Cart before the horse
A woman passes by a vegetable cart parked between horse statues at the entrance of a Ganpati pandal in Gorai.
Silver offerings for Bappa
Rane Kothare
The celebration for Ganesha’s arrival in the city might have undergone many upgrades, but a few faithful old traditions continue without any changes. Dr Anita Rane Kothare, head of department, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, St Xavier’s College (Autonomous) celebrated one such unique family tradition this year.
A view of the miniature toys and animals in silver on display at the panda
“This is the 25th year of our celebration. We always create an eco-friendly baby Ganesha that we immerse in a pond on our own terrace,” she shared. But what makes it even more interesting is the presentation that accompanied it. Dr Kothare’s home is often decked with silver toys, dating back over a century.
A collection of silver kitchen toys and fruits; the eco-friendly baby Ganesha idol. Pics Courtesy/Dr Anita Rane Kothare
“They are traditional silver toys that are over 125 years old. Every year, one or two are added to the collection. These toys have been passed down from generation to generation. Initially, our Ganesha was not immersed. It was termed as Toy Ganesh or Khetla Ganesh. The Pathare Prabhu community started this tradition as a support to Lokmanya Tilak’s call. The family tradition with puja and immersion began after my marriage, 25 years ago. But we have kept the tradition of toys and porcelain. So, the porcelain is 150 years old, like the old silver miniatures,” she revealed.
Scrabble words on their mind
Suyash Manchali of India (left) in a game against Pakistan’s Affan Salman at the 2024 WYSC in Sri Lanka. Pic Courtesy/Rustom Deboo
A team of 12 Indian youngsters are headed to Kuala Lumpur to represent India at the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC) that begins today. Coached by Neeta Bhatia, the team includes three Mumbai players and Delhiite Madhav Gopal Kamath (14) who is the current National Scrabble champion. Ranked eighth globally, and India’s youngest ever, he is a strong contender. Suyash Manchali, the current under-16 world champion, who finished second at WYSC 2024 will also be part of the team. Rustom Deboo, secretary, Scrabble Association of India, said that Scrabble is stamping its presence as a mind sport across India. For enthusiasts looking to sign up, check out indianscrabble.com for details.
Music knows no boundaries
Jonita Gandhi (extreme right) at the third day of the session
In an effort to amplify Indian music internationally, the Indian Performing Rights Society Ltd. (IPRS) joined hands with The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and SOCAN Foundation to host KOLAB Indo-Canadian Songwriting Camp 2025. The exchange programme was held at The True School of Music, Vijaybhoomi University Campus in Karjat from August 23 to 29. It saw 22 Indian and Canadian artistes who mentored the next-generation creators to compose original music that promotes cultural exchange. “With creative guidance from mentors such as Mannan Shaah, Bunty Bains and Mayur Puri along with a talented line-up of artistes including Jonita Gandhi, Tesher, and Vicky Dhillon, the collaboration aims to bring Indian creators on the global stage,” Rakesh Nigam, CEO, IPRS told us.
Rakesh Nigam
Sounds in the air
Trishina Kirpalani (with console) performs on the paragliding trip. Pic Courtesy/Trishina Kirpalani
For SoBo-based Trishina Kirpalani aka TRYPS, an invite to DJ in Himachal Pradesh earlier in June proved to be the start of an unlikely experiment. While exploring this region, Kirpalani took a paragliding trip with her DJ console in tow. “It was supposed to be an entire party, but the wind was not on our side. So, I did it by myself. The console was strapped around my neck, and support equipment held it together. The more challenging part was the take-off. It was connected to a bike battery, and I had to run with it all to get the momentum to take off,” she said. If that were not enough, this was the first time the 24-year-old had ever attempted paragliding. “I had three test flights before I did the final one. It was quite an experience, and I already have plans to return in October to make another attempt,” she shared.
Spidey surprises
The new species of Hasarius Simon 1871 spider. Pic Courtesy/Jatin Joshi
This weekend, at an overnight camp by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), arachnophiles are in for a fun time. Called In Search of Spiders, the camp will be held at BNHS’s CEC site in Goregaon. Many spider species remain unknown, including Hasarius Simon 1871, which was recently discovered in Mumbai by PhD student Pranav Joshi. Programme co-ordinator Shardul Bajikar informed us that the goal is to explore spider diversity during the monsoon. Check out @bombay-naturalhistorysociety to sign up.
