The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Satej Shinde
Between the lines
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Commuters throw caution to the wind as they hop between two stationary trains at Borivli railway station
Walls come alive
Raj Pathare paints graffiti in Marol
India’s first Stylebound International Graffiti Jam is set to unfold on January 25 and 26 in Marol. This event is inspired by Meeting of Styles, a popular international series of graffiti events, which organiser Raj Pathare aka Mooz attended in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil. “During my visits, I thought to myself, why can’t we host similar international events here in India,” Pathare told us. The event on January 26 will feature 14 artists, including Mynt, Pokar and Birne from Germany. The graffiti wall is 500 feet long, and has been a canvas for many artists over the years. “Graffiti is still in its nascent stage in India. I’m hoping this showcase grabs some eyeballs so we can build something bigger soon,” concluded Pathare, adding that a larger-scale event will take stage in November 2025.
Walk to remember
Participants at a previous walk on Swami Vivekananda Road in Bandra
City-based walkability advocacy group Walking Project will remember Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary on January 12 with four simultaneous walks along Swami Vivekananda Road. “Vivekananda was a believer in service to humanity. Nearly 50 lakh people reside along SV Road alone. The biggest service the authorities can do these citizens is giving them a safe and accessible road,” shared programme manager Vedant Mhatre. Those keen to join can register at @walkingprojectindia.
We see you, Sunita!
A recent photograph of Sunita Williams aboard the ISS. PIC COURTESY/Instagram
Is she back yet? — a question that’s been on every space enthusiast’s mind since the news of astronaut Sunita Williams’ indefinitely delayed return from the International Space Station reached us. When Khar-based artist Ruchita Madhok’s son posed the same question, it led to a meticulously planned meeting between two worlds. After detailed research and calculations, Madhok captured the ISS flying above Mumbai at 6.08 am on Tuesday from her Khar residence.
The fly-by of the ISS (inset, enlarged) captured through a series of images in Khar
“Sunita Williams is our hero. We studied the information available on the NASA app to calculate the exact time of the fly-by. Using a tripod and my phone camera, we captured and merged a series of photographs of the vessel to show its movement. It was an overwhelming moment of pure awe and admiration,” revealed Madhok. After the five-minute-long sighting, which Madhok revealed is not a usual occurrence, the duo bid the ISS adieu with a message that speaks for all of us: Come back soon!
A classic mix
Roopkumar Rathod with Sarabjeet Singh at the Mahalaxmi restaurant
Earlier this week, patrons at a popular SoBo restaurant caught a rare glimpse of singer and composer Roopkumar Rathod’s obsession with Western classical music. Rathod, who was dining at Gallops in Mahalaxmi, joined Goregaon-based pianist Sarabjeet Singh’s performance midway to appreciate his rendition of Rathod’s song Tujh mein rab. “We discussed music, and I requested him to sing a few lines with me. Instead, Rathod ji surprised everyone by playing Beethoven’s Für Elise. He later expressed his keen interest in learning Western classical piano,” revealed Singh.
An offline thread to unwind
Members gather at the park in Borivli
If fatigue tends to set in and you’re always on the lookout for ways to slow down over weekends, Borivli-based community Local Thread’s new initiative, Offline Hours might be a good place to start. Inspired by the work of global movements like The Offline Club in Europe and local initiatives such as the Why Loiter? campaign and the numerous other reading clubs that have in the city, the aim of this new collective is to promote self-paced community activities in public spaces.
With their first session scheduled at the Borivli Sanskrutik Kendra Van Vihar this Saturday, the collective already has a bunch of plans in motion, “Offline Hours is a small, weekly act of resistance against the fast-paced, individualistic city life. Our aim is to create a safe and accessible environment where everyone can simply be present in the moment together — whether through reading, writing, painting, or simply strolling leisurely in a park. As the community matures, we’d like to assess the condition of public spaces and advocate for improvements as well,” Joshua Thomas (right), co-founder, told this diarist.
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