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) and Kahani Aankhon Ke Pardon Pe (Udaan) and more.

On: Today and March 19, 6.30 pm
At: NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 66223754
Cost: Rs 200 onwards

Josh Feinberg will also perform in Pune, Goa, Gangtok and Dubai this month

Few royal residences in India could be imagined without the rich sound of ragas flowing through them. Connoisseurs of Indian Classical music, nobles and royals often hosted artistes in their homes, where intimate concerts formed an important cultural tradition. But as the era of royalty ended, and with the advent of theatres and proscenium stages, these baithaks as they were called, faded away.

A baithak session in progress

As part of an initiative to revive this tradition, music lovers of Mumbai can attend one such baithak tonight, where acclaimed US-based sitarist Josh Feinberg will share his insight into the Maihar Gharana through an interactive performance. To be held at a private bungalow in Malabar Hill, the baithak will see Feinberg present a traditional Hindustani sitar recital with Ariff Khan on the tabla.

Feinberg, who started learning Western Classical music and Jazz when he was four, was introduced to the sitar as a 12-year-old. The music of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee made a lasting impression on him. Feinberg became a student of Khan in 2004 and continued learning from him at his music school in California until the virtuoso passed away in 2009. “The sitar’s elegance and grace drew me to it. Hindustani Classical music is beautiful, deep, complex, and offers scope for improvisation. It is one of the great music traditions of the world,” shares the artiste, who tours the US, Canada, India and Europe.

“I grew without much exposure to Indian Classical music and got introduced to it only when I started learning Kathak from Pandit Chitresh Das. When I moved to India and began teaching the dance form here, I realised the students weren’t exposed to Classical music either. I wanted to change that,” says Seema Mehta, Kathak artiste and director of Chhandam Nritya Bharati, organisers of the baithak. The baithak series - with the aim to host one gathering every quarter - began in 2014, and was initially for the dance school’s students and their parents. It’s popularity grew as more music lovers heard of it.

Feinberg summarises the idea, “I like both situations. At a concert, the audience is far away that it allows the musician to get immersed in his music. In a baithak, there is a direct connection with the audience. The musician derives energy from the appreciation he receives.”

Marc Chagall, Over the Town, 1918

The director of the Louvre, where collections span from 6th century BC to the 19th century AD, once estimated that 80 per cent of the museum’s visitors come there to see just one thing - the Mona Lisa. However, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is considered overrated and unremarkable by some. Why, then, has it captured the imagination of artists over time, with everyone from Salvador Dalí to Andy Warhol adapting it in their own works?

Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1874

To understand what makes a painting iconic, sign up for Art of Looking, a Western art appreciation workshop for those aged 16 and above, organised by Flying Tricycle, which aims to conduct out-of-the-box art and design workshops. Co-founder Madhumita Srivastava will conduct the workshop, comprising seven two-hour sessions.

“It’s important to understand the context behind a painting - the time during which it was made, and how it may have come about as a reaction to something else,” shares Srivastava, who holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Michigan, and a Masters in Fine Art (Design and Technology) from Parsons School of Design, New York.

Participants will be taken through works by Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and Andy Warhol, among others. The aim is to take a look at a variety of styles, media, genres and techniques, from the Renaissance era right up to the 1980s.

The workshop will involve freewheeling discussions where she will help participants interpret their feelings about a piece of art, and form an opinion about it. “This is not a history lesson. In each session, I’ll bombard you with a slideshow of around 80 artworks. We’ll stop at a few iconic pieces to talk about why we like or don’t like them, and why they’re important. When you see all the pieces in one go, you’ll start noticing a pattern to them,” she believes.

The sessions will conclude with a visit to an art gallery. Here, Srivastava hopes to strike up a hot debate. “Every person notices different elements in a painting. In fact, the more abstract a piece is, the more interpretations you’ll get.”

She adds that she wants to rid people of the intimidation that often accompanies art. “We feel like we need to have a degree to understand art. But art is subjective - it’s about how it makes you feel.”

Google unveiled a special Doodle on the occasion of Nowruz. The doodle showed the letters Google logo redesigned as flowers with butterflies and bees flying around them.

Nowruz, which is also known as the Iranian New Year and the Persian New Year occurs on 21 March or the previous or following day, depending on where it is observed.

The festival is celebrated worldwide by the Iranian peoples, in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin and the Balkans.

Nowruz marks the first day of the first month (Farvardin) in the Iranian calendar. It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.

The moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year, and families gather together to observe the rituals.

Nowruz is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians.

DANCE

Celebrate Kathak
Sat, Mar 25 Watch dancers from Kadamb Performing Unit present Vivarta, a Kathak performance based on Ni-ra-tata-dhang, a composition that narrates the actual bols of the Kathak vocabulary and highlights its classical techniques. It has been choreographed by Kathak exponent Kumudini Lakhia.
TIME: 7 pm
AT: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
COST: Rs 200 onwards
CALL: 66223724

EVENT

Take a walk
Sun, Mar 26 Attend a two-hour walk where underprivileged children from the non-profit Angel Xpress Foundation will take you around the Bandstand neighbourhood and offer a glimpse into their lives. The kindness-themed walk has been organised by EverytingOnAPlate and Yash Rane as part of World Insta Meet.
TIME: 3.30 pm
MEETING POINT: Opposite Mannat, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9820246669

EXHIBITION

Trace different strokes
Till Mar 27 Check out a group show titled, Three Visions, showcasing mixed media sculptures by Vishal Rajas, along with paintings by Nilesh Nikam and Shivaji Mhaske. Nikam plays with textures and motifs while Mhaske's works offer a glimpse of ethereal landscapes of Maharashtra.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Jehangir Art Gallery, MG Road, Kala Ghoda.
CALL: 9967440683

MUSIC

Soothe your soul
Tonight Catch a performance by singer-songwriter Shanay Shah to add a soothing touch to your weekend. Apart from Western music, the versatile singer is also known for his renditions of Bollywood tracks and traditional Sufi songs.
TIME: 9.30 pm onwards
AT: Fat Man's Café & Grill, Tian Building, Gulmohar Road, JVPD, Juhu.
CALL: 26254446

Meet Jan Jaani
Sat, Mar 25 Swing to the tunes of singer-songwriter Jan Graveson, also known as Jan Jaani. Her set will be a blend of Alternative, Pop and Rock classics. Howard Pereira will accompany her on the guitar.
TIME: 8 pm onwards
AT: Thalassa, 21st Street, off Carter Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 9820004019

Find your FOMO fix
Sun, Mar 26 Attend the first edition of FOMO Fest and groove to diverse sounds by experimental outfit Bombay Black, singer-songwriter Monica Dogra (in pic) and Electro-Rock group Donn Bhat + Passenger Revelator. Meanwhile, Electronic artistes Zokhuma, Chhabb, DJ Beat2, Twisted Bass and Shivani Sawant will spin
Trance beats.
TIME: 12 pm onwards
AT: Razzberry Rhinoceros, Juhu Hotel.
CALL: 7400402604
ENTRY: Rs 500 (12 pm to 4 pm); Rs 1,000 (4 pm onwards)

WORKSHOP

Get a taste of Singapore
Today Learn to make Flat Rice Noodles with Fresh Herbs, Forest Mushroom Rice Spaghetti with Fried Shallot and Chinese-Style Pak Choy and Rice Vermicelli Soup at a Singaporean cuisine demo.
TIME: 5.30 pm
AT: Foodhall, Palladium, Lower Parel.
CALL: 30264581

FOOD & DRINK

Dine in the dark
Sat, Mar 25 If you're keen to do your bit for the planet, participate in Earth Hour celebrations, which also make for a great way to bond with your partner. Enjoy a candle-lit dinner and sip on glow-in-the-dark cocktails.
TIME: 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm
AT: Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Powai.
CALL: 66927491

COMEDY

Laugh away the stress
Tonight Stand-up comedians Amogh Ranadive, Sonali Thakkar and Abhishek Upmanyu will pull out new jokes from their bag at a special comedy gig. They are best known for their observational and anecdotal comedy.
TIME: 10 pm onwards
AT: Andheri Base, Whistling Woods Sharyans Audeus, Andheri (W)
CALL: 30916003
COST: Rs 200 onwards

WORK

Enter an open house
Today If you're a freelancer, head to the Open House at Todi Mill Social to avail of high-speed Wi-Fi, on-demand printing, office stationery and a 10 per cent discount on membership if you sign up on the spot. You can also participate in networking sessions planned by the team.
TIME: 9 am to 6 pm
AT: Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
CALL: 7045940448

Deal with the weekend

Cool off with hot stones
Ongoing Pamper yourself with spa therapies offered at 30 per cent discount. Opt for a 90-minute Hot Stones Therapy (Rs 4,500) done using volcanic basalt stones, or a 75-minute Rope Massage (Rs 3,500).
TIME: 11 am to 10 pm
AT: Caressaa Day Spa, Peninsula Grand Hotel, Andheri (E).
CALL: 28519191

Enjoy a girl's drunch out
Ongoing Catch up with your gal pals over a lunch, brunch or drunch and avail of 10 per cent discount on the entire bill. Enjoy eats like Rosemary Cottage Cheese Kebab and Salmon In Labb Sauce and sip on Orange Basil Mojito and Sunday Sangria.
TIME: 11 am to 3 pm
AT: Terttulia, Hotel Parkway, Ranade Road Extension, Dadar (W).
CALL: 24468833

Get high on beer
Till Sun, Mar 26 If you love beer, especially Bira, don't miss this offer. For every 330 ml bottle that you buy, you get a 500 ml can free.
TIME: 12.30 pm to 1 am
AT: Reise – All Day Bar & Kitchen, Tarun Bharat Society, Dr Karanjia Marg, near Cigarette Factory, Chakala, Andheri (E).
CALL: 33836086

Create your own Mandala
4 PM: Ever tried your hand at therapeutic art? A Mandala workshop organised by Bombay Drawing Room hopes to help you create great art that is also spiritually calming. The visually appealing design of the Mandala is said to enable you to steer away from irritating thoughts, which in turn allows you to develop a higher level of consciousness. It's a perfect exercise for the mind.
WHERE: Somaiya Centre for Lifelong Learning, M G Road, Kala Ghoda,
ENTRY: Rs 1,500
CALL: 9619273009

Enjoy quick grub
12.30 TO 4 PM: Too lazy to cook on a weekend? Head to the British Brewing Company that's out with a lavish Sunday buffet to scarf down a quick, delicious meal. From boiled eggs, smoked salmon, grilled sausages, salami with freshly baked foccacia, croissants, muffins and lavash, there's something for every palate.
WHERE: British Brewing Company, Level 4 & Level 5, Palladium, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
PRICE: Rs 1,200 per head with taxes; Rs 600 for kids between 6-12 years
CALL: 65656121

Bite into an icy treat
10 AM TO 12 PM: With summer around the corner, there's no better way to beat the heat than by enjoying lollies. Bright, peppy and fruity, popsicles are just what you need this weekend. Garde Manger has cherry picked a flavourful combination of these icy treats that you can devour along with their lunch and dinner staples.
WHERE: Garde Manger, 3, Paranjay Scheme Marg No 1, Paranjape Nagar, Vile Parle
CALL: 7045004488

Go on a heritage ride
4.30 PM: How about learning about the city's heritage while burning some calories? This unique heritage cycling trip in South Mumbai is the perfect way to wrap up the weekend. You'll start the cycling trip from Colaba towards Gateway of India. On the way, you will stop for interesting stories, fun facts, and of course, selfies! Cycles will be provided.
MEETING POINT: Colaba Sweet Mart, Ruby Terrace, Colaba Causeway, Apollo Bandar
ENTRY: Rs 1,100
TO BOOK: in.bookmyshow.com

Watch the funny men
12.30 TO 4 PM: Ready for some pure, unadulterated laughter? Cyrus Broacha and Kunal Vijayakar, two of the funniest men in Mumbai, are set to take the stage again, with 40 Shades of Grey Hair. Now, reinvented with new segments, the duo will tickle your funny bone with a stand-up cum theatrical revue that lampoons the life and times of Indian men.
WHERE: St Andrew's Auditorium, 55, Saint Domnic Road, Bandra West
ENTRY: Rs 100 – Rs 2,500
CALL: 9320130013

Catch a tribute show
8 PM: Here's how fans of classical Marathi music can spend their evening. Singers will come together to pay tribute to the two Big Bs of Marathi music Babuji (Sudhir Phadke) and Balashaeb (Hridaynath Mangeshkar). Catch Shriram Narsule, Makarand Gokhale, Amit Nikharge, among others, perform some of their most popular tracks.
WHERE: Shivaji Mandir, NC Kelkar Road, Kelkar Wadi, Dadar
ENTRY: Rs 100 – Rs 300
CALL: 9819314181

Attend a music fest
2 PM: What better way to spend your afternoon than swinging to great music. Get ready for some high-octane live acts at the FOMO FEST. Independent artistes will spin some new-age contemporary music with genres such as deep house, psychedelic rock and electro funk dominating the scene. And, it's going to be on till midnight.
WHERE: Razzberry Rhinoceros, Juhu Hotel, Airport Area, Juhu
ENTRY: Rs 500- Rs 1,000
CALL: 7400402604

Drape like a dream
MARCH 30, 5.30PM: If there's a versatile piece of clothing, it's the saree. And, Rta Kapur Chishti will certainly vouch for it. Her famed Sari School is in back in town. So, look beyond the Nivi drape, the saree as it is popularly worn, and explore new ways of draping it. This workshop will explore regional wearing styles and will be conducted by Kapur, who will show you four unique styles that you can use every day.
WHERE: ARTISANS' Gallery 52-56 V B Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda
ENTRY: Rs 1,500
LOG ON TO: insider.in

Dig into fusion food
ONGOING, 7 PM to 1 AM: Want to try a red velvet dhokla? Desi Culture, a new venture by Corum Hospitality, gives Indian food a twist. You could try items like chicken tikka sev puri and motichur tarts with elaichi foam. We'd recommend chef Gidwani's signature butter-chicken and dal makhni (cooked for over nine hours) learnt from alma-mater Padma Shri Imtiaz Qureshi.
WHERE: Desi Culture, C wing, Trade World, next to The Bar Stock Exchange, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
CALL: 24955766

Enjoy indie music
MARCH 29, 9.30 PM: Groove to talented indie artistes at the new edition of AWESTRUNG. The concert will feature singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, the energetic Local Train and Praveer Barot Projective, whose music is music is heavily inspired by The Beatles and Niravana.
WHERE: Courtyard, High Street Phoenix, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
FREE

Watch fave TV show over drinks
MARCH 27, 6 PM ONWARD: The House at Versova is hosting lazy Monday soaps wherein they will showcase TV shows that we all have seen in the past, but wouldn't mind watching again over scrumptious food and drinks. With the likes of Friends, Modern Family and How I Met Your Mother, they are open to showcase any other show as well. Entry is free.
WHERE: Bungalow 1, JP Road, Aram Nagar, Versova
CALL: 65264888

Give a cool makeover
ONGOING: This is a shoutout to salon professionals and stylists. Salonex is hosting an inter-salon competition along with hair and make-up competition. The event will be held in three categories — red carpet look, bridal and barbering games. Participants will have to send in their entries before March 30 and once selected, they will have to replicate the look at the finale on April 17.
LOG ON TO: http://www.salonex.in/competitions.aspx

Attend a charity event
MARCH 29, 10.30 AM ONWARD: Do your good deed for the day by attending a fundraising event by Tata Memorial Hospital, where proceeds of the exhibition go towards the cause of kids battling cancer. Titled Helping Hands, the exhibition will be a blend of philanthropy, fashion and food. Monisha Jaising, Farah Ali Khan and Kanika Kapoor will exhibit their collection.
WHERE: St Regis Hotel, Level 8, Lower Parel
LOG ON TO: www.helpinghandsindia.in

Take home a masterpiece
Ageless wonder
MARCH 27, 11 AM - 7 PM: Octogenarian Vishwanath Ram Kantak is frail, slightly bent and suffers from Parkinson's which makes his hands tremble and gait difficult. Yet, once he holds the paintbrush, his fingers weave magic. Check out the 82-year-old artist's new exhibition titled, Divine Vision, that comprises some stunning artworks. Monday is the last day to catch the exhibits.
WHERE: Jehangir Art Gallery 161-B, MG Road, Kala Ghoda
CALL: 9503344464

ORDER OF THE DAY

MONDAY, 27 MARCH
Get your dose of humour
8.30PM: If you think you have what it takes to be a stand up comic, sign up for this event. As an audience member, you can come and watch new talent take baby steps into the spotlight. You might even see some tragic attempts. Sourav Ghosh will be your host for the evening.
WHERE: Canvas Laugh Club, 3rd Floor, Palladium, High Street Phoenix, Tulsi Pipe Road, Lower Parel
ENTRY: Rs 200
CALL: 9004603115

TUESDAY, 28 MARCH
Celebrate Gudi Padwa
NOON - 12 AM: Enjoy traditional Maharashtrian fare on Gudi Padwa at Saptami. Vegetarians could try the paneer kala rassa, bharleli vangi, kale chanyachi ussal, dal varan and masala bhaat, while omnivores can dig into mutton Kolhapuri and kolambi chi biryani.
WHERE: Saptami, Holiday Inn, Sakina Junction, Andheri (East)
ENTRY: Rs 1,099 plus taxes
CALL: 40851800

WEDNESDAY, 29 MARCH
Let's talk health
4.30 PM: Macrobiotic nutritionist, Shonali Sabherwal, who specialises in improving immunity and managing weight, is holding a talk on her book, The Detox Diet. She will help you unravel the secret to weight-loss, anti-aging and how to beat bad bacteria.
WHERE: Who Are We Hall, first floor, Nehru Centre, Worli
RSVP TO: aratidesai@nehru-centre.org
FREE

THURSDAY, 30 MARCH
Play beer bingo
7 PM ONWARD: Play a game of beer bingo at The Irish House. First you grab a bingo card for yourself that will have 'IRISH' written on it with numbers in each letter. A staff member will call out the numbers. The winners receive cash vouchers, glasses of free beer and more.
WHERE: Level 2, Rampart Row, 30, K Dubash Marg, Above Royal Oak Banquets, Kala Ghoda, Fort
CALL: 7095949925
FREE

FRIDAY, 31 MARCH
Pay tribute to Nasir
5 PM: Celebrate the joyous cinema of Nasir Hussain on the 15th death anniversary of the legend. Author Akshay Manwani will take you through some of the finest moments in his cinematic journey. The Revolver Club will play music from Husain's films through the ages on vinyl.
WHERE: Godrej ONE, Auditorium, first floor, Vikhroli (East), (Entry from Eastern Express Highway)
RSVP to: indiaculturelab@godrejinds.com.

SATURDAY, 1 APRIL
Enjoy baos and burgers
ONGOING, 12.30 PM - 1 AM: Hoppipola has rolled out a burger, bao and beer festival. Order a paneer khurchan bao for Rs 175 and get a beer for R50. You could even try the specials like the pan fried chicken burger, falafel and kidney bean burger, seafood burger and a mutton shammi kebab burger.
WHERE: Across all outlets
ENTRY: Rs 200
CALL: 32038653 (Lower Parel)

Thunderbird. Pic/Illustrated by Tomislav Tomic © Bloomsbury Publishing 2017, taken from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

One for the muggle library

If you're a Potterhead, you'll love the updated version of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Bloomsbury; '599) that comes on shelves 16 years after JK Rowling gave muggles the original edition. An A to Z guide of the magical creatures lurking in the wizarding world, this one includes six new beasts (total of 81 species), new illustrations (neat work by Tomislav Tomic) and a revised foreword by the book's fictional author and magizoologist Newt Scamander. The breezy 144-pager teleported us into the Potter universe as familiar images of Hungarian Horntail and Basilisk flashed before our eyes. We also discovered incredible new beasts, including Thunderbird or Hidebehind. Apart from Scamander's wry humour, evident in the footnotes, we were hooked by the foreword, where he clarifies wild assertions made by Rita Skeeter and hints at being the secret-keeper for Albus Dumbledore. That's some fine foreshadowing, JK.

Gluten-free goodness

We've never shied away from going for the bread basket when it's placed in front of us at a restaurant. But, for those who have embarked on a let's-eat-healthy mission, Kitchen Garden by Suzette has launched the country's first organic, multigrain, gluten free bread, which they say looks and tastes like 'normal' bread. We decided to call for a loaf this week, not knowing what to expect. Organic goodness or just fancy jargon? The bread came as a nicely packaged gigantic loaf. The texture was soft and fluffy. You might not fall in love with it at first go, but with each bite the taste grows on you. Packed with nutrients and fibre, it's got the flavour of buckwheat. We had it with peanut butter and it went well. If you're having a PB & J craving, this could be the healthier version to try.

Blanco
If you are one of those who trips out on watching Laurel and Hardy make a fools of themselves, or Charlie Chaplin and his antics, then head to Blanco to rid yourself of the Monday blues. Sit on the open-air terrace and enjoy some comfort food like cheesy overloaded nachos, chilly cheese toast, fish fingers and home-made chicken nuggets. They also show Tom and Jerry cartoons as well. Who would want more?

Where: 201/202, Samarth Vaibhav, Lokhandwala Rd, Oshiwara, Andheri West
When: 5 pm to 8 pm
Call: 8097004656

The Pantry
Three years ago, at a time when short films were yet to be a rage, The Pantry in Kala Ghoda kick-started their short-film Fridays, wherein on the last Friday of every month, they'd screen a short, 8 pm onwards. Since then, it has been a regular hangout for film buffs. The screenings are organised by Cyrus Mistry's Shamiana Film Club and Manjari Makijany's Mac Productions. Diners can continue sitting at their tables while chairs for the audience are placed on the passageway between the tables. The next screening is on April 28.

Where: Plot No 14, ground floor, Yashwanth Chambers, B Bharucha Road, Kala Ghoda
Call: 22678901

Vkaao
Want Notting Hill to play in the background as you ask your girl to marry you? Or want to treat your action-crazy friend to a Transformer movie on his birthday? Vkaao at PVR allows you to do that with your whole gang in tow. They just rented a screen out for a proposal where the couple watched SRK tearjerker Veer-Zaara. Just get on their app and book a screen, and select from their 400+ library of Hollywood and Bollywood movies. You can either hoot at every scene or just shut your cellphones off. No one can tell you what to do anymore!

Where: PVR screens all over India
Cost: Same as a ticket cost, book on PVR website or app

Cuckoo Club
What's the point of watching an interesting film if you can't discuss it? The best part of this Bandra venue, is that often the cast/crew is brought on to conduct a Q&A with the audience. "When we screened The Stoning of Soraya M, a film that's banned in the US and Iran, we called the prinicipal of Sophia College, who has a deep understanding of Middle Eastern culture, to talk to the audience," says Sharin Bhatti of the Cuckoo Club.

Where: 5AA, Mac Ronells compound, next to Candies, St Andrews Road, Bandra West
Call: 9619962969

Harkat Studios
Movie nights at Aaram Nagar's Harkat give you the experience of watching a film with friends in someone's living room. This is a function of both, how they curate their guest list (you can drop and email at us@harkat.in) and that the space is, well, a living room. The films are usually indie creations and are joined by a theme for the day. Last Sunday's was 256 million colours of violence. The next one, though there's no date set, is slated to be a two-day fest of experimental films. You will share the space with 44 others. There's no entry fee, but you are welcome to donate to the cause.

Where: Bungalow #75, Aram Nagar 2, JP Road, Versova, Andheri West
Call: 26350064

Raasta
The party-hard venue turns into a quieter, intellectual space come Sunday when they screen indie Hollywood movies. Last Sunday, they screened Eddie Redmayne's controversial Danish Girl, which has since been banned from airing in the country. It seats around 400 people and there's free entry. Also, you can order your food and booze to your seat. This sounds too good to be true.

Where: 4th Floor, Rohan Plaza, Road no 5, Khar,
Call: 8655000811

Join an improv show
7.30 PM: Are you a fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway? If, yes, this desi version might just interest you. Join artistes Ankit Challa and Avinash Verma as they take suggestions from you to create an explosive and entertaining show. Incorporating music, theatre and comedy, this show will be nothing like anyone has seen before.

Where: The Cuckoo Club, 5AA Pali Hill, Macronells Compund, Side of Learners Academy Bandra West
Entry: Rs 350
Call: 9619962969

Paint like Picasso
4 PM: Spend your evening at a workshop, where you will be taught how to create cubist paintings - a style of art developed by Pablo Picasso. The unique form of expression draws inspiration from tribal art forms and modern thinking. No prior experience is needed.

Where: Four Seasons Hotel, Gandhi Nagar, Dr E Moses Road, Upper Worli, Worli
Entry: Rs 2,050
Call: 9619273009

Sip into a mango treat
12.30 PM to 1 AM: Your affair with the king of fruits just got bigger and better. This weekend, head to the Mighty Small Cafe and lose your soul and heart to delectable varieties of special mango cocktails and mocktails at the mango drinks festival. You can sip on some lip-smacking thirst quenchers like Mango Pulse, Chatpata Martini, Mango-hito, Mango Cream Delight and many more.

Where: Mighty Small Cafe, SMAAASH, Kamala Mills Compound, Gate No 4, Lower Parel
Price: Rs 249 onwards
Call: 49143143

Go for this
Analyse dreams with art
11 AM TO 7 PM: What do your dreams look like? Are they colourful, maze-like or are they monochrome? Catch Kolkata-based artist Tusar Kanti Pradhan reveal his unique perceptions about dreams and nostalgic memories of the past, with his mixed media exhibition. Some of the works depict his shared memories of people, people struggling in cities for their survival, but still bearing the organic traces of their rural origin and a complex sense of belonging. For this exhibition, the artiste dabbles with mixed media and natural pigment on paper.

Where: Jehangir Art Gallery, 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda
Call: 22843989

Relish a Cantonese meal
7 PM onward: Call the weekend a wrap with a lavishly designed three-course set menu featuring a variety of chef's special Cantonese dishes. You can begin your meal with the mock duck salad followed by any two small eats. For the main course, you can choose between stir-fry chicken with black bean and stir-fry Indian salmon, before ending it with a mandarin sorbet.

Where: Hakkasan, 206, Krystal, Waterfield Road, Linking Road, Bandra West
Entry: Rs 1,750 per person
Call: 26444444

Enjoy a soulful evening
7 PM: Enjoy a scintillating evening, titled Lataasha with Pancham, that will bring alive the magic of legendary playback singers, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, and composer RD Burman.

Vocalists Shailaja Subramanian, Sampada Goswami and Alok Katdare, along with a live orchestra of 35 musicians, will perform to some of their most super-hit melodies.

Where: Ravindra Natya Mandir, Near Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Sayani Road, Prabhadevi
Entry: Rs 250 – Rs 1,500
To Book: in.bookmyshow.com

Groove to Bachata
5 PM: This afternoon, take that boat and head straight to Raigad for an evening of dance and music. Artiste Dhanashree Mehta will get you grooving with a Bachata workshop that will get your heart racing and your feet tapping. You will return to the city rejuvenated.

Where: Beach Box, Mandwa Jetty, Kolgaon, Raigad
Entry: Rs 700
Call: 8291902662

Catch an animated film
6.30 PM: Watch the Secret of Kells, a story of young Brendan who lives in a remote medieval outpost which is under siege from barbarians. One day, a master illuminator arrives carrying an ancient but unfinished book, containing secret wisdom. To help complete the book, Brendan has to go on a quest.

Where: Alliance Française Auditorium, 40, Theosophy Hall, New Marine Lines
Call: 22035993

Put memories to canvas
11 AM - 7 PM: Drop by at Jehangir Art Gallery to catch a glimpse of an exhibition by Kolkata-based artist Tusar Kanti Pradhan. Tilted Nocturnal Dreams, it reveals his artistic perceptions about memories of the past along with nocturnal illustrations about people, old trees and heritage.

Where: Jehangir Art Gallery, No 3, MG Road, Kala Ghoda
Call: 22843989

Get high on brew
Till April 15, 11 AM - 11 PM: AKA Bistro has launched a new bakes and brews menu. You can opt for an XOXO latte which contains double espresso, chocolate syrup and truffle oil. Mojito lovers can have the offee mojito with espresso, mint, lime and orange.

Where: AKA Bistro, 121 Nagindas Master Road, ground floor, Radha Bhavan, Kala Ghoda, Fort
Entry: Rs 150 onwards
Call: 9029293968

Hear songs of peace
7.30 PM: Watch Ekam Satt, a musical conceptualised and orchestrated by Ameya Dabli featuring Devaki Pandit (in pic) and Rakesh Chaurasiya. With an aim to spread the message of love and unity, the concert is curated in a way to make the audience pause and reflect.

Where: Nehru Centre, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli
Entry: Rs 300- Rs 3,000
Call: 24920510

LOL with Johny Lever
8.45 PM: Johny Lever will tickle your funny bone with his live stand-up show. In this session, Lever incorporates references and his witty observations to do with social media, politics, human behaviour, pop culture, cultural affairs and technology, among others.

Where: Vishnudas Bhave Natyagruha, Hindurao Patil Marg, Sector 16A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai
Entry: Rs 300-2,500
Log On To: bookmyshow.com

Join a midnight peddle
11. 30 PM: Explore the spellbinding coastal route of the city in the night. Your task is to completing 25 km; it starts from Colaba (Causeway) and ends at Band Stand (Bandra) taking multiple halts at Marine Drive, Shivaji Park, Worli Sea Face and beyond.

Where: Colaba Causeway
Entry: Rs 999
Log On To: www.mumbaitravellers.com

Book ahead
Revive ancient Indian weaves
April 13- 15, 10.15 AM - 12 PM: Vastrabharana, a textile fundraiser that has been initiated by the Craft Council of Karnataka, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. And, for the first time the event will take place in Mumbai. The exhibition, which is dedicated to reviving languishing handicrafts, will showcase unique textiles such as Palash weaves from Orissa, Kimkhwāb fabrics that originated in the Moghul era and Kalamkari, an ancient art form that was started by weavers in Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh.

Where: Coomaraswamy Hall, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Call: 22844484

Dine in the dark
April 4, 8 PM and 10 PM: They say the first bite is always with the eyes. But, what do you do when you're blindfolded? TAG GourmArt Kitchen by chef Ranveer Brar will provide this experience at Tickle Your Sense - a first of its kind blindfolded dinner experience. The chef will surprise you with a five-course vegetarian menu inspired from his travels in Europe. The idea is to enjoy your food without the use of one of your primary senses.

Where: TAG GourmArt Kitchen, 1st Floor, Kamala City, OSS Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Lower Parel
Entry: Rs 1,200
Call: 8850566538

Humour dose
Laugh out loud
April 16, 7 PM: Remember the riot Laughter in the House sparked at the box office four years ago? The same team of vintage stars, leading a younger ensemble cast, will present its sequel, Laughter in the House – 2. This tribute to Adi Marzban has yet another choice selection of skits and songs from the legendary writer.

Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point
Entry: Rs 200 to Rs 1,200
Call: 6223742

Enjoy delish aamras
Ongoing, 12 PM - 11 PM: Satisfy your mango craving by sipping on delicious aamras at Golden Star Thali. The Charni Road restaurant is offering unlimited aamras every Saturday and Sunday - in addition to the sweets that accompany the thali. They also serve a bowl of complimentary aamras on weekdays from Monday to Friday. If you want to continue the party at home, they have the same in ½ litre & 1 litre packs.

Where: Golden Star Thali, 330, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road, Opera House, Girgaon
Call: 23671952

Chill with the ladies
April 5, 8.30 PM: Chalta Hai Comedy's new edition of Dame Funny will see Trupti Khamkar (in pic), improv artist Jeeya Sethi and writers Sumaira Shaikh and Urooj Ashfaq and IIM drifter Prashasti Singh at the event. Since Wednesdays are ladies nights at The Barking Deer, they will be giving away the first drink to all ladies at Rs 5. Men can come early and enjoy happy hours on the house brews and select liquor till 8 pm.

Where: The Barking Deer, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Entry: Rs 150 for ladies, Rs 250 for rest
Call: 61417400

Enjoy Gujrati poetry
April 8, 5 PM: Listen to Udayan Thakker and Dileep Jhaveri, two veterans of Gujarati poetry, as they discuss the form and its rich heritage and read their popular work in the language. While Thakker's poetry collection Ekavan (1987) was awarded by Jayant Pathak Poetry Award of 1987-88, Jhaveri is writing has received the Critic's Award (1989), the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad award (1990).

Where: Mithibai College, Conference Hall, Gulmohar Road, Suvarna Nagar, Juhu Scheme, Vile Parle (West)
Entry: Rs 200
Log On To: bookmyshow.com

Last Sunday evening, nearly 400 people made it to Juhu's Novotel Hotel to watch a screening of Pulp Fiction. What made the evening special was that the "seats" i.e. the gaddas were laid by the pool, with cool breeze blowing in from the Arabian Sea.

It was the first film screening in the city organised by SteppinOut Movie Nights, which has presence across Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore. Ojal Kulkarni, the brand head for the firm, says they chose Novotel for its cool vibe and plan a movie night at the venue every two months.

In a city that's brimming with cinephiles it only makes sense to have non-commercial venues that will screen the classics as well as the indie films. And, Novotel promises to be a killer of a venue. Tickets will range from Rs 300 to Rs 400 and the movies will be chosen after a poll is conducted on their FB page.

But, if you can't wait until then to catch a screening of some well-curated films, along with other lovers of cinema, here are the some of the other venues in the city to watch out for.

ACP Sanjay Kadam starts his day early at the gym, before heading to his office in Bandra West. Pic/RANE ASHISH

Right opposite Dongri police station, cut only by a turning road-strip, is a small ground that sees a flurry of activity every evening. Men in khakhi head out here post work, and engage in a few minutes of pushing and pulling under the dim street lighting, before finally calling it a day.

The open-air gymnasium was started 18 months ago. Until then, the vacant plot doubled up as a makeshift storage area for seized goods. But, with a fitness-conscious senior police inspector, Nitin Bangale, at the helm of affairs, the force had a slim chance of escaping a tough physical regime. When not manning his jurisdiction, Bangale goads his juniors to train with him. In 2015, when Sangram Balasaheb Kadam, a trained body-builder, joined as sub-inspector, Bangale found a willing partner to fuel this obsession. Together, they pump enough iron to put Salman Khan to shame. But, could that be said of the rest of the force serving in the 97 police stations within the city's jurisdiction?

Last month, after the Mumbai police fired back at author Shobhaa De for a tweet that fat-shamed a cop, whom she had incorrectly assumed was from Mumbai Police, the force made no pretence at hiding its disdain. Whether this confidence had anything to do with the healthy turnaround that they have witnessed of late, was what piqued our interest. What we learnt on our 'fit cop' trail was that Bajirao Singham and Chulbul Pandey aren't just figments of Bollywood's popular imagination. Some of them are right there in your nearby police thana. The success stories, however, weren't written overnight. They have been in the making for years.

Seasons of change
Mumbai Police historian Deepak Rao says it was Arvind Inamdar, who first introduced the rigours of exercise within the force as joint commissioner of police, crime, in 1987. Now, 77 years old, the retired Mumbai-based top cop, recalls, "Back in the 1980s, the gang wars in Mumbai were at their peak. To tackle them, we started the Special Operations Squad (SOS), with brand new weaponry. But, unless they were physically fit, they wouldn't be able to fight anyone. So, every morning, I would meet them and run with them for at least six kms." However, this fizzled out after five years.

While some health initiatives were revived years later under former CP MN Singh (2002), the noose around ill-health only tightened during the last decade, says Rao. "Unlike earlier, 80 per cent of the force takes fitness seriously. You don't see hawaldars or officers smoking on duty these days," says Chimaji Adhav, inspector, crime branch, Unit 11.

When the present CP, Datta Padsalgikar, took over the post on January 31, 2016, he was confronted with disturbing figures from the previous year's health report. Of the 163 policemen, who reportedly died in 2015, 30 per cent had suffered from heart-related ailments. Long-work hours, stress, and poor-eating habits, were leading contributors to the problem.

Work hours re-jigged
Within a few months of taking charge, Padsalgikar called for a meeting of all senior cops to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

Top on the to-do list was slashing work hours of constables, who form 80 per cent of the force, from 12 to eight. "The idea was to ensure that the constable gets enough time to spend with his family and also exercise. This would ultimately make him mentally and physically fit," said joint CP (Law & Order) Deven Bharti. However, the project is still a work in progress.

Eight months ago, the Mumbai police also launched a free health-check drive, which made it compulsory for every cop to get an annual medical test done.

Defining a cop's fitness
What makes for a fit cop? Someone who has "learnt to start his day with fruit and not chai," says nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, who has been working with the Mumbai police since 2016. Phase 1 of the Mumbai Police Welfare Project kicked off in October, in Zone IX wherein for over three months, she and her team visited all police stations on Tuesdays and Thursdays to conduct morning and evening sessions. Here, they would share inexpensive tips on diet and relaxation. They also tied up with gyms to help policemen get access to quality workout facilities. "They were reluctant at first — the eight chais a day didn't come down to two for everyone, but we got it down to five. The banana became the first meal of the day. As they observed positive changes in their body, they became more receptive," says Diwekar. The second phase of the programme will see her working with police representatives, in a more feedback-led module.

For holistic health professional Mickey Mehta, who continues to work closely with the Mumbai police, fitness in the force is more about mental resilience. "A cop who can clock in 15 hours a day and still has the energy to go on, is a fit cop. They, I feel, are more tenacious than their counterparts in Delhi and Haryana. The amount of pressure these guys can take is not funny," says Mehta, who conducted a training camp at Naigaon last year. The road to fitness, he says, is an uphill one for the police. There aren't enough training facilities, and maintaining a diet is a challenge. But, he rules out the need for gyms. "We don't want beefcakes. We are looking at resilient cops, not athletic ones. I recommend a desi workout — 21 minutes of dand baithak (push-ups/squats), stretching, naukasan (boat pose), chakrasan (wheel pose), dhanurasan (bow pose). They need more of military drills and agility training. For instance, I'd scatter potatoes on the ground and make them collect them in the least time possible."

While expert guidance is always at hand, the force too, has its own set of in-house experts. Inspector Sanjay Nikam, crime branch, was a fitness enthusiast even before joining the force in 2001. However, for him the need for mental strength trumps physical fitness. "When you don't have the opportunity to maintain a proper diet and get good rest, it is only your mental strength that keeps you going," says the 41-year-old, who set up a gym at the Wadala (East) police station, which was his first posting. "That gym is still used by policemen. Later, when I moved to Unit 4, I built one on the upper floor," says the inspector who would organise body-building competitions between 2001 and 2006, for the police force. Nikam's sustained efforts also inspired his seniors, who have followed his example and provided fitness equipment at their respective outposts.

DCP Dr Vinay Rathod enjoys the advantage of being a medical expert himself. "Having worked as a resident in one of Nagpur's busiest medical colleges has helped me deal with stress and pain. That comes handy when my staff approaches me for help. If someone has migraine or acidity, I'll recommend anulom vilom. The body's well-being impacts the mind and vice versa," says Rathod, who has run the half marathon for five years.

An endearing image
Sub-inspector Sangram, who grew up idolising Ashok Kamte, former additional CP, Mumbai police, still remembers the late cop toiling away at his gym in Kolhapur, during a brief posting there. Another popular role model is Himanshu Roy. ACP Sanjay Kadam says, "He changed how people perceived the police force. When he walked into the crowd, people scattered, not out of fear, but respect."

The ACP says that when a cop is fit, his confidence "increases by 100 per cent". "It boosts your morale," he says, adding that you begin to feel like a 'superhuman,' which changes how you handle work too.

Image consultant Rukhsana Eisa stresses on the importance of a smart-looking cop, because that has a direct impact on how the public perceives them. "Fitness will translate into confidence and that in turn will lend them a positive demea-nour while interacting with people. If they maintain a correct posture and a level of hygeine, it only adds to the overall image of a fit cop. This way, the feeling of negativity that people generally tend to associate with the police, will fade away."

ACP Sanjay Kadam starts his day early at the gym, before heading to his office in Bandra West.  PIC/SHADAB KHAN

Sanjay Kadam, 56ACP, Bandra police division
I begin my day at 6 am with a glass of milk and four almonds. An hour later, I head to the gym. I become a child in the gym, working out for at least two hours. I do a combination of weights, cardio and functional exercises. If I had to give advice on staying healthy, I would suggest taking packed lunch from home. On most days, my dabba comprises four to five rotis and sabzi. I eat rice only on Sundays. I don't smoke, drink or have tea.

Mickey Mehta, holistic health professional
Mehta says, "A cop who can clock in 15 hours a day and still has the energy to go on, is a fit cop. Mumbai cops, I feel, are more tenacious than their counterparts in Delhi and Haryana. The amount of pressure these guys can take, is not funny." For tenacious cops, not beefcakes, he recommends a desi workout of dand baithaks and yoga asanas.

Rujuta Diwekar, nutritionist
Diwekar and her team have been working with the force since 2016, sharing inexpensive diet and fitness tips. She says making the banana the first bite of the day is a small victory.

Arvind Inamdar is believed to have introduced the rigours of exercise within the force as joint commis-sioner of police, crime, in 1987

Himanshu Roy, former ATS Maharashtra chief, says ACP Sanjay Kadam, changed how people perceived the police force with his image.

Sub-inspector Sangram Balasaheb Kadam often works out with his immediate boss, senior PI Nitin Bangale, at a gym near Dongri police station. Pic/SHADAB KHAN 

Sangram Balasaheb Kadam, 29 Sub-inspector, Dongri Police Station
There's never a fixed schedule [for a police officer]. But, if I start work at 8 am, I wake up at 6.30 am. My diet is different because I am training to become a professional bodybuilder. I begin my day with six boiled eggs, one boiled sweet potato and oats soaked in water. I pack my own dabba. So, around 10 am, irrespective of where I am, I eat three boiled eggs, and a sweet potato. For lunch, I eat two chapatis and 300gm boiled chicken. This is followed by a cup of brown rice and 2 boiled eggs at 5 pm. At 9 pm, just before my workout, I have 3 boiled eggs again and mosambi juice, followed by a protein shake. Dinner is at around 12.30 and is the same as lunch.

DCP Vinay Rathod runs at least 15-20 km each week. Pic/BIPIN KOKATE

Dr Vinay Rathod DCP (Detection), Crime Branch
I joined Force 1 (a specialised counter terrorism unit) in 2011. For this, you need to undergo commando training for two months, where you run 25 km in full gear, while carrying 30 kg. I completed my training and then ran my first half marathon in 2011. Since then, running has become a part of life. I run three times a week and try to clock 15-20 km over seven days. As marathon season approaches, I increase the mileage to 17 km and then leave it at that. Also, while running the race, I am not keen on minimising time. I finish it comfortably in 2.5 hours. I intend to take my officers on regular treks as part of their physical training.

Inspector Chimaji Adhav swims twice a week to stay fit. Pic/NIMESH DAVE

Chimaji Adhav, 47 Inspector, Crime Branch, Unit 11
I wake up at 5.30 am and head out for a one-hour morning walk. I follow that with an hour in the gym in my housing society, where I do weights, skip-jumping and walk the treadmill. Twice a week, I swim. For breakfast, I have chapati-bhaji and do a light lunch if I get the time, which is usually three days a week. Else, I make do with a vada pao and bananas. For dinner, I have chapati-bhaji and one glass of milk.

Inspector Sanjay Nikam carries a mobile workout kit wherever he goes, so that he doesn’t miss a session

Sanjay Nikam, 41 Inspector, Crime Branch, Unit 4
I follow a seven-day workout rule because during a work week, you are bound to miss at least one day. My morning and evening workout schedule lasts from 6.30 to 8.30 am, and 20 minutes after 9 pm. In the morning I do cardio and weights. In the night, it's walking, running and lunges. I also carry a mobile workout kit, comprising extension, rollers and dip sets. That helps me maintain my schedule even when I'm on duty, especially out-station. I begin my day with 15 egg whites and a glass of protein shake, followed by a light lunch of three chapatis and bhaji (if possible). Between 4 and 5 pm, I have 100 grams of chicken. At 7 pm, I have a light snack with coffee. This is my last meal for the day. I only have a glass of warm water before going to bed.

Constable Sushant Mohite is professional body builder and continues to participate at events

Sushant Mohite, 30 Constable, LOCAL ARMS DIVISION, MAROL
I wake at 6 am, and eat an apple, three boiled egg whites, and brown bread or chapati. At 10 am, I eat two to three idlis, a banana and drink a glass of mosambi juice. If I don't manage to get my hands on this, I eat a sandwich without butter and potatoes. For lunch, I eat boiled chicken, chapatis and salad. Around 5 pm, I eat dry fruit, apple and some boiled eggs. Dinner is light with salad and fruit. I work out twice a day — 20 minutes in the morning and another 20 in the evening. I have struggled with my fitness, but a disciplined lifestyle has helped.