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Mumbai Rains: Portion of Mumbra bypass collapses in Thane

A portion of Mumbra bypass collapsed on a house in a chawl near Uday Nagar area on Saturday following heavy downpour in the district. A fire brigade had reached the site for the rescue operation, however, no casualties and injuries have been reported so far.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai witnessed severe water-logging on the streets after the city received heavy downpour, leading to traffic snarls and flight delays.

The downpour, however, had a limited impact on flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. "There are no flight diversions or cancellations yet.

The flights have delayed by 15-20 minutes," Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) said. Monsoon has already hit Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and North-East, and will move up north from Maharashtra in the upcoming days.

*Also read: Mumbai rains: Despite IMD's warning of heavy showers, the city managed to stay afloat*

*Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. **Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates*

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"The institute has removed the protest site from the main gate. It was done in absence of the students without any prior intimation. Posters from the site and other material was removed. This is in contempt of the court order, which had allowed for a peaceful demonstration to continue. We strongly condemn these autocratic actions by the TISS administration and will bring back the protest site," said Fahad Ahmad, who is spearheading the protest, which is now on day 109.

When contacted, an official from TISS said, "This is completely untrue. Following the heavy rains on Friday night, there was a lot of mess at the protest site. Since the students didn't appear to clean to it up till Saturday, we took the responsibility of cleaning it. It is in no way stopping students from protesting."

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Next weekend, the Centre of Extra-Mural Studies at the Mumbai University's Kalina campus is organising an "ancient games weekend", held in association with INSTUCEN Trust. The centre's faculty and students, have gone back in time to recreate about a dozen games that were popularly played across the subcontinent. With tweaks and regional variations, these games were known by different names in various parts of the country.

The event is helmed by Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, a researcher with INSTUCEN, and two students at the department — architect Dr Radha A Sinha and Dnyaneshwari Kamath, after they saw a tremendous interest among the public. To help our readers get a feel of the event, we headed to the Kalina campus on a weekday for a sneak peek. We are accompanied by two friends to try our hands at three games by rolling dices and ensnaring tigers. We realised that these centuries-old games are highly addictive and will bring out the competitive side in you. So, consider this as a statutory warning.

*Navara-Navari*

Raghavan suggests we start with Ashta Chamma, as it's called in Telugu. The version we play is called Navara-Navari, which translates to 'husband-wife' or 'groom-bride'. "The game is based on the Ramayana. It could refer to Ram and Sita's wedding, or when Ram had to rescue her from Ravan's hands in Lanka and bring her back home — essentially a man fetching a woman," says Raghavan.

The four-player game looks hardly intimidating, with its small board and chess coins in pairs. The ladies, in the form of chess queens, wait it out at the centre of the board, while their male-kings, stand outside the board. Dr Sinha says that originally the game was etched on temple floors and courtyards, where people could gather and play a few rounds.

I am pitted against Dr Sinha, and two student volunteers from the centre. Your moves are decided by cowries, and, for the longest time into the game, I am ill-fated to have the lowest score. While other grooms race around the board, mine moves at a disappointing speed. To make things worse, he gets knocked out by a competing groom, who settles in the same square as my piece. Had my groom been in one of the four "forts" on the board, he'd have been safe.

Still, the game is far from over. Once the couples are paired up, they need to hurry back to the groom's place, moving together. Raghavan tells us that there is a catch — on the way back, your cowries need to earn you even turns. So, if your couple gets four, they can move two squares, one for each piece. "As a couple, they can't be struck down by single pieces," he says. Call it the power of love or strength in numbers.

Raghavan adds that ancient variations of the game dealt with caste politics. I wouldn't mind a bit of gender role reversals, though. Let Sita rescue Ram for a change?

*Pallanguzhi**Pics/Pradeep Dhivar*

The other game I try out, came with a lot of nostalgia value. Having spent summer holidays in Tamil Nadu, it was common to see young girls sitting together and playing Pallanguzhi with tamarind seeds. I never understood the game, until a demo session was offered by student, Yogini Aatreya.

The game has a wooden board shaped like a muffin mould in two rows. A two-player game, each row represents your house. Each cup is like a room, comprising five cowries. To win, you need to empty the rooms and claim your opponent's house entirely. You do so by picking shells from one cup and distributing them in the others. You keep emptying and distributing, until you reach a hollow cup. When you do, you can claim the adjacent cups cowries, in both your row and your opponent's.

It's seemingly simple, but the game relies on probability. The game is easily portable — something you can take to the park nearby or to your friend's place and aimlessly while away time. But where do you get one of these? The one I played with belongs to Aatreya's family, sourced from Bengaluru. There are e-commerce platforms that retail these too, but I think your local carpenter might get a kick out of fashioning one for you.

*Wagh Bakri*

I got my friends, Apurupa Vatsalya and Bhavin Bhatt, to team up against the more expert student players for Wagh Bakri (Tiger and Goat), as it's known here, and one that was widely played in parts of Europe too. Dr Sinha says that the team found a Wagh Bakri template carved on the floor of a temple near Osmanabad. "Oddly enough, the stone had been transferred to the wall, probably during repairs," she says. Still, they got the template copied on a granite stone. There are some beautiful textile ones made by the students and faculty, too. You may want one of those, at this rate.

Vatsalya and Bhatt play on vinyl copy. Wagh Bakri is an intense, absorbing strategy game, in which one player assumes the role of the tiger, and the other, the goat. The goats need to trap the tigers. Else, the tigers will jump over undefended goats, and kill them. If a tiger has his fill of five goats, he wins. If the goats are able to successfully trap all three tigers, then the meek are indeed mighty. The game is a lot like chess, and can go on for hours. Raghavan tells me that several ancient games are so, as people played till dusk brought their games to a halt. "They would set the game aside carefully, and resume it the next day," he says.

*When: June 16-17, 8 am- 6 pm*
*Registration: On the spot. Rs 50 for individuals; Rs 200 (team of six) per game*
*Call: 26530266*

*Also Read: Mumbai's First 'Open Garden Library' - Pretty And Political*

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*'Be ready to learn'*
*Ami Shroff, Mixologist – London Taxi*
When you hit this Lower Parel bar, you will spot a petite woman behind the bar doing some mind-blowing tricks. Shroff is also India's first female flair bartender. In her opinion, "There needs to be a willingness to always keep learning in the hospitality industry. A keen interest in any of the areas of hospitality is required for one to stick around long enough."

*'Get a reality check'*
*Siddharth Somaiya, Director of Hauslandish Hospitality (Bao Haus and Goyaa)*
Siddharth Somaiya worked in New York before he opened his first venture, Bao Haus in Mumbai. Currently, he is in the process of setting up his restaurant, Goyaa, in Byculla. Somaiya believes that loving to cook and being a chef are two very different things. "Our first line during orientation at culinary school went as follows 'Only 0.03 per cent of you will still be in this industry 10 years from now'. It is true. If you want to run a successful restaurant, you better be the first one in and the last one to leave. Some days I am an accountant and some days I clean the bathrooms as well. There is no task beneath you or above you."

*'Climbing the ladder is tedious'*
*Sahil Arora, owner, 266 - The Wine Room and Bar*
Sahil Arora finished his education in Delhi and went on to work in some of the finest kitchens in Australia. He recently opened his first restaurant in Mumbai called The Wine Room and Bar. He feels, "Various TV series and food channels show the alluring aspects of being a chef — the adventure, excitement and teamwork. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The food industry worldwide has long working hours, poor wages, unpleasant working conditions and is demanding both physically and mentally. Make a note of these points before making a decision."*Sahil Arora, 266 - The Wine Room and Bar*

*'Chugging beer doesn't help'*
*Oliver Schauf, brewmaster at Doolally*
This mad scientist at the city's first taproom has over 20 years of experience in brewing craft beer. Schauf warns, "While the perks of being a brewmaster usually involve free beer; brewing beer is tough, technical and has very little to do with how much you can drink on a Saturday night." He encourages that one must get certified training in the subject as it equips you with all the knowledge necessary. VSI, Pune & Gargi Institute, Nashik offer these courses in Maharashtra.

*'Develop a thick skin'*
*Chef Paul Kinny, Culinary Director - F&B Division of Phoenix Mills*
Chef Kinny has worked with fine dining restaurants, five stars and to now being the FnB director for all the restaurants at Phoenix Mills. He says, "I'd recommend that budding chefs develop a thick skin. There will be constant feedback from guests, your boss and your colleagues on how there is always room for improvement and believe me, it is not the easiest thing to listen to."

*'Learn a thing about finance'*
*Pradeep Nair, Director – Operations, Pot Pourri*
This Navi Mumbai eatery was one of the first to offer global cuisines. Recently they entered the upcoming food hub – Chembur. According to Pradeep Nair, "Running a food venture, especially a profitable one, means running a difficult and price-sensitive ship. So, one has to plan extensively and have the foresight to manage costs and revenues. Sharpen your skills in financial management."

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"A culture that produced the ultimate book [Kama Sutra] on the techniques of arousal and pleasure — the 64 skills of love and lovers and lovemaking — now largely practices mundane, unimaginative sex where a drunken panting grope is our idea of seduction. Pleasure is a slow process, it takes time and thought. It is about bringing every nerve ending tingling to life, about experiencing the tiniest sensations," she says in an email interview. She goes on to explain: "Have you ever sat next to someone, close enough to touch, but not touching — just talking and smiling — till your breath becomes short and every single pore on your skin starts to buzz in anticipation, where even the most feather light touch will make your brain explode? It is mind blowing. And you know what, when you get to this point, instead of jumping into sex, you will find yourself prolonging that 'not touching', because that feeling is so addictive, that feeling of everything being permanently imminent."

Anand, who lectures on the Kama Sutra and is an acknowledged authority on Eastern Erotology, has drawn inspiration from the ancient text to curate material for this book. From describing in detail how the using perfumes stir up your lover's every sense when lovemaking, to why quarrels between lovers is an "adrenaline boost to keep love alive and healthy" and how scratches are not just random marks of passion made in the heat of the moment, but carry different messages, Anand goes back to Vatsyayan's masterpiece to learn lessons in the present.

"There is so much about the Kama Sutra that I wanted to reintroduce to the world," says Anand, who was introduced to it 10 years ago. "I first read it as a scholarly text. It is not an easy book to read. I found the language painfully archaic, the references obtuse and, if you do not have the academic background to understand it, it really is boring and irrelevant. But even with the tedium the one thing that stood out was its attitude towards women. Here was a book that acknowledged the right of women to want sexual satisfaction and more important still, the right to feel pleasure," she says, adding, "If you look at our mythology the one thing missing from the woman's narrative is her right to her own body and sexuality. That is always someone else's property. So I decided to explore these stories, to see what had been silenced."

What stood out for her most was the language of the ancient text. "Nowhere in the book does Vatsyayan use coarse or foul language to describe the sexual act. On the contrary the terms and phrases that he uses almost vie with each other to depict beauty and sublimity. In the Kama Sutra even the specifics of an act are never spoken about directly. For instance, for the sitting position the sophisticated urbane woman perched on the knee and wore a nine-stringed pearl necklace as a sign of her expertise. Vatsyayan is never graphic, he did not talk about her thighs spread wide or her bottom leaning back etc — he doesn't need to. At the very mention of the 'nine-stringed necklace' you knew what was going to happen," says Anand.

The writer believes that the reason she has focussed on seduction, was because it "when practiced carefully it benefits the mind, the body and the soul because it gradually stirs up all the senses and activates the latent energy within us". "Seduction was for harmonising the sexual energy of lovers so that the sexual act became a mutual enjoyable experience. The arts of seduction as prescribed by the Kama Sutra, with all its hundreds of rules and rituals, was meant to bridge the gap between the sexes, to slow the man down and encourage him to take his time over his arousal and at the same time give the woman enough time and motivation to raise her sexual energies and desires," she says. "I want to put the seduction back into sex, with all of its refinement and elegance and beauty, something that we in modern times have lost entirely. And, most importantly, I want to bring back the Kama Sutra's idea of gender rebalancing — acknowledging women and men as equals recipients of pleasure. We have such a dysfunctional attitude towards sex, so much aggression and abusiveness entitlement. I want to see that change because honestly I believe that this is the solution to many of our issues."

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The fire broke around 3.30 in the morning. "We received a distress call from somebody in the locality at 4.16am. We immediately rushed our vehicles to the spot," said a fire official. Looking at the intensity of the fire, engines and assistance was further called down from Fort, Nariman Point, Gowalia Tank, Mazgaon, Mandovi and Colaba fire stations. It took 12 hours of fire fighting to control the fire.

*Area cordoned off*
With fears of the entire structure coming down, Mint Road was cordoned off by the traffic police. "We have been able to spot some horizontal and vertical cracks on the building. The road has been cordoned off fearing chances of a building collapse," said an in-charge fire official. Prabhat Rahangdale, chief fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, said. "We are at present trying to determine the cause of the fire. The investigation will take at least a week."

*Eye witnesses narrate horror*
Aatik Naik and Wakar Naik, the owners of Light of Asia cafe on the ground floor of the building were devastated. "I got a call in the morning. I rushed immediately. We had just painted the restaurant and were about to make the wallpaper and designs. We never thought we would wake up to this," said Aatik Naik.

*Building going down*
According to information from the civic body, Kothari Mansion was a cessed building. The two occupiers had approached MHADA and had promised them that they would redevelop the structure, after which MHADA handed it to them.

Speaking to mid-day, Kiran Dighavkar, A ward officer, said, "We have vacated the adjoining buildings and have asked them to do structural audit before re-occupying the structure. We have also issued instructions to MHADA. Once the procedures of the fire brigade finish, MHADA will pull down the building." Stating that the building's development was neglected by the NOC-holders (occupiers), Mr Dighavkar added, "We have registered an FIR for endangering the lives of the fire officials and causing damage to the equipment."

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Earlier this week, a study conducted across 77 cities by Swiss investment bank UBS, revealed that the Maximum City works the hardest in the world, with an average Mumbaikar investing 3,315 hours a year. Vietnam's Hanoi, Mexico City and New Delhi — with 2,691, 2,622 and 2,511 hours respectively — come a close second. So, does Mumbai love its work so much that it's blinded by the hours it puts in, or do we toil because money is still scarce?

*Before life happened*
Iyer, a BMM graduate from KC College, tried his hands at three different jobs, before finding his calling as a musician. "While in college, I remember the guest faculty glorifying the idea of overworking. They'd talk about media jobs involving graveyard shifts and surviving on caffeine and cigarettes," Iyer recalls. After Iyer graduated, he, however, chose a corporate job, working as content writer for an online platform. He left it within a year, because he hated the tedium of clocking in nine hours daily, while his contribution to the job was not more than four hours. "I was wasting both the company's and my time." He later took on a job as associate promo producer for a production house, churning 36 promos a week. "There were days when I would not come home for at least three days. There was lot of work, but no creativity," he remembers. He later found his métier with advertising, rising up the ranks soon — from senior copy writer to creative art director by 2013. "But, it had its overworking sprees. When there was a pitch or a shoot, you had no sense of weekends, space or timing. The mind was never at rest." Chowfin, a graduate of Sophia College, worked for four years with a renowned television and film production house, as associate director, recalls, "I was called by the boss at 3 am, as if it was the most normal thing to do. People didn't respect my time or space. I felt like I had sold my soul."*Representation pic*

While they were moving up the ladder, Iyer and Chowfin's long working hours brought along a few setbacks. Chowfin started getting migraine attacks, while Iyer developed ulcers. "At the time, we didn't have time to think about what we were missing on," says Iyer. "I would never pick calls from friends or family, and I would feel proud of it. Being busy, gave me a sense of ego boost.""In retrospect, it seems like we had taken everything for granted, including our mind and body," adds Chowfin. According to the medical journal BMJ (British Medical Journal), "one of the most important physiological problems associated with shift work and the night shift in particular, is that working, eating, and sleeping phases are changed". The health effects include "reduction in quality and quantity of sleep, widespread complaints of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and increased neuroticism". BMJ also cites "increasing evidence of adverse cardiovascular effects and risk of spontaneous abortion, low birth weight, and prematurity."

*Making the career shift*
Having had enough of the saas-bahu drama, Chowfin, quit everything in 2011, to pursue her Masters in international relations from London. When she returned, she decided to work as a freelancer, instead. Nothing changed. "Only now, I'm mostly working from home and in my pyjamas," she says. "People think working as a freelancer is easy. Let me clarify, it's tough. You work as hard as a regular employee, and your money doesn't even come on time. Sometimes, I have to take on multiple projects to make ends meet. Worst, there is no job security," says Chowfin, who lives with her husband, a film director, in Versova. "The only say I have is when I choose not to take up a project. Even here, losing out on a good project due to want of time, can make you feel very guilty."

Iyer, who gave up his fat cheque and plush Worli residence, and rented an apartment in Borivli after he decided to pursue his music career full time, says life has never looked better. He says that what worked in his favour, was that he came from a separated family and had more or less, been on his own since his early teens. "This made me less accountable to anyone. However, some of my band members came from big families, and so the decision to quit their jobs, wasn't an easy one to make." Today, Iyer lives with his partner in a 2BHK flat in Chembur which they share with another friend, and says he makes enough to live reasonably well in the city. "I can take care of a dog and have never seen a local train station in three years," he says. This, despite working just three to four hours daily. But, the five-member band, which has travelled 11 countries till now, including the US, UK, Zimbabwe, Israel, UAE among others, has seen days of penury. "All of this involved hard work, dedication and time. The only difference is that we clocked in fewer number of hours," he says. "When I had a job, I didn't have time for anything. Now, I use my spare time doing things I like. I wake up at 1 pm, read, cook, listen to music and do other fun things, all without an agenda," says Iyer. Chowfin adds, "While I am working long hours, I at least am my own boss. I know when to stop and take time out to pursue other interests, like working on my art. I also plan my vacation first and take on projects accordingly."

*Why do we work so hard?*
What Iyer and Chowfin learnt from their own experiences and continue to do so, is that the average Mumbaikar is in the city only to work. "Mumbai's work culture is a way of life. People only come to the city to work. So, they don't mind stretching themselves," says Iyer, adding, "I know of auto and taxiwallahs, who work multiple shifts. They don't mind burning themselves out without realising how many lives they are putting at risk." Another reason why people work long hours is because they want to miss the rush hour, says Chowfin. Iyer admits he has done that too. "When I had a job, I would leave post 8 pm to avoid crowded stations. I would instead spend time chilling in the canteen or in front of my computer," says Iyer, adding, that they then give the employees more targets to meet.

"Both the employer and employee need to be sensitised about the perils of working long hours. Employers should set rules about the time spent at work space, and also learn to be flexible. The employee, on the other hand, should take a stand for themselves. Today, if someone tells me, you have to spend more time at work, I am in a position to tell them, 'Sorry, I have to go and take care of my cats at home'," says Chowfin. Iyer points out how London, in an attempt to ease traffic during peak hours, has been encouraging work-from-home culture. "This saves company resources, while de-clogging traffic," he says. "With the kind of technology we have, the same work can be done without sitting in the office space. But, companies here make it mandatory to clock in certain number of hours daily," he adds. "The problem with most Mumbaikars is that they suffer from the 'good child syndrome,' which I like to call the Amol Palekar syndrome. Palekar glorified the obedient man image in his films. You need to learn to be rebel, because truth is that we are all irreplaceable," says Iyer. Chowfin puts it aptly, "The company is entitled to your work. It is not entitled to your soul. It's time we act, before we become a slave culture."

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Art historian Birgid Uccia is the brains behind this initiative."The idea is to link waste to personal and collective memory and change the way society sees waste — something that's unhygienic and impure, that needs to be gotten rid of immediately. What people don't realise is that waste shows you trends in consumption, production, demographics, individual behaviour and memory. There's so much stored in waste that is invisible. The artists, therefore, have use various kinds of discarded material to point at what's invisible."

The artists who will be featuring their works include Aaditi Joshi, Asim Waqif, Bosudhara Mukherjee, Kaushik Saha, Kausik Mukhopadhyay, Prashant Pandey and Tanya Goel. Joshi, who has exhibited her works in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has created an installation made of small biomorphic cluster of plastic bags, painted in various colours and mounted on a wooden armature.*Car door salvaged from an accident vehicle by Asim Waqif*

She has applied heat to manipulate the texture and shape of the plastic bags that she has reused from her earlier works. Another artist, Waqif has worked on a car door salvaged from an accident vehicle. Pandey's sculpture"Universe" is suspended mid-air, and is made of used cigarette butts. Goel harks back to the days of affordable housing in Delhi between 1950s and 70s in her series of frescoes titled"Fragments C.P.W.D. New Delhi". She has used pieces of demolished buildings in that era for this work.

"We are trying to attach meaning to waste by showing people how waste is not anonymous. And while the classical recycling goes on, another kind of recycling is happening through art, which is called the aesthetic recycling," says Uccia, who has been working to study contemporary art in India for nearly a decade.

As part of the exhibition there will also be a panel discussion with experts from the Swiss Embassy who have been working in the field of waste management."We want to connect minds from Indian contemporary art and Swiss waste management technology, and create some pioneering ideas in the process."

*When: 11 am to 6.30 pm, **till** August 4 *
*Where: Tarq Art Gallery, ground floor, Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Colaba *
*Call: 66150424*

https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jun/court-photo_s.jpg*Voice coach Hetal Varia. Pic/Datta Kumbhar*

You don't have to be a law student or a practising lawyer to know that dramatic court scenes are best left to American television serials and Bollywood. In fact, if you have sat in for one of the hearings at the sessions court in Fort, you will see that the chance to and inspire the milling crowd around you with your oratory skills is not the point at all. In fact, amidst the noise in the corridors, consider yourself lucky, as you sit in the third row, if you can hear the arguments presented by the lawyers to the judge. Mrunalini Deshmukh, one of the city's top divorce lawyers, says that arguing in court comes as a package. "The topmost things are the facts of the case, followed by the relevant law applicable to the facts. Then comes how you interpret the facts, and, lastly, what's as important, is how you present the argument," says Deshmukh, who has handled the divorces of noted celebrities.

*No room for drama*
Chirag Balyan, assistant professor of law at Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), says that every advocate has his/her own style. He evokes the example of Harish Salve, who practices at the Supreme Court and formerly served as the Solicitor General of India, and Mukul Rohatgi, the 14th Attorney General for India. "Both have contrasting voice modulation, intonation and demeanour, and are equally effective in court. Courtroom craft is about presenting arguments in a coherent and structured manner. At the end of the day, every lawyer's aim is this: can you persuade the judge with your case theory in those crucial two minutes?" says Balyan.*Mrunalini Deshmukh, divorce lawyer*

In her decade-long experience as theatre practitioner and voice coach, Varia has mentored RJs, choir groups, actors and dancers. The actor has also worked with IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) and Gillo Theatre Repertory. The point of cultivating your voice, as we learn from her, is one that requires you to train your body and your breath. It is not a job for your vocal folds alone. In one of her exercises, she asks us to go on a 'spine roll', in which we bend head first, then neck, then spine. When we unroll ourselves, slowly, with Varia's assistance, we feel the difference.

"There is a sense of lengthening your body, through good posture. This relaxes your vocal folds, avoiding any constrictions, helping your breath, and therefore your voice, to flow freely. This, eventually, with more focussed work, makes you sound more confident," she says. She also notes, "It is not that you need to have a voice like Amitabh Bachchan to be taken seriously. But, an extremely high-pitched voice could work against you in a courtroom." While you may disagree with her scepticism regarding the effectiveness of high pitches, the courtroom is no place for drama. Atharva Dandekar, 29, a litigator at the Bombay High Court, says, "Judges do not have patience for lawyers' dramatics. A lawyer could be kind of an actor — he/she has to project confidence — but the arguments cannot be rammed down a judge's throat." Such display of emotion is often perceived as a distraction tactic. To the extent that last December, the Supreme Court stated that shouting in court will "not be tolerated at any cost", after a number of incidents in which senior lawyers argued in high-pitches, notably Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhavan and Dushyant Dave in the Babri Masjid title suit.

*Moot court practice*
For Dandekar, who describes himself as an introvert, talking publicly in a courtroom was a matter of building confidence. As a student at Pravin Gandhi College of Law, Vile Parle West, he had a stutter that came in the way of his speech. What helped fix the problem was participating in moot courts, a staple programme in law colleges worldover in which mock-courtroom scenarios are made available for students. Currently in Mumbai, it's the only practical knowledge of arguing in courtrooms, should students wish to pursue litigation, available. It was so even in Deshmukh's time, when she was studying at the Government Law College in the early 1980s. The nuances of how to use your voice are learnt on the job, through trial and error, and by observing your seniors. Today, Deshmukh knows that voice modulation goes a long way, even as she is sensitive to the emotions of couples going through divorce proceedings. "Some points need to be made vociferously. For example, maintenance issues, non-compliance of orders for custody, providing monetary support - in these cases, a bit of firmness, a higher tone for conviction are required. However, when it comes to child custody, you have to change the modulation and decibels, and sound more appeasing," she says.

While this is Varia's first workshop with a group of lawyers, her repertoire includes one-on-one sessions with veterans, mainly in an attempt to conserve their voice. Several years of litigation causes a strain in their voices, leading to hoariness. In her workshop, Varia will show those who are starting out in the profession methods to use the vocal cords without abusing them. But Balyan disagrees. "The voice is such a thing that the more you use it, the more it gets better. Look at Ram Jethmalani, who at 94, still makes his presence felt in court," he says.

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"Only the BJP is making public statements about the Naxal threats to PM Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis, but there is no official clarification," Congress state unit chief Ashok Chavan said.

"The Maharashtra government and the Centre should make a statement regarding the threats to from Naxals," he added.

"Threats to PM and CM are a cause of concern and the government should respond. There is no clarification at the official level. We don't want to politicise the issue," he said.

Chavan said he did not think the Dalit movement has any links with the Naxals. "Attempts are being made to malign the Dalit movement," he alleged. The Congress leader also slammed the state government for the "mishandling" of the ongoing strike of the Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees.

"The strike has put the common man to hardships. the government could have solved the issue amicably," he said. Pune police, who recently arrested five persons for alleged Maoist links, yesterday claimed that ultras were
planning to target Modi.

Fadnavis also said on Saturday that his office had received two letters allegedly from Maoists threatening him and his family. Sources in the state Home Department said both the letters mentioned the recent Gadchiroli encounter in which 39 Maoists were killed.

*Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. **Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates*

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*Today's forecast:* Intermittent rain and thundershowers likely in city and suburbs. Heavy rainfall in a few places On Saturday, the monsoon arrived in the city officially.*A couple enjoys the downpour at Marine Drive. Pic/ Bipin Kokate*

In a tragic accident, a 13-year-old died in Dahisar after a tree fell on her. While the regular waterlogging spots remain flooded and the trains continued to run late, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation claimed that the situation in the city was under control. From 8am to 9pm on Saturday, the city received 134 mm. Eastern suburbs got 54 mm, while western suburbs got 87 mm of rain.*Sion was severely flooded with water rising up to the waist level. Pic/Shadab Khan**Commuters trapped aboard a train at Sion. Pic/Atul Kamble**Children play about in the rain at Sion. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar*

Flooding at Hindmata, Parel TT, Sion Road and Dadar Circle forced the BMC to start 64 pumps to drain out the water. The city received less than expected rainfall. The Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall at a few places with thunderstorms.

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When Jeddah-born Nadia Saudagar moved to Mumbai in 2008 after marrying Mohammed Altamash Saudagar, senior creative director for a TV channel, she didn't find a difference in the way the two countries carried on during Ramzan. "There, we prefer sitting on the floor during iftar, because that's a better posture and aids faster digestion. Also, in Saudi Arabia, Ramzan is more about prayer. You won't find anybody in their homes from 8 pm to 10 pm because everybody is at the mosque.*Mutton samosas prepared Arabic style*

Here, it's more about feasting," she laughs. Back home, Saudagar worked as a physics professor in a British college. Here, she lives with her five-year-old son, husband and in-laws in Oshiwara and runs an out-of-home baking business. But in this holy month, she is keeping herself busy with Ramzan fare. On the day of our meeting, Saudagar has prepared fatayer (finger foods filled with meat, or cheese, or spinach) popular in the Middle East, especially Lebanon.

Made either square, triangular or star-shaped, these are fluffy and tender. "I make it with minced mutton. It's a tedious recipe especially if it's done with fermented pizza dough but you don't need special kneading skills for this," she says. There's also the manakish, a traditional Lebanese variety of pita bread. The toppings can vary from cheese, kishk (dried yoghurt and burghul) to meat and eggs.*Lamb manqueesh*

Accustomed to herbs, not spice in her food, Saudagar uses Arabic 5 spice mix which is the Middle Eastern equivalent of the garam masala. For dessert, she has made the jelly mahalabia, a pudding made with boiled milk, slightly sweetened and flavoured with rose water or crushed pistachios. And if she wants a break from the kitchen, the family heads to Mohammed Ali Road for a dose of street iftari. But if there's one thing she misses here it's the air of festivity. "The city used to be lit up, like Christmas. And, who can forget the mega sales for shopping enthusiasts," she laughs.

*'You'll remember the name dadar gulung by relating it to Dadar'*
*Ade Sukendar, Indonesian*

The lane outside the Indonesian Consulate at Altamount Road belies the buzz inside. It's the weekend and chef Berra has flown down from Jakarta to helm an iftar party scheduled for the night. But, before he unveils the array of dishes, it's time for a pop-up experience.*(Centre) Consul general Ade Sukendar at the iftar party. Pic/Sneha Kharabe*

"I'll be preparing the dadar gulung or crepes stuffed with coconut. It's Indonesia's most popular traditional snack," chef Berra tells the audience. While dadar in the local language refers to pancake, gulung means to roll. "The easiest way to memorise the name of this dish is to remember Dadar" jokes consul general Ade Sukendar, who took over the reins three months ago.*The bakso ayam or meatball broth*

The pandan (screwpine leaves)-flavoured crepes are stuffed with grated coconut and gula jawa (coconut sugar). It is then rolled up like a spring roll. The snack is tropical green, a result of the pandan leaves that double up as a natural colouring agent. The taste reminds us of ukdachi modak popular during Ganesh Chaturthi. "It's true that we use a lot of coconut in our cuisine. You'll find it in most snacks and desserts. I guess it comes with being an island country," he adds.*Prawn dumpling with sauce*

Take for instance, the kolak campur or a stew made with sweet potato, jackfruit, banana, tapioca and palm sugar served with coconut milk. It is a popular iftar dish which is eaten after breaking the fast with fleshy dates. Although sweet, the kolak isn't really a dessert. "Anything sweet is also considered a snack. In fact, we also use ice apples in kolak but I wasn't sure if you got them in Mumbai," says Sukendar. Back in Indonesia, which is the world's most populous Muslim country, Ramzan is a time of communal potpourri. "The Hindu and Christian communities prepare food for those who are fasting," he recalls.

Interestingly, the vegetarian items outnumber those with chicken and seafood. Mutton is conspicuous by its absence. "We use a lot of beef but due to the ban here, we had to find alternatives," say Berra. The bakso ayam or Indonesian meatball broth is traditionally made from beef surimi but chicken has been used instead. While most dishes are mildly flavoured, if you do want a dash of spice, there's a bowl of sambal, a hot sauce typically made from chili peppers and garlic. What we like best is that most dishes are zero-oil recipes. "We, as Indonesians, prefer to cook with local ingredients. Fortunately, everything that is used in our cuisine is available here," adds Berra, who sources the ingredients from Crawford Market. "It's buzzing just like the markets back home," he smiles.

*'Our language is Indian, but stomach, Iranian'*
*Sayed Safar Ali and Family, Iranian*

The lane abutting Lucky Restaurant in Bandra West, has long been a dugout for those breaking fast during iftar. Every Thursday, feasting in equal measure unfolds a stone's throw away at on the second floor flat of the building where Lucky is housed. Here, 78-year-old Sayed Safar Ali and his 20 family members gather every Thursday. It has been a custom in this Iranian family ever since Ali's father Syed Ali Akbar left his village of Taft in Yazd and travelled to Bombay to open his first restaurant in 1912. Akbar went on to have seven children, and Ali, the third child, is now the oldest surviving member.*Sayed Safar Ali's family members;*

"It's my responsibility to keep the tradition alive," he says, when we meet him right after evening prayers. The house is bursting with people. At 7.29 pm, Ali's niece arrives with a bowl of dates and watermelon juice. This is how the family break fast. "We start light," says Ali, before excusing himself for another final prayer session, where the entire family participates. When the food is laid out 15 minutes later, it's a combination of Iranian and Indian delicacies.*Chicken gravy*

At the heart of this spread is Ali mushkil gosha, which comprises chopped peanuts, raisins, almonds and thinly diced slices of fresh coconut. While it looks like a crunchy, munching snack, Ali's nephew Nasser Sadequian tells us that it's actually an offering they prepare for Imam Hazrat Ali, their first imam. "We distribute it to everyone in the family, and ask Imam Ali to intervene for us and help us overcome difficulties," he says. The spread also includes chicken gravy, shammi kebab, aloo tikki and pav, which the Iranians call naan. Ali tells us that over the years, their food preferences have Indianised. "Our tongue [language] may be Indian, but our stomachs are still Iranian," he jokes, adding, "After eating all these Indian spices, we have to fight the burn."*Black tea*

Traditionally, the Iranian iftari meal includes taas kebob. Not to be confused with kebab, it's an old-fashioned Iranian stew, which sees meat and vegetables simmered with spices and tomato puree. There is also abgoosht, a lamb chickpea soup. They end the meal with gaz, an Iranian nougat made with milk, dry fruit and glucose. But no meal can end with Iranian chai, an equivalent of the black tea, prepared in a samovar. Sadequian places a sugar cube between his teeth, and takes small sips. "Try it," insists Ali. The septuagenarian, however, prefers adding the cubes to his tea directly. When in India, he says, do as the Indians do.

https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jun/Ark-Deck-flout_s.jpg*The flooded interiors of the ship*

Insiders have revealed that the person navigating Ark Deck was Irfan Shirgaonkar, 39, who has a first class master licence. A shipping expert, who did not wish to be named, said, "Irfan is known to be good at his job, but does not possess a second mate licence [mandatory for sailing large boats]. A series of questions have been raised [see Some Questions]."

Prima facie, the spot where the incident happened and the statement that Irfan has given to the Maharashtra Maritime Board inquiry team, reveals that the vessel drifted/was taken to a shallow, rocky spot, which could be due to human error. Also, despite boats being ordered off the seas by May 25, *Ark Deck* continued to be seaborne. Irfan claimed he was about to head for anchoring at Ferry Wharf when the accident happened.

"
*Divers managed to plug a hole in the vessel with metal plates and rubber strips*

Vikram Kumar, CEO, Maharashtra Maritime Board, who took charge a few months ago, said, "I am told that Ark Deck Bar had the required licence to operate, which means all parameters were looked into by the Maritime Board. The Chief Port Officer inquiry is underway. We are waiting for the vessel to be salvaged to find out if human error or nature was to blame."

When asked about the safety lapses, if any, during issuing licence, Kumar said, "We will be probing the case from all angles and will go to the depth of the matter."

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"Ginseng is a perennial herb, which is traditionally used for its medicinal benefits. Over the years, it has gained popularity as a stimulant and stress reliever and is now an integral part of a host of beverages across America and Europe. Like ginseng, there are indigenous herbs, which can be used to achieve the same benefits," he says.
While you can head to the restaurant to sample the cocktail, Varghese shows us how you could concoct it on your own.*Bensan Varghese prepares the cocktail*

*Pair it right*
"Choosing the right ingredient with the right variety of gin is key to make sure the flavours are not lost," believes Varghese. For example, he suggests pairing ashwagandha with gin mare, which is a premium Spanish gin bottled with principal botanicals like basil, thyme and rosemary and will complement the herb. "Ashwagandha couldn't have been paired with the gin Tanqueray, because mixing a plant-based herb with citrus won't bring out the desired flavour of the cocktail," he says. Another example of accurate pairing would be that of Hendrick gin and rose petals as they both have hints of rose, thus, making for a delicious cocktail combination, he adds.

*Shaken and stirred*
Varghese recommends using two ounces of ashwagandha-infused gin mare, half an ounce dry vermouth (martini dry), half stalk garden fresh lemon grass, half a cube of garden fresh ginger, and three ounces of ginger beer. The method is simple: You muddle lemon grass and fresh ginger in a shaker container, and then pour the ashwagandha-infused gin mare, martini dry and ginger syrup into the shaker glass. "Always keep the profile of the gin in mind, before adding the ingredient. It is best the ingredient is added in minimal quantity to avoid clashing with the innate flavour of the gin," he says. This is followed by adding a few ice cubes to the glass and shaking it vigorously to blend the ingredients. Top up the drink with ginger beer, and your drink is ready. "Ensure that you always use fresh ingredients while concocting the cocktail as the flavour of the ingredients either diminishes or becomes concentrated. For instance, in case of ashwagandha, one should use the leaf within 48 hours of plucking from the plant as post that, the leaf dries and loses flavour," he says.

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*Transit Camp Road, Dharavi. It’s in this area where Thiraviam Nadar built his first home, after coming to Mumbai in the 1950s. It used to be a marshy land then, with very few houses. His molasses shop was also nearby. No trace of Nadar's home or shop remains today owing to several rounds of redevelopment the area witnessed over decades. Pic/Suresh Karkera*

The school, we are told, was built in 1976 by Senior Nadar, known to everyone as "Gudwala Seth" and "Kaala Seth". The foundation was laid by the then Tamil Nadu chief minister, K Kamaraj, after whom the school is named. "My father was the biggest supplier of molasses to breweries in Mumbai back then, hence the moniker 'gudwala'. And, his skin was dark," Jawahar tells us. Across the road is a small firecracker shop run by a man called Selvakumar. Jawahar leads us to the shop and we are all greeted warmly. Selvakumar makes space behind the cash-counter. Offering us tea, he says, "I saw half the film on Facebook after it got leaked. Had Jawahar told us about the case before, we would have stopped the release." Selvakumar is visibly devoted to the Nadar family. His father and grandfather were friends of Senior Nadar. Jawahar says, "If my intention was to stall the release, I could have. But that's not what we want. My father was not that kind of a man, he never arm-twisted anyone."

Thiraviam Nadar, a native of Umarikadu village in Tamil Nadu's Thirunelveli district, came to Mumbai circa 1954. "He had a fight back home and fled to Madras and later came here, with only two rupees in his pocket. He was in his early 20s. He found a job at a factory called Krishna Glass Factory. When he got his first salary, the local goons started to beat him up, demanding hafta. The kind of man my father was, he retaliated. A fight ensued, and the police caught hold of them. The goons being locals were set free, while my father was fined."*Rajinikanth plays a Dharavi don in Kaala that has been directed by Pa. Ranjith. The character is said to be modelled on Jawahar's father, Thiraviam Nadar, something that the makers have not acknowledged in the film *

A young boy fighting seasoned goons was unheard of in those days. Word spread and gradually Nadar began to be respected by those around him. "They were Tamilians mostly, routinely harassed by hooligans. They started to look at my father as a protector."

Dharavi was no more than marshy land then. Nadar built a small house for himself there and slowly people started following him and settling there. He established his molasses business bit by bit, and the rise in his wealth and clout paralleled each other. Those days, Haji Mastan and Varadarajan Mudaliar were two of Mumbai's most feared dons. Nadar was their close associate, especially Mudaliar's. It was a little Tamil clique. Unlike the other two, Nadar, however, was never involved in smuggling. "They would tell him, 'Annachi, aap aa jao humare saath. My father never gave in," Jawahar says. He continues, "Those days 'godfather' was an honourable term. A bhai literally meant, big brother, protector. At that time, dons would not take advantage of poor people." Walking the line between legal and illegal, Nadar could have fallen on the wrong side of the law. But, those who know him vouch that he didn't.*Thiraviam Nadar*

*An old boy's club*
After copious rounds of chai at Selvakumar's, we set out for a stroll in the neighbourhood. We are on Transit Camp Road Number 1, where Nadar built his first home in the 1950s. A few men have joined us — everyone seems keen to tell us about Gudwala Seth. A man in his mid-60s greets us. "He's Abdur Rehman, he used to be Varadarajan's driver," someone tells us. Before we know it, it's a free-flowing nostalgia trip. The Tamil chatter continues, Rehman is only too excited to relive the days of yore, with Jawahar and others gathered around him. His eyes gleam as we catch words like 'rowdy' and 'Haji Mastan' and 'Varadarajan'… "I have known Thiraviam Nadar for 45 years. He was never involved in anything wrong. He used to talk with respect and he commanded it," Rehman tells us. An incident recollected by Ponnu Swamy, an 89-year-old man, explains why.

"Someone once owed me around '3 lakh and refused to return it. I approached Annachi for help. I took a taxi to his home in Sion Koliwada, to bring him to Dharavi to settle the matter. He wanted to walk instead. That would make him angry enough to bring the culprit to task, he said. The man, on seeing Nadar, was so scared that he returned the money immediately. As expression of my gratitude to Nadar, I told him he could take any amount he wanted. He refused saying he did not do this for the money. Then I took some fruits for him, which he accepted. The fruits, he said, showed respect, whereas, the money would've shown fear." We are told Swamy loves recounting this story.*Abdur Rehman, once a driver to Varadarajan Mudaliar*

There are more nuggets — how Nadar helped youngsters with money to set up their business, how he would beat up drunk men who beat their wives. Sundresan Nadar, 73, who now runs a ration shop in the area, says, "I came to Mumbai in 1962 and set up a small kirana store here. The local goons used to bother me, but Nadar always came to my rescue." Another Sultan Mohidin recalls a time in 1974, when the government had asked them to vacate their homes in order to build public toilets there. "They gave us no assurance of accommodation, we had to just pack up and leave. It was Nadar who helped us find homes." This instance has been depicted in the film, Jawahar says. "My father did not have an army of musclemen. He was a one-man-show, which is another trait of Kaala in the film." We learn that a team of local Dharavi boys spoke to old timers in the area to get to the finer details of Nadar's life.

*Growing up with a godfather*
For as long as Jawahar can remember, there were always at least 50 people coming to see his father at their home in Sion Koliwada every day. "My mum would grumble about making chai for so many people every day. We were always puzzled. We would wonder who was he to solve their problems. When I was in Std IV, my teacher asked me, what does your father do. I had nothing to say, so I said that he is at home only; that was the truth. My teacher concluded that he must be a social worker." Nadar kept his family away from his other life. Jawahar first realised the clout of his father during his sister's wedding in 1996.*Nadar with Varadarajan Mudaliar*

"There were 25,000 cards to be distributed, and we couldn't do it in time. My father then put a half-page ad in a local Marathi newspaper, apologising for his inability to invite everyone, and requested that this apology be taken as an invite. That ad ran for six days. I was stunned at the number of people who came. They were like 'ghar ki shaadi hai'." Nadar was also not without his quirks. Barring the pristine white dhoti-kurta and a formidable black umbrella specially made in Sri Lanka — three people could fit under it, we are told — he always wore a clean-shaven look. In his twilight years, when he was in the hospital after an asthma attack, one day he refused to meet visitors. Not because he wasn't feeling well, but because he had not shaved that day. "I have seen him cry only once in my life. It was the day Rajeev Gandhi was assassinated. My father was a Congress fanatic. I am named after Jawaharlal Nehru, my sister is Vijaylakshmi. My father couldn't take it that the PM was killed by Tamilians."

*The fight is on*
Chennai High Court dismissed Jawahar's case on Thursday. "Not because of lack of proof, but because of delay. The procedure requires that the censor certificate be challenged before the release. I think we were among the last to know what was transpiring, and by then the film was ready for release. We still have a civil suit though. I am in talks with my lawyers," he says. A common friend has informed Jawahar, however, that Rajinikanth would like to meet him to clear the air. "I don't know how far it's true. Let's see how it goes.*Ponnu Swamy, (left) 89, says he once approached Nadar to help recover Rs 3 lakh from someone who refused to return the amount that was owed. "The man, on seeing Nadar, was so scared that he returned the money immediately. As expression of my gratitude to Nadar, I told him he could take any amount he wanted. He refused saying he did not do this for the money. Then I took some fruits for him, which he accepted. The fruits, he said, showed respect, whereas, the money would’ve shown fear," Swamy says. *

We were thrilled to know that he was playing my father. It was a fitting climax to the real story. What transpired later is not something we saw coming." Until this case, Jawahar has never spoken of his father, except to a very few close friends. "We have never used his name to get anything done. My mother was not in favour of us going public with the case. People who have scores to settle with the makers of the film are pressuring me to escalate the case, using my reach as a journalist. But that is not my intention. I only want the makers to acknowledge my father's name. If I fail to get that, I will have failed as a son. I have named my son after him, Thiraviam Raj. He's 10 now. Tomorrow when he asks me why is there no mention of his grandfather in the film, I am answerable to him."*Jawahar Nadar*

And what will he do if he wins the case? "We don't want a penny of it. Everything will be spent for the development of Dharavi. Pa. Ranjith shot the film here, and is reaping the benefits now. What has he given back to the area that gave him his film?"

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*Coleen's wedding agenda is clear*
Former model and now celebrity stylist, Coleen Khan, has been quietly keeping busy at her Khar salon. "I am not very ambitious, and believe in going with the flow," she tells this diarist. That flow has led to her create special bridal looks for an upcoming bridal show.

"I just go to my salon, and work there, and have never really promoted it before. But Parthip Thyagarajan [co-founder, WeddingSutra], has been an old friend and has been telling me to do more. I am now on Instagram as well. I feel I am still catching up with this century." Her looks, that will be showcased on the day and social media, are all about being modern yet traditional. "It's a fresh face, which is very light on the make-up. No more smokey eyes! And the hair — maybe braids or two messy buns? The aim is to do something different. It's also about having healthy skin and hair in general."

*Bihar cop goes Bollywood*
Yes, Mumbai's film industry has been deeply interested in the police and politics of the Bihar state. Now, there's a Mumbai-style crime thriller from the one of the state's more popular IPS officers. Bihar Diaries, written by 1998-batch IPS officer Amit Lodha, is the story of how Lodha arrested Vijay Samrat, one of the state's most feared ganglords, notorious for extortion, kidnapping and massacre.

The book, which follows a very filmy chase across three states during Lodha's tenure, is being published by Penguin Randhomhouse India and, we hear, it was actor Emraan Hashmi who convinced Lodha to write the book. And, it was S Hussain Zaidi, senior crime journalist and writer, who supported Lodha through the writing process. The book will, of course, soon be a potboiler and, if there's any doubt regarding how popular it will be, just check out the cop's twitter account which is full of endorsing posts.

*Soaring high*
We have been hearing great things about sculptor Ranjani Shettar's ongoing exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Shettar is well-known for her large-scale installations that combine natural and industrial materials. The Bengaluru-based artist's work, Seven Ponds and a Few Raindrops (2017), uses stainless steel and tamarind stained muslin. The exhibition is organised by Shanay Jhaveri, assistant curator of South Asian Art in The Met's Department of Modern and Contemporary Art. Now, there is more cause to rejoice, for the work has been acquired for The Met's permanent collection, joining the likes of Anish Kapoor.

*Imran Khan, the enduring cricket hero*
Whether his estranged wife Reham Khan's explosive book will prevent Imran Khan from becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan in July, is not clear. What we do know is Imran Khan deserved every success on the cricket field considering the time he spent on his game and his teammates, especially the young ones who he thought were primed for greatness.

Cricket writer R Mohan, once elaborated on Imran's schedule when Sharjah was the hub of Asian cricket during the 1980s. Widely-travelled Mohan informed his readers in The Sportstar that when Pakistan were not playing at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Imran worked on his own game at the practice ground during the afternoon while other teams competed fiercely at the main ground. Young players were asked to bowl to him from under 12 yards on a concrete strip. As soon as the last ball was bowled at the main ground, Imran used to troop in to the centre and work on his young bowlers.

Mohan watched Imran train Waqar Younis at Sharjah in 1989 and how the captain tried hard to get the young gun to stop sprinting too hard in his delivery stride. Imran would not bother too much about the spinners, who would be advised by team manager Intikhab Alam. Evenings before the match were spent in a huddle with the boss standing up and telling his troops what was expected of them the following day. Interestingly, Imran would often have Dubai as his base during Sharjah tournaments, but that didn't stop him from being at the ground on time be it for a practice session or a game. Whatever happens in his personal and political life, he will be remembered for this cricket leadership, and like Ella Fitzgerald sang, "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

*Making of a community*
What did it mean to be Muslim in the 20th century? Dr Ali Khan Mahmudabad, professor of political science and history at Ashoka University, will examine this in a December release titled, The Making of North Indian Muslim Identity (Oxford University Press). Ali, who is the son of the Raja of Mahmudabad, one of the erstwhile largest feudal estates in the erstwhile kingdom of Awadh during British India, will focus specifically on the role of literature and poetry as medium through which certain Muslim voices negotiated their understanding of what it meant to be Muslim and Indian between 1850 and 1950. "The age old question that is still asked is whether Muslims are loyal to the country first or community. What I try and argue is how this was creatively resolved by prominent thinkers through poetry."

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*8 AM — 8 PM:* Pamper yourself or a loved one with a relaxing Ayurvedic skin treatment session. The Ubtan therapy, formulated with flowers, nuts, lentils, sandalwood, turmeric and oils, enhances beauty, and also provides definite medicinal values by virtue of its anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiperspirant, deodorant and skin-toning properties.

*Where: Birla Ayurveda, C-101,1st Floor, Above Eden Club, Powai*
*Price: Rs 3,335*
*Call: 9820435344*

*Listen to fusion*

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*8.30 PM:* What happens when Simon Garfunkel's Sound of Silence is married to Kailash Kher's Teri Deewani, or Back to Black by Amy Winehouse is interlaced with sargams of Raag Bhimpalasi? Come and witness the magic created by six talented musicians, whose experimental fusion set The Kheyaal-E-Jazz Projekt comprises traditional bandishes thumris and taranas interwoven with popular Jazz artist songs.

*Where: Harkat Studios, Bungalow No. 75, JP Road, Versova, Andheri West*
*Entry: Rs 350*
*To book: insider.in*

*Catch a poetry reading*

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*4 PM — 6 PM:* Yet to acquaint your little one to w Reported by Mid-Day 5 hours ago.

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