Tired, hungry, thirsty, dejected and with blistered feet, hundreds of children and adults are currently trudging along the Mumbai-Nashik highway, in the hope that they will reach their hometowns in UP. Most of these daily wage workers had already begun their journey by the time the government decided to ply special trains to repatriate them.

But others began to walk towards their hometowns, uncertain and confused about train services, not knowing how to arrange the required documents or procure medical certificates.

Ashok Kumar and Ganesh Sahani's families are walking from Panvel to Basti, UP

The media has labelled it as the greatest exodus in India since the partition. The workers have been walking from Bhayandar, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Panvel, Taloja and other places, unable to wait any further for the lockdown to be lifted.

mid-day on Saturday spoke to several migrants who have been walking along the Mumbai-Nashik-Agra highway even from before the announcement of the third extension to the lockdown. Some have walked to Nashik in the hopes of boarding a train.

Vishwanath Shinde's aunt, 70, has lost her entire family so he had brought her to stay with him. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Ashok Kumar, 27, and his family, including three children aged one to six, had walked 70 km from Panvel to Bhiwandi. The family, which used to work at a construction site till their owner suffered heavy losses and abandoned them, are headed to Uttar Pradesh's Basti district. Asked why the family started walking with children in the scorching heat instead of waiting for the government to start train services, Kumar said, "Kisko achcha lagta hai bachchon ke saath itna dur chalne ke liye? Mai aapko majburi bata nahi sakta. We were starving. I swear on my children that nobody from the government was helping us with food. Some people helped us with 15 days of ration, but how long would they do that?" Kumar and his family decided to walk home when they had only a few hundred rupees left. "We used to send money to our elderly parents and now they are sending it to us, so we can reach home safely. We don't know where these trains will leave from and what is to be done to get into them. Instead we will walk this way, may be someone will give us a lift."

'We'll die at home'
Kumar was accompanied by his friend Ganesh Sahani, who also belongs to Basti and worked at the same place. Sahani also has a 6-year-old child. He told mid-day, "We'll walk instead of starving our kids. On the way someone will help us. If we have to die, we will die in our home."

Sunil Yadav and friends rushed to this reporter's car asking for food. Team mid-day didn't have any but at the same time another car stopped there and offered them food

Kumar told mid-day on Sunday over phone that he had reached Jhansi, but Sahani's family did not make it. They were intercepted by police and taken to a quarantine centre in Nashik. "We were lucky as there was no place in the police vehicle. We stayed at the Nashik vegetable market for a night. After walking for 180 km, some people helped us with food and shelter. The next morning a vegetable supplier from UP accommodated my family in his truck and now we have reached Jhansi."

The heartwrenching stories continued. Another daily-wage labourer who belongs to Maharashtra's Akola district, was walking with his family, carrying his 70-year-old disabled aunt. Vishwanath Shinde, 45, worked with a road contractor in Navi Mumbai. He stays with his wife, two children, his sister who is blind and his disabled aunt, Vachelabai Nahi. We met Shinde near Kalyan. "Everyone is dead in my aunt's family and she is alone. So I brought her to stay with us in Mumbai. I carry her in my arms like a child. We stop every few kilometres to rest," he said.

Sumit and Sarita Dangar are walking with their child and say they have no money

Shinde, who used to earn R700 a day, said, "I don't have a single paisa to afford any transport from here. The government said it will send buses, it will send trains. There are people walking on the roads here. They can send the buses here. Will they send them after we die?"

Sumit and Sarita Dangar were walking with their 6-year-old daughter to Washim. Sumit had come to Navi Mumbai just four days before the lockdown was announced to work at a construction site. " I thought things will get better after May 3 but nothing is going to change. We both earned R800 every day. But all our savings have gone, so we decided to leave the city. Once we reach home the villagers will send us to a quarantine centre for 14 days which is compulsory."

Doctors from Kongaon Medical Practitioners' Association have set up a camp to help the migrants with basic medicines. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

'No help from govt'
Several youngsters are also walking to UP. Of one such group, 14 members worked in Bhayandar and belong to Siddharth Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. They had heard of a special train to Gorakhpur from Nashik, and started walking there to catch it. "If we can't catch it, we will walk to our home town. No help has come from the government. It's the people who have been helping us even on the highway," said Sunil Yadav. Another group from Prayagraj working in Ulhasnagar, which has a big migrant population, also left for Nashik hoping to board the special train. The group belongs to Prayagraj. "Some trains will go to Lucknow. We have walked for a whole night for almost 50 km to reach Nashik on time. We are starving. Our parents sent some money so we can reach home. We will fight until we are alive," said Munnalal.

Migrants avoid trains
On Sunday, Sunil Yadav called this reporter to say they would continue to walk. "We had checked with people in Bhayandar about special trains. But they said they are facing difficulties to get their names registered, as there are thousands of people. They have been asked to get medical certificates and pay for tickets as well. After listening to all this, we kept walking and have now crossed Nashik," said Sunil Yadav.

Vinod Yadav, a tailor from Bhayandar, and his friends had by Saturday morning reached Kalyan Phata. "We started walking hoping to board a train. But some people told us about the formalities. We don't have a single rupee. How will we pay for tickets?" he said.

Doctors' camp on highway
In the midst of this humanitarian crisis, three doctors from the Kongaon Medical Practitioners' Association have set up a camp on the highway with medicines, which include pain killers, paracetamol and ORS. "We have been holding this camp for the past three days from 6 am to 9 pm for the migrants. We also provide food to them. Almost 500 people have benefitted every day," said Dr Bharat Patil.

"This is the time we must help each other. We have been taking their temperature as well," said Dr Kishore Singh.

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With the Railways levying a surcharge of Rs 50 on the normal second-class fare on the special trains, activists and politicians on Sunday, were wondering aloud why this was so.

"It is unfair that Railways is charging migrants for transport to their homes. The Centre is spending so much on free food, shelter and treatment, it could have also waived train fare for migrants with no money or job," said Ajit Shenoy of Mumbai Mobility Forum (MMF).

Rakesh Doshi, who along with hundreds others travelled home on Saturday night, asked why the Centre or the Railways couldn't absorb the cost. "These are difficult times. Everyone is short of money. The Railways contributed R151 crore to the PM CARES Fund, but is charging migrants train fare," another migrant, who is also an activist, said. Another MMF member asked, "I want to know if those airlifted from China and Iran were charged or was it a free flight back home? If they weren't charged, then the special train ride should be free."

Railway officials said it was not charging migrants, as the tickets are not being issued to individuals, but the state governments are looking at the aspect of ticketing. A spokesperson said tickets were booked by the district administration and every state has its own policy.

"While many states are bearing the cost, NGOs are contributing in others, and fare was collected from the migrants in some states. And no additional charge was levied. Only the regular superfast surcharge was added to the fare. The train is carrying 50 per cent of the capacity and returning empty. Also the ticket fare includes meals and bottled water. The fare is basic, not exorbitant," a spokesperson said. Another official said, "Practically speaking, if the trains are run free, there will be chaos and that there won't be any accountability and documentation".

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Energy Minister Dr Nitin Raut has written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, requesting that the state government bear the cost of the migrants' tickets.

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Due to the lockdown, migrant workers who were stranded in Mumbai are being sent back to their villages. Today, the Mumbai Police sent 25 migrant workers from the city to Rajasthan. This is the first bus to transport migrant workers from Mumbai to their village.

According to Mumbai Police, the 25 people are from Jalore district in Rajasthan. All of these individuals were residing in South Mumbai and are migrant workers. The workers had requested the Mumbai Police that they be sent to their village, due to which, the Police has issued a permit to go to Rajasthan. The fare of the bus will be paid by the workers themselves which is nearly Rs 6,000 per person.

The people travelling in this bus are from Jalore district. They all formed their own groups and sent an application to the police, after which they were given a permit.

Dharmendra Singh is from Jalore district of Rajasthan and was working at a cloth merchant's in South Mumbai but the work stopped due to the lockdown. Singh had applied to the MRA Marg police station after which the police arranged for a bus for him to go back to his village. Dharmendra Singh said that he was stuck in Mumbai due to the lockdown and is thankful to Mumbai Police.

Hansraj Chaudhary, who is from Jalore district, said, "I used to work at a stationery shop in Bora Bazar and the work stopped after the lockdown. There was no source of earning and it was causing problems."

DCP Zone 1 Sangram Singh Nishandar told mid-day, "These people applied to go to their village after which we gave them a permit. They got their own medical assistance and now they are going back to their village."

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Trains that are scheduled to take migrants to their native places have been lined up at various railway stations across the state but a delay in receiving clearances from other states have started to affect the entire process.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior railway official said, "On Monday, two trains had been lined up. One was to travel from Akola to Lucknow, while the other from Bhiwandi to Jaipur, but the problem is that they are confirmed at the last moment." While the Akola-Lucknow train left at 6 pm on Monday with 1,200 passengers, the Bhiwandi-Jaipur one will leave late in the night.

The official further said, "The train from Vasai that left early Sunday morning was originally scheduled to leave at 12.30 pm the previous day. Due to delayed permissions and procedure, the train finally left at 4 am on Sunday."

While so far six trains have left from the Central Railway section, 16 have left from the Western Railway segment. Senior officials said that the arrival of a large number of migrants at the same time is leading to problems in receiving states. This is because on arrival, state government officials receive them and make arrangements of their stay at isolation centres before sending them to their respective districts, and at many places these arrangements take a lot of time. Also, if two trains arrive at the same time, it becomes difficult for the receiving state to manage, hence delaying the entire process.

The journey so far...

From MMR region
Bhiwandi-Gorakhpur train 1,104 migrants
Vasai-Gorakhpur train 1,200 migrants
Bhiwandi-Jaipur Lined up tonight

Other trains
Nashik-Bhopal train 314 migrants
Nashik-Lucknow train 847 migrants
Nagpur-Lucknow train 977 migrants
Akola-Jaipur train 1,200 migrants

Besides this, 15 other trains have left from the WR segment with 1,200 migrants each.

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Finally, city's old and dangerous road overbridges got the much-needed attention, thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown. Central Railway and Western Railway turned the restriction on public's movement to its advantage by fixing the bridges along their respective lines.

While CR completed work on Byculla road bridge, National Highway bridge at Kasara and the busy road overbridge at Kopar, WR fixed a bridge crossing the lines at Dharavi and the one in Andheri is near-completion.

26 days to fix Byulla bridge
The old Byculla road overbridge was patched up with 70 bracket fixtures over the past 26 days at a cost of R13.811 lakh; the complete project was worth R1.13 crore. "Without lockdown, it would have taken more than two months to finish the work," a senior official pointed out.

CR fixed the bridge near Umbermali station with the help of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the last four days of April

"On Western Railway, work on strengthening the important Dharavi bridge girders was completed during the lockdown. In addition, one span of Andheri pipeline bridge was strengthened," WR's chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar said.

CR takes NHAI help
Another important work on CR was to patch up the road overbridge near Umbermali in Kasara, which had been declared dangerous in the IIT-Bombay survey. The bridge was fixed in the last four days of April, taking advantage of the lockdown and with assistance from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

The bridge near Umbermali station of Mumbai suburban railway was taken up for repairs following the joint recommendation of the IIT-B and the railways. CR sought the NHAI's assistance since the bridge passes under the Mumbai-Agra National Highway near Shirol village, over the rail lines between Umbermali and Kasara stations. The work involved repair of the slab upgrade, removing and relaying concrete, dismantling of about two metres of parapet wall and recasting it firmly.

Work sans disruption
An official involved in the upgrade said the work was completed in just a few days and involved no train cancellations. "We called 15 labourers from the NHAI and seven from the railways, and all the problems raised in the IIT survey were resolved," he added.

Additionally, the dismantling and upgrade work of road overbridge at Kopar has also been taken up in co-ordination with Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Had there been no lockdown, the work would have required a block leading to disruption in services of numerous local and outstation trains.

"Initially, it was decided to use diamond cutters that would have required 45 days with two hours of daily blocks at night. Now, during the lockdown, it's being done with concrete breaker, in day time. Work started on April 17," an official said. "The lockdown has given us an opportunity to renew and pump energy into the old infrastructure," CR's chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.

In 2019, CR and WR had identified weak and corrosive bridges along the lines with the help of IIT-B teams. The joint safety audit has being conducted of all the 445 road overbridges and foot overbridges in Mumbai in order to ensure commuters' safety.

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Zyada se zyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (What's the worse that could happen? I'll die, right?) These disturbing words of a physically challenged migrant walking home to UP from Thane sum up the mood of hundreds like him trudging home. With no clarity from the government, the migrants continue to risk their lives on highways.

Hundreds of the migrant workers continue to walk to Uttar Pradesh and even Nagpur. As it is difficult to walk in the scorching heat, most rest during the day and walk at nights on highways. They poured their hearts out to mid-day.

A majority of the migrants work as labourers on at under-construction sites in MMR. They said they were leaving Mumbai as they had no access to food and essential items at their workplaces. At least 1,000 men, women and children were seen walking along the Mumbai-Agra highway between the Thane-Kalyan junctions.

Most of the migrants will walk over 1,600 km to UP. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav

'Procedure not explained'
Some people expressed anger against the state and Central governments, alleging they were not taking the plight of migrants seriously, and this was happening because the authorities on the local level weren't cooperative. They alleged that local authorities were not explaining relevant procedures. Many have filled forms, taken medical certificates and got these and other papers stamped by the police to board the transport provided but say they are not being clearly told what is next.

Kisan Pawar who is heading back to his village near Nagpur with his wife, daughter and son, said they barely have any money left. "Staying in Thane with no job or money will be more burdening. So we started on the 800-km-long journey on foot," said Pawar. At night they rested at Kalyan phata for few hours. Most migrants have been resting or sleeping on the side of the highway.

Rajesh Pawar, 28, a resident of Gondia district in Maharashtra worked as a labourer at a construction site in Thane. Since work stopped and he has no money left, he and his wife have started walking with their two-year-old daughter. An emotional Rajesh said, "I pray that such difficult times don't befall anyone. No one really cares about the poor and that's why we have no other option but to walk. We don't even have money to buy tickets and food. We hope to reach our village because the safety of my daughter is very important."

'I would have died anyway'
A man with a deformed foot who did not wish to be named, will be walking over 1,600 km to reach his village in UP. "Aise bhi mar jaate kyon ki khaane ke liye kuch nahi hai. Us se behtar hai jahan tak chal saku wahan tak jaun, is umeed se ke ghar pohochunga. Jyada se jyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (I would have died anyway because I wasn't getting any food. It's better that I walk as far as I can in the hope that I will reach home. What's the worst that could happen? I'll die, right?)," he said.

Suhel Ahmed and Irshad Khan who worked at a construction site in Thane, had approached local authorities to know about the procedure to go back home. But they claimed they weren't given clarity about when they would be allowed to go back, so they left for Uttar Pradesh on foot.

'No co-ordination'
Irshad Khan told mid-day, "We waited in Thane all this time because the government had told us it would make arrangements at the right time for migrants to go home. But there seems to be lack of coordination between the Centre and state. For the past two days, we ran from pillar to post getting medical certificates and filling forms but there was no clarity on what next. We have a few hundred rupees and before that too gets over, we want to reach home. God knows when we will reach."

The chairperson of an NGO says the government must instill confidence in migrants. Jalpesh Mehta, chairperson, Empower Foundation, said, "Walking on the highway for kilometres is a risky affair and may also see migrants die due to hunger or exertion and not because of COVID-19. We have worked with government authorities and police in Maharashtra and Gujarat to provide food to the migrants and the support on the ground from authorities has been excellent. The living conditions of the migrants and support from their employers is indeed very poor, but the need of the hour is instillation of confidence in the migrants by the government on the ground that they will be taken care of and there are planned exits — trains and buses to help them reach back home safely."

1,000
No. of people seen walking along Mumbai-Agra highway

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Thousands of migrant daily wagers working in the power looms of Thane district, thronged the State Transport Bus depot at Bhiwandi on Tuesday, after learning that they would have to register with the police there in order to board trains headed for their hometowns. But in their focus and desperation to finally head home, they threw caution to the wind and did not follow social distancing.

Mid-day witnessed the chaotic scene and spoke to the workers desperate to go back to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The migrants stood in a long winding queue at the bus depot. Pics/Hanif Patel

The ST bus depot was packed with the workers who started thronging the ST Bus depot at 3 am and it was crowded by 7 am. "We were told that forms are being filled up at the ST Bus Depot. So we came to get registered," said Jiaullah Ansari, a native of Bihar.

'No social distancing'
"We are starving and have no work after the lockdown, as all the power looms are shut. The owners of power looms have switched off their cellphones and some have blocked our numbers. Jab khane ko ek dana nahi ho na sahab, to social distancing aur Coronavirus sab fake lagta hai (When there's nothing to eat, Sir, social distancing and Coronavirus seem fake)," said Nasirullah Ansari, a native of Patna.

Some of the power loom workers tried to shield themselves from the sun

The police were seen trying to coax the migrant workers to maintain social distancing. Around 9:30 am a team attached to Nizampura police station and traffic police headed by Senior Inspector Rajendra Mayne of Bhiwandi Traffic dispersed the crowd.

The workers complained that no authority explained to them the registration process. "We have been standing since 3 am and its 10 am now but no one has told us when the registration will be done," said Ram Narayan Thakur, a native of Bihar.

The cops said the workers will have to give their name, mobile number, Aadhaar card copy and they will get an SMS alert or a call by the Talathi office to tell them the date of their journey.

'What about us?'
mid-day also met workers who are from Nepal. "Since I am from Nepal, I don't have an Aadhaar card. How will I travel to my native place? No one has the answer to my question," said Indradev, another worker.

His friend Ram Narayan Pal, also a native of Nepal said, I don't know if I will be able to see my family members."

The police, however, said the situation was in control. "We are facing challenges but everything is under control." said Rajkumar Shinde, DCP Bhiwandi.

"In Bhiwandi we have one of the largest populations of migrant workers, whose livelihood is dependent on power looms. Since they are shut the workers have been finding it very difficult to survive and now as some trains are moving to their native places, they are coming out in large numbers to leave the city as early possible," said another police officer.

3,000
No. of power loom workers who gathered at the ST bus depot

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Two Shramik Special trains carrying more than 2,100 migrant workers left on Tuesday night from Kalyan junction in neighbouring Thane district, the Central Railway (CR) said. One of them, carrying nearly 1,200 migrants, left for Darbhanga in Bihar, a CR release said. The end-to-end service departed at 8.37 pm carrying only the registered and nominated passengers cleared by the Maharashtra government, the release said.

The second end-to-end Shramik special train left for Guntakal (Andhra Pradesh) around 11 pm, carrying nearly 930 migrants, according to Railway officials.

On Monday, the Central Railway had operated two Shramik special trains between Akola-Lucknow and Bhiwandi- Jaipur.

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After requests by MMR municipal corporations and councils to the BMC to provide accommodation in Mumbai to those travelling there every day for essential services fell on deaf ears, employees' unions have demanded that all frontline warriors be treated equally.

Advocate Prakash Devdas, Convener of All Municipal Unions Coordination Committee said, "BMC has to give equal treatment to all frontline warriors. Some of the security guards are staying in a godown with just one toilet for 20 people. BMC asked sweepers to stay in schools without adequate facilities. Workers need accommodation with facilities."

Almost 60-70 per cent of the cases in MMR include people who travel to Mumbai for work, or their contacts. While the BMC has made arrangements for the stay of health and water supply staff, it has not yet agreed to MMR's appeals for accommodation for around 55,000 others.

The Municipal Union General Secretary Ramakant Bane pointed out that the workers spend more than four hours travelling to work every day. "Many workers, especially labourers stay in small houses outside the city have been requesting the civic body for accommodation, but the corporation is turning a blind eye. However, there are a few employees who need to go back home every day," Bane said.

Of the one lakh employees reporting to work since the BMC issued 100 per cent attendance directive, around 50-55,000 live outside city limits. Then, there are those who work in private sectors like hospitals, laboratories, banks, etc. MMR, which includes Thane, Thane Rural, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Mira-Bhayandar, Palghar and Vasai-Virar, collectively has 1,596 patients — 16 per cent of that in Mumbai.

Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chandrakant Dange told mid-day, "Out of 190 confirmed patients, almost 100 either work in Mumbai or are their close contacts. As of now, Mira-Bhayandar city has 71 active patients and only 21 of them don't have a link to Mumbai. Maximum patients are related to health professionals, and there are private hospital staff too."

Dange said they expressed their concerns in a letter to the private hospitals where 36 residents work, but didn't get any response. He said the situation is worsening and he will send a letter to the BMC as well.

"It takes nearly three hours to reach office. We have to wait for the bus, which then makes rounds to pick up other employees. But, at least we eat homemade food and go back to our children at night," said one of the BMC employees.

SJ Kunte, deputed for COVID-19 work in rest of MMR, pointed out that no is forced to stay in Mumbai. "There isn't any travel ban on residents in MMR who go to Mumbai for essential services. But it is important to control the virus transmission by restricting travel and if the BMC can arrange the duties of essential staff in a way that they can stay back home for 10-15 days and work in the city on other days it will help to reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in other corporations," said.

"We have provided accommodation in some of hotels for staff related to essential services, like doctors, nurses, etc. But there is a limitation and it is hard to provide the facility to all the employees," said a senior BMC official.

No. of COVID-19 patients (as on May 5)

Mumbai: 9,945
Thane Rural: 82
Thane: 466
Navi Mumbai: 415
Kalyan-Dombivli: 227
Ulhasnagar: 12
Bhiwandi-Nizampur: 20
Mira-Bhayandar: 182
Palghar: 31
Vasai-Virar: 161

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Unable to bear the separation from his live-in partner who was stuck in Sindhudurg for the entire period of the the lockdown till date, a Turbhe-based youth walked and hitch-hiked to the district and tried to bring her back with him. Their journey back was interrupted when they were stopped by the police and sent to a quarantine centre, as Thane district in which Turbhe comes, is a red zone.

As a result of the lovesick man's determination, 34 other people who interacted with him, including the girl's family, have also been quarantined.

The 24-year-old, a resident of Turbhe, works as a delivery boy. In March, his 24-year-old partner, a nurse in a private hospital, went to her home town in Kasal village in Sindhudurg district. But, after a few days, the Maharashtra government barred inter-district travel to try and curb the spread of COVID-19 resulting in her getting stuck there.

A file picture of a doctor at the quarantine centre at NSCI DOME, Worli. The man and his girlfriend are in quarantine at Lanja.

Journey for love
The youth who was missing her, became restless when April neared end and there were no signs of the lockdown being lifted. So he decided to travel to Sindhudurg, which is almost 500 km from Turbhe, to bring his girlfriend back home. Fortunately for him he didn't have too much work either. So he started on April 27 from Turbhe and asked vehicle drivers for a lift whenever he could.

"By walking and hitch-hiking, he managed to reach the village of Kasal on May 3. He stayed in a mandir for the night and then went to her house on May 4," said Assistant Police Inspector Sanjay Chaudhary from Lanja police station in Ratnagiri district.

The man convinced her family that the lockdown would be on for some time and he wanted to take her back with him to Turbhe. "The girl also told her family that she was consistently getting calls from the hospital to rejoin work. So on the morning of May 4, the couple began their journey towards Navi Mumbai," said another police officer.

Spotted by locals
The couple walked and hitch-hiked and managed to cross Ratnagiri district. But then their luck ran out when some alert locals spotted them and informed the police, "On May 5, they were spotted at a Shiv Bhojan centre having lunch. Some residents informed Lanja police. We rushed to the centre and took the couple with us," said the police officer.

"Without hesitation the boy revealed the reason behind the journey. We took him and the girl to a quarantine centre as he had come from a Red Zone, i.e. Thane district. He also came in contact with several people. They will be kept in isolation for 14 days then we will take a call on whether they should be released or sent to Sindhudurg," added API Choudhary.

34 quarantined
After the Lanja police informed the Sindhudurg police about the youth and his stay in the temple in Kasal village, 34 persons were quarantined as they had interacted with him. These include his girlfriend's family as well.

27
Day in April that the man began his journey

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Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."

Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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The process of sending daily-wage labourers to their hometowns has started, with three trains leaving from Panvel carrying 3,600 people on board so far. But, the long-awaited exercise seems to have mocked all rules of social distancing. While most migrants themselves are unaware of why physical space is critical to maintain, the authorities took them to the railway station in packed buses or police vehicles.

Since last week two trains have left for Madhya Pradesh and one for Bihar. One of the special trains left for Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night and around 1,200 workers were accommodated in it. The expenses were paid for by the MP government and the food was given to the migrants by local authorities. However, the buses and police vehicles in which they were brought to the station were fully packed. Some people even stood at the door as the seats were occupied. "Bhaiyya ab social distancing ka pata nahi. Bus humko ghar pahucha do. (We don't know what is social distancing. We only want to go home). We are in such trouble. We can't stay here for another day with kids as we don't have enough money to feed our family," said Devendra Saket, a daily wage worker who was brought in a bus with his child and wife from Uran.

'Paid for medical check-ups'

"These are very difficult days and we have been praying to God that no one should suffer like this. We don't have a single rupee in hand and are totally dependent on people and the government for food till we reach home. We were also charged R100 for a medical check-up," he added. Many of the migrants claimed they had to pay Rs 100 per person for medical check-ups which were done at the police stations before they left.

 One of the many buses going to Panvel station that was packed to capacity

Priti Saket, another migrant brought to Panvel from Uran in the same bus along with her husband and six-month-old daughter said, "We don't want to say anything to anyone. We just want our kids to be safe. At least we won't sleep hungry. We were stuck for a month we just want to go home," she said. Priti also said she was charged R100 for a medical check-up.

'Glad to go home'

"I was staying in Kamothe and was quarantined for 14 days and now brought to the station. My medical check-up was done free of cost. The only problem I faced here is food. But at least the government has realises our pain and is sending us back home," said Ankit Goyal, who belongs to Satna district of MP.

"I was trying to register myself since the day it was announced that trains will go from Panvel to MP. I got my medical check-up done, the police helped us in filling the forms and doing other formalities. The buses were fully packed with around 60-70 people, but we are happy that at least now we are going back home," said Prakash Saket, who was traveling to MP.

"Third train left from Panvel today early morning to Habibganj (MP) with 24 coaches and 1,200 passengers. MP Govt bore the ticket charges of passengers, food and water provided by the local authorities. A great team effort of police , railways and revenue Dept." The Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar, said in his official twitter handle on Thursday.

Asked about the migrants' claims of being charged for medical check-ups, he said they seem to have visited private clinics. "If it was done by private medical practitioners, we can't help," Kumar told mid-day.

Migrants wait to board a train at Panvel station on Wednesday

The authorities are facing several challenges on ground to send the migrants home. "The biggest challenge was issuing medical certificates. Hundreds of migrants have rushed to the police stations, hospital's and private clinics to get medical certificates, exposing themselves to the pandemic. The medical certificate wasn't required, people should have been screened at railway stations and allowed to go. The respective states should arrange isolation facilities for them there," said a senior government officer.

Collector shocked

The Collector of Raigad expressed shock that the migrants were taken to the station without regard for social distancing.

"It is extremely shocking if migrants were taken to railway station in fully packed buses and police vehicles without maintaining social distancing. There are clear guidelines to the administration about the transportation of migrants. I will look into it and ensure that this isn't repeated. We will give fresh instructions to the concerned department," said Nidhi Chaudhary, Collector, Raigad.

Chaudhary also said that a special train to Odisha has been cancelled on Thursday after the Orissa High court's order asked that all citizens re-entering the state had to have certificates specifically saying they were COVID-19 negative. At least 1,200 migrants were ready to leave on Thursday after completing all formalities including general medical check ups.

Around 1.5 lakh migrants stay in Raigad district, of these 66,000 have applied to leave the state. At least 14,000 passes have been issued to stranded tourists and others who are going by their private vehicles with only three persons in one vehicle as per the rules.

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The state government on Thursday barred registered medical practitioners in the city from issuing individual medical fitness certificates to stranded people wishing to return to their home states. It instead told local municipal corporation offices to check the travellers' body temperature using a digital thermometer and examine them for influenza-like symptoms at the time boarding the train.

The screening is to be done free of cost by the municipal corporations through civic/government medical officers or by hiring the services of registered medical practitioners. The revised order has asked local authorities to make a single list of people who don't display any symptoms at the departure point.

State Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta issued an amendment on Thursday that would also apply across the state. It reportedly came owing to the inconvenience caused in the process of procuring individual certificates from registered medical practitioners who charged their respective fees in the absence of a uniform policy. There were reports of some private doctors charging up to Rs 1,500.

Delays not welcome

Apart from higher fees and longer queues at the clinics, the government was faced with the delay in travellers' departure. There was always a possibility of an asymptomatic person developing illness before the journey started or onboard vehicles and trains. Some parent states have also been demanding screening at the time of departure.

"Sadly, the fall-out and possibilities were not thought about before the guidelines were issued last week. A lot of people have suffered financially, physically and mentally. Procuring certificates proved to be a task for the distressed people who didn't have money to eat and travel," said a senior officer working in the migrant movement.

April 30
Day first rule on migrants’ movement was issued

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A group of 30 civil society organisation have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, asking for a smooth procedure and free travel for the migrant workers.

Amid the misery and uncertainty brought upon jobless migrants by the third phase of the new Coronavirus-caused lockdown, they wrote, "Migrant workers... are not in a position to afford the travel cost. Moreover, the losses they have incurred due to the delay in their travel are on account of State action, and hence, they shouldn't have to bear the burden of those losses."

Bilal Khan of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, one of the signatories to the letter, said: "Migrant workers are the worst-affected by the mismanagement and short-sighted policy decisions during the lockdown. The government is now forcing stranded labourers to pay for their travel back home. They're being heavily charged by private doctors for medical certificates and local vendors are selling application forms at unreasonably high rates. Our letter has demanded to waive off all travel charges along with other recommendations to ensure safe travel."

He added: "Many states have either refused to or are reluctant to take workers back as Mumbai is a Coronavirus hotspot," he said. "Police stations in Worli, Shivaji Nagar, and Mankhurd are simply not accepting applications."

Bilal said there are 12 lakh registered construction workers in the state but the number will be higher as most are unregistered. He added that migrant workers without ration card have not received food relief. "BMC is supplying khichdi on a small scale. NGOs too are providing food, but their efforts combined with that of the government are still inadequate," he said.

"Some are so traumatised that they have decided never to come back. This will also stress the state with so many unemployed workers. The government must take care of them for at least three months post-lockdown. A relief and rehabilitation plan must be made," Khan said.

'Medical certificates futile'

Apart from the ticket cost, the letter highlights the cost of medical certificates. "The medical certificates are a futile exercise as they have no validity due to reasons stated in the letter," Khan said. Some of the recommendations include reducing panic and ensuring systematic rescue/evacuation. "We have demanded zone-wise transportation of workers from within the city," Khan said.

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Migrant workers continue to suffer amid the lockdown. In the latest incident, hundreds of labourers, who had set out for home on foot, were lathi-charged by police at Kashimira on Thursday. Police chased them away towards the city, and now they have nowhere to go.

Over 250 daily-wagers were headed towards Gujarat when they were stopped by the police on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near Ghodbunder Road junction. As police rained lathis on them, many ran down the bridge and crossed to the other side. Others ran to hide behind vehicles. A mid-day team witnessed the baton charge that took place on the north-bound Versova bridge on the highway. With no food and to transportation back home, the workers had decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to reach home.

'Don't know where to go'

"Dhobi ke kutte wali haalat ho gayi hai humari… na ghar ke rahe na ghaat ke... kidhar jayein samajh nahin aata (We don't know where to go anymore)," said Baliram Choudhary, who left his rented house at Dahisar East on Thursday to walk home to Maharajganj in UP.

Police lathi charge workers near Ghodbunder Road junction on Thursday

"I filled the form five days ago to take a train home. But I have not received any response. I got a test done for COVID-19 and my report came back negative. I lost my patience and decided to walk home," he added.

"We are stuck at this tri-junction for three hours because the police are not allowing us to cross Versova bridge," said Choudhary, accompanied by his two friends Naushad Ahmed and Sahban Hussain. "We are all tailors and lived together in the rented room. Now, even if we decide to go back, the landlord won't take us back suspecting we may have contracted COVID-19," said Ahmed. "We are now jobless as well as homeless. Police are beating us up and not allowing us to go to our hometowns," said Hussain.

Gita was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, spouse and a relative

Among the hundreds was Gita, who was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, husband and a relative. They worked at a construction site before the lockdown. She had planned to go to her relative's place at Nalasopara and then arrange a transportation to UP. "Why are cops chasing us away and beating us? What is our fault?" asked her relative Mukesh.

Youth looted by auto driver

A youth Umesh Paswan had boarded an autorickshaw from Bhayandar for Nalasopara, but the driver and his two friends allegedly snatched his phone and Rs 50 cash. "A few minutes after I took the auto, the driver stopped midway and his two friends came, slapped me and snatched my mobile phone and the cash," said Paswan, who did not file a complaint fearing the police would book him for violating the stay-at-home order. He then decided to walk to Nalasopara where his brother stays.

However, the police have refuted the allegations of lathi charge. "I was present there on Versova bridge and they [migrant workers] were not lathi charged," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar, Thane Rural.

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Migrant labourers in the city might soon get some respite as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has now come up with a plan for migrant transport movement, in addition to trains.

The country's second-biggest fleet of 17,000 buses is yet to confirm the development as the plans are under process. Details, however, reveal that about 10,000 buses will be used for the process, with the costs borne by the state government. While Maharashtra Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Vijay Wadettiwar made a public statement on this seeking expediting the plans, the MSRTC will soon make a formal announcement.

MSRTC had earlier sent about 90 buses to bring back students stranded in Kota, Rajasthan. As per the plans available, the state transport ministry said that they were in the process of building a separate portal for booking of such migrants who were willing to travel back to their home states.

An official said bus depot managers and divisional officers will stay in touch with tehsildars or appointed state administration officials. Buses will be provided for groups of 20-25 people. He added that the buses will only be for those who register themselves with the local district collectors, expressing a desire to go back to their home district or state.

Limited passengers on every bus

"The buses will be following all norms of social distancing which means only a limited number of passengers would be occupied in every bus," an official said. He added that no passengers will be allowed to de-board the bus mid-way as they will be point-to-point buses and in case of long-distance travel, the buses will be given adequate halts for food and drinks and in case of a bus break-down, replacement buses will be provided on priority.

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'Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hain, aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hain (People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on railway tracks)," said a migrant, who was walking on the tracks to reach his hometown in UP, about the tragic incident at Aurangabad. Most migrants are aware of it, but choose to walk on the tracks to avoid police action on the highways.

They fear they will be stopped from walking home and beaten and quarantined by the police. Speaking to mid-day, many of them said they don't have a choice.

mid-day has been reporting about the plight of the migrants who claim the government is not helping them with food and have also spent all their money since the lockdown began as they have been out of work. Many of them also claimed they decided to walk home as despite giving all required documents to board the special trains, local authorities are not telling them of the next procedures. Some of them decided to walk as they don't have the required documents. After the disturbing sight of hundreds of migrants walking home on highways, comes another such sight of them walking on railway tracks.

Tukaram Kuldip and his friends are walking from Mumbai Central to UP

Tukaram Kuldip, a resident of Basti, Uttar Pradesh, started walking from Mumbai Central on Thursday night, and by Friday morning had reached Thane. "We are a group of 30 people going to Basti. We submitted relevant documents at Nagpada police station to board the special trains, but there is no response. We are starving. Sarkar theek hai achche ke liye band kiya hai, lekin ham gareebon ka kya ? Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hai aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hai. (It's good the government has implemented the lockdown, but what about us poor people? People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on the railway tracks) We heard about the Aurangabad incident. Nobody wants to die like that but we have no options left. Ghar par hamare log bhi hain. (We have family at home)."

'Should we starve here?'

Another group of 30 migrants was walking on the railway tracks near Mulund railway station. A member of the group, Jalaluddin Khan, told mid-day. "We know it's dangerous. So should we starve here? Should we get beaten up by the police? Nobody knows what we are going through since the past one month. We are given half-cooked rice by the local civic corporation to eat once a day. We just want the government to take us home." This group belongs to Basti, Uttar Pradesh.

"Our group members submitted the forms at the concerned police station for the special trains but they got rejected. We don't know why. No one told us anything. We will see if there are any arrangements in Thane, otherwise we will continue walking," Khan said.

Udaybhan Yadav and his family are walking to Basti 

Another migrant worker, Udaybhan Yadav, a resident of Basti, started his journey from Mulund along with his wife and eight-year-old child. Yadav used to work at a hotel in Mumbai. "My parents are worried about us as we have no money and are not getting enough food here. We don't know when things will return to normalcy."

Railway speak

"We have been on alert since the lockdown was announced. The gateman and the keymen have been briefed to alert us about the movement of migrants. We have been counselling and taking action against those walking on the tracks," said Atul Pathak, IG Central Railway Mumbai division.

Inputs by Vishal Singh

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Even as the desperation to reach their homes continues, migrant workers stuck in Maharashtra are faced with a new challenge. Most of their applications for returning home have been rejected by the authorities concerned as they have their local addresses on their Aadhaar cards. Even though they have their voter ID cards and ration cards on their phones, lack of printing facilities is proving to be another major hindrance

The migrants from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai who have their local addresses on their Aadhaar cards are not being allowed to return, as they have no other way to prove that they are non-residents of this state. Some of them claimed that they had come to Mumbai only for work and got the Aadhaar card made to open bank accounts and procure sim cards and driving licence. A number of migrant labourers working at different power looms in Bhiwandi are natives of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but they can't avail the government's Shramik Express facility for the same reason. The police and collector offices believe that as they have their local addresses on Aadhaar cards, they are Mumbai residents, and hence would not be allowed to go to any other state.

Currently, in Mumbai around six lakh migrants want to return to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and others. Of the total, 2 lakh people have a Mumbai address on their Aadhaar cards.

Ishwar Paswan, cab driver

Speaking to mid-day, youth Congress president of Mira Bhayandar, Deep Kakde said, "Till now applications of more than 3,000 migrants have been rejected because they have a Mumbai address on their Aadhaar cards. These people have been working in the city as labourers. We have prepared a list of the names of those whose forms have been rejected and we are trying our best to send them home." "Some of them are also lying and hiding the truth. An entire family claimed that they are migrants whereas they have been running a shop in Mira Road for the past 20 years. How can we trust people?" he asked.

Illegally done

According to sources, most of the migrants get their Aadhar cards made illegally from various centres. Once they get a job in Mumbai, they have to open a bank account for which they need the Aadhaar card. Sources further said that with the help of the company owner, they submit a R100 stamp paper and a document saying that he stays at the company address in the city. Based on this document they can open a bank account and even get a driving licence.

Migrants speak

Speaking about the problems they have been facing, Saket Rai, who is originally from Uttar Pradesh said, "I have been working as a labourer at a steel transportation company in Bhayandar for the past five to six years. I am originally from UP but as I am working in Mumbai, I got the Aadhaar card made on the local address with help from my company owner. I submitted my form after standing in the queue for six hours but it got rejected. I had also submitted my medical fitness certificate from a doctor. I have other documents like ration card and voter ID card but even they have been rejected."

Migrants from Bihar who work at powerloom factories in Bhiwandi are stuck here because they have local addresses on their Aadhaar cards

Rajnath Arjun Rajbhar, who works in a godown at Worli, said, "My form also got rejected because I submitted an Aadhaar card with a Mumbai address. I live in a rented accommodation in Bhayandar and have no money left. I have spent all of it on groceries and rent and now it's impossible to survive. I want to go back to my home in Uttar Pradesh."

Another migrant, Chandrabhan Yadav said, "I have been working at a steel company in Bhayandar for the past five years. After marriage I got my wife and two kids here from Uttar Pradesh. I'm a daily wager and have already exhausted my savings. I want to go back home now. My forms also got rejected because my Aadhaar card has a Mumbai address. The government should allow us to go back as we can't survive here."

Ishwar Paswan, a resident of Koderma in Jharkhand, has been working in the city as a cab driver. Speaking to mid-day, he said, "I had submitted my form at the Vile Parle police station a week ago but have not got any response yet. I guess it has been rejected as the address mentioned in my Aadhar card is of Mumbai but I am originally from Koderman. Don't know how I'll go back."

A power loom daily wager, Madan Shah, who hails from Bihar's Madhubani district, said, "I have a Bhiwandi address on my Aadhaar card. I had gone to the authority concerned with my application, but they turned me away after checking the address. I don't know how to go back home now. I may start walking to Madhubani because the government is not helping me." Mahesh Kumar Sahu too has been working at a Bhiwandi power loom since years. "After the government rejected my application, I asked my relatives to send my election and ration cards to prove that I hail from Bihar. I got my Aadhaar card made here because it was needed for opening a bank account," said Sahu.

Migrants board a train from the LTT for their hometown Gorakhpur on Friday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Another power loom worker, Rajendra Gupta said, "I had registered online four days ago to travel by train to Madhubani district, but I'm yet to get any update."

Registration process

Migrants need to fill the application forms and submit it to the police with their valid documents. The cops submit them to the collector office and Mantralaya for verification. The collector office scrutinises the forms and the valid ones are then sent to the Mantralaya for getting their tickets.

Usha Jitesh Vora, a Vidhan Sabha booth committee president, said, "From a list of 1,200 people we have, applications of more than 400 have been rejected due to the address problem. We have submitted the names of these 400 people to the Mantralaya for permission."

'Govt should allow them'

When contacted, an UIDAI source said, "Aadhaar card is not a mandatory document as a resident proof. The government should ask for other documents from migrants and allow them to travel after verification. If any migrant wants to update the address with the MLA certificate, they can do it online because Aadhaar card centres are closed now."

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Around 16 migrant workers sleeping on rail tracks were crushed to death by a goods train at Satana village in the limits of Karmad police station near Aurangabad district at around 05.30 am on Friday. Of the total 16 deceased, 14 died on the spot while two others died on their way to the hospital.

According to the local police, a group of around 20 migrants started walking from Jalna district to Bhusawal in Madhya Pradesh which is around 170 Kms.

"They were exhausted due to the walk and decided to take rest, but soon they dozed off with 16 of them sleeping on the tracks while the other four slept adjacent to it. Of the four who survived, one has suffered injuries while the other three are in a state of shock. We are speaking to them to verify other details," Mokshada Patil, SP, Aurangabad said.

"During early hours today (Friday) after seeing some labourers on track, loco pilot of goods train tried to stop the train but eventually hit them between Badnapur and Karmad stations in Parbhani-Manmad section. Injured have been taken to Aurangabad civil hospital and an inquiry has been ordered," the Railway Ministry tweeted.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Railway, the survivors left Jalna at 07.00 pm on Thursday. They walked till Badnapore by road and then went onto the track towards Aurangabad. After walking for about 36 km, they decided to take rest in which 14 sat on the tracks, while the rest sat adjacent to it.

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All looked well-organised for the 1,111 passengers of the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Kurla)-Basti, Uttar Pradesh train that departed on Friday evening. However, chaos erupted amid delays as migrants were hurriedly packed like sardines into buses and transported to LTT, with social distancing forgotten.

The train transporting migrants from Meghwadi and Jogeshwari was the first to leave from the city. Sources said that of the originally 40 buses planned, just a few seemed to be pressed into service.

According to eyewitnesses, in the beginning, every bus had only 30 passengers and eight such buses arrived at LTT. But the process became tedious with just a handful of buses, which then had to make multiple trips to Jogeshwari.

The buses that came after 3:30 pm did not follow social distancing, with some people standing and some sitting on the footboard.

"We woke up at 5 am and were waiting with our kids and luggage. We expected to be taken to CSMT. But at the last minute, after the medical check-ups, we were packed into buses and brought to LTT. The confusion and chaos drained us, but finally, here we are on the train, going back home," a happy Dinesh Jaiswal, group leader of 13 people from Sonwara village said.

"We had filled forms five to six days ago at the local police station and were told last night that we would be taken to CSMT," said Shakil Ahmed, a tailor and painter, and group leader of 27 people from Gonda village.

Another resident, Manish Yadav, said that at the village they will at least stay with their family and struggle along with other villagers. "Mumbai is where we came to earn, but our roots are in the village. We stay well in the village where needs are minimal. With no sight of when the lockdown will lift, we cannot afford to stay in Mumbai at the mercy of free food," Yadav added.

"After they were brought to the railway station, group leaders were given tickets, which cost about R685 per head and then they were lined up and sent to respective coaches. Only two persons were allowed to sit in one bay. The train will reach Basti district on May 9," a railway official said.

Speaking on the last-minute chaos caused due to the change from CSMT to Kurla, Central Railway's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said special trains are being run only on request of state governments. "We run trains if sending and receiving states agree. As per their request, we kept a train ready at LTT Kurla station," he said.

While nodal officer in-charge of the operation Dinesh Desai did not respond to calls, another official said that it would have been difficult to monitor every stage of the operation and these passengers all had a medical check up before embarking on the bus journey, so it was safe for them to be around each other.

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Dear Diana,
I have been with this girl for over a year now. She's sweet and caring. For the last three months, however, she has developed anger management issues. She throws a fit for the most smallest and silliest reasons. The other day we were walking on the road and I happened to cross the road before she could. She was annoyed and vent her fury. Earlier, I thought I would spring a surprise and landed at her place with a bunch of flowers. But I had to face the onslaught as she threw the bouquet at me for landing at her door unannounced. I do not know what to do. She suddenly flares up and I do not know how to tackle it. It is becoming a source of embarrassment for me to be seen with her in public. Should I dump her? At the same time, when she is good, she is very good. But when she is bad, she is very bad. I am in a fix.
— Suresh

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Suresh,
Have you sat down and spoken your mind out to her? If not, you should because she may be unaware of the misery she is inflicting on you. You need to clearly tell her how you are afraid to step out with her in public as you do not know how she will behave and cause a spectacle in front of everyone. Also, you state that of late she has been having anger management issues. What has caused this sudden outburst? There must be some reason or person who triggered this sudden change of behaviour. When she is in her sweet, quiet moods, tell her how she behaves. What if you behaved in such a manner? She would not take any nonsense from you. If she does not see sense, then you need to take a decision and perhaps go your way.ndle her temper tantrums...'

Dear Diana,
My wife and I have been married for four years now. Both of us have had very different upbringings. While I have been living away from my parents for over ten years, my wife has always lived with her parents. Although she is a free-thinking and independent woman, I feel that she is overly dependent on her parents. No matter what issues she faces, her parents are the first ones to know. I do not have a problem with her discussing her issues with them, the issue I have is that she should be able to filter what she discusses with them and draw a line. Just the other day, she was telling them about a fight we had and how to resolve it. Do they need to know everything? Sometimes I feel that I am overreacting and should accept her for what she is but then again, why do her parents need to know everything that's going on in our lives? I have tried talking to her but she thinks that I am overthinking. What do I do? Please help.
– Rakesh

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Rakesh,
Your situation is slightly tricky but with a little effort you can resolve the issue. First, you need to understand that everyone shares a different kind of rapport with their parents. May be you are okay not calling yours often since you are used to that kind of set up but just like your wife there are several others for whom parents come first no matter what the situation is and they need to discuss everything with them. I suggest you sit down and talk to her about what you expect from her. Politely tell that that you don't mind her talking to her parents often but she needs to know the boundaries. Also, converse often because may be it's the lack of communication that makes her vent to her parents in the first place.

Dear Diana,
I was friendly with this guy almost a decade ago. We got along well — I could talk to him for hours. There was never any shortage of subjects and I always felt time just flew when I was with him. He was not the outgoing type, but in my presence he opened up. He told me that he was at peace whenever he was with me. We never spoke about the future or where we were heading to. We just talked and talked about everything and anything. From the most routine of stuff to national headlines to religious debates. It was as if we were destined to meet and to talk. I used to always feel I would meet this one guy who would be special. It was him. Our friendship, however, lasted barely a year. I wanted him to be my best buddy, perhaps my only buddy, but he wanted more. He wanted a physical relationship. That's when the problem arose. I had to tell him whether I 'liked' him or 'loved' him. In a fit of anger, he stopped talking to me. I let him be and after that we never spoke again. But I still pine for him after all these years.
— Neesha

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Neesha,
You were genuine in your friendship with him, but this guy wanted more. He was only interested in a physical relation which you were not ready for — or perhaps needed more time to commit yourself to him. If he really cared for you and loved you, he would not have dumped you. It is clear that he did not respect your feelings. You had clearly told him what was on your mind, still he was hellbent on doing what he wanted to. You are better off without this guy — you need someone who respects you. As you got so involved with him, you are still pining for him. He did not give you a chance to seek closure as he just walked off. You are better off without this foolish guy. Over time, you will forget him, so stop thinking about him.

Visible panty lines and camel toes are big fashion faux pas and can ruin even the most perfect outfit. Do not buy tight underwear, and hide bulging belly fat with high waist panties, suggest experts.

Smita Murarka, Head - Marketing and E-commerce at MAS Brands India (amanté and ULTIMO), and Neha Kant, Founder of Clovia, have listed a few ideas:

• Aim to wear underwear that fits perfectly. A tight underwear leads to lines and discomfort whereas a loose underwear easily bunches up inside one's clothes, showing wrinkles and bumps.

• Underwear should be selected depending on the outfit being worn. Thongs are a good option when you are wearing tight clothing, boyshorts provide full coverage, hipsters offer modest coverage at the hip area, full briefs cover your abdomen area and bikinis are an all-time favourite giving a feminine look.

• To avoid visible panty lines, opt for seamless panties, boyshorts or thongs.

• To hide bulging belly fat, opt for panties with a high waist or panties with broad waistband.

• Always wear nude or skin coloured panties under white or light bottoms.

• While wearing low waist jeans always wear a low waist or ultra low waist panty.

• Avoid camel toes with a very simple hack using panty liners. Place two panty liners on top of each other and adjust it over your panty.

• Fabric of the clothes plays an important role while selecting the right underwear. A smooth seamless panty is an apt choice while wearing dresses and flimsy light fabrics.

• Stay away from thongs when you are working out and stick to cotton panties. It is important to be aware of choosing the best kind of underwear for your health as to avoid UTI, yeast infection and other such problems.

Also watch

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai, National and International news here

Indian boxing's High Performance Director Santiago Nieva expects the national camp to resume at least partially next month and foresees no hiccups in fans rushing back to live sport in the age of social distancing as he feels people always "look for risks". The seasoned coach, who has been with the Indian team since 2017, is quite optimistic of things improving by the beginning of next month despite the rising COVID-19 cases as well as the number of deaths in the country. "I think the camp will restart next month. If not full strength, then at least the core group," he told PTI. The core group comprises the ones who have already qualified for the Olympics and those who are seen to be strong contenders to make the cut in future qualifiers.

Asked what gives him the belief that camps would be good to go if the national lockdown ends on May 3, the Swede said, "That's my hunch. Of course I can be wrong but I think we will be able to restart early next month." "Humans have the ability to adapt to different situations. And I think here, people are facing up to the reality quite well even though it is an unprecedented crisis." Talking of the crisis and its impact on sports, Nieva said things would never be the same again but asserted that people will not give up on live sports either. "In amateur boxing, we are used to fighting in empty halls, so no fan concerns for us," he joked. "But seriously speaking, yes, there will be more restrictions on movement of people, the security is going to be tighter, it won't be that easy to travel. But fans, they are going to rush back at the first opportunity," he predicted. "People don't care. I think they should be more careful but mostly they are not. They will come back easily because they have been confined at homes for too long.

"They like to be risky. You can see it even now. Look at Europe and US, people are just refusing to follow the lockdowns, they are flocking bars, restaurants despite strict measures. You think they will stop once all these restrictions are lifted?" Nieva is currently in Patiala's National Institute of Sports, busy delivering lectures in online classes for coaches by the Sports Authority of India. "The technology has to be better for these classes to have more impact but overall, I think it is the future as far as complementing live training is concerned. Obviously, it cannot replace live training," he said of his experience so far. "It can be a bit disconcerting when you are not able to see the 250 odd people who are listening to you but you get used to it," he added. Asked if boxers have been reaching out to him while being at their respective homes during this period, Nieva said, "Sometimes, not often. They call up to tell if they are struggling with the equipment but overall they have adapted well." "It's not an optimum situation and as I said earlier, we have to face up to the reality," he signed off brushing aside any concerns of his own when quizzed about the considerable time he has spent away from his family in Sweden.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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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

Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you. ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ðŸ¦Â‹ (@vanessabryant) onApr 18, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

American reality TV star Khloe Kardashian, who has daughter True, two, with basketball player ex-partner Tristan Thompson wants to have more kids. But she is unsure if she wants Tristan to be her sperm donor.

Speaking in a preview of the E! reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khloe said: "I've been taking hormone injections for about five days and the injection process has been fine. Dr Huang was saying the bonus of doing embryos is you get to see what are your stronger embryos, which are healthy, you get to already know all that by mixing them with sperm. Which I do have a sperm donor."
But Khloe is worried about the future and said there is a possibility of her changing her mind and wants to have a baby with her new partner rather than go for Tristan.

Tristan and True Thompson

"You never know like if in three years I get married to someone and I'm like, 'You know what? I don't want that.' It's weird, because Tristan and I, we're not together. I don't know which way to go," she added.

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WWE former Diva and superstar Nikki Bella is quite an active sports star on Instagram. Nikki Bella is currently engaged to her Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev, who is a Russian professional dancer during season 25.

Nikki Bella went on to share a picture of her cosied up in bed watching some television along with Artem after she put on her make-up. Nikki also went on to say that she was trying her hardest to seduce Artem into giving her a foot massage. Take a look at the fun post below on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Did my makeup in time to take a nap and watch some TV with my A. Trying my hardest to seduce my way into getting a foot massage lol 🤰🏽💋

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Nikki Bella began dating Artem following her break-up from WWE superstar John Cena. John Cena and Nikki Bella got engaged in April 2017 but called off their wedding a year later in April, just a month prior to tying the knot.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev began dating in January 2019 and a year later, the couple announced they were engaged. On 29 January, Nikki Bella announced that she and her twin sister Brie Bella were expecting a child, respectively.

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Nihari Gosht. Pics/Sameer Markande

A wooden horse at the entrance of Basanti reminds us of Hema Malini's beloved companion, Dhanno, from the runaway hit Sholay. However, Twinkle Keswani of Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality says the theme has "nothing to do with the film. The name reflects the restaurant's inherent Indian roots."

Bhindi Naintara

The interiors, designed by Minnie Bhatt, are a burst of bright colours and yet, strangely soothing. A minimalist look, restrained use of wall decorations, generous space between tables, and French windows create an illusion of space.

Awadhi delights
A few Punjabi staples aside, the menu has a distinct bent towards Awadhi cuisine. Chef de Cuisine Salim Qureshi of the famed Qureshi gharana brings family recipes and secret ingredients to Basanti. Head chef Rohan D'Souza says, "Chef Qureshi would carry a bag of ingredients that he would guard fiercely. We coaxed him to share his secrets."

Sumit Kokate is the man responsible for Basanti's extensive paan menu

The starter, Galawat ke Kebab, (Rs 365), is where chef Qureshi shows off his Lucknowi roots. The lamb is cooked to perfection such that the medallions melt in our mouth, while the spices tantalise our taste buds. The Nihari Gosht (Rs 390), from the Subz aur Salan section of the menu, consists of generous portions of lamb that fall right off the bone. The gravy of yoghurt, cooked with ginger, saffron and other spices, makes the dish pungent and calming, all at once. We savour a few vegetarian dishes, too - Bhindi Naintara (Rs 270) and Paneer Do Pyaza (Rs 290) are comfort picks. The Dal Ek Khaas (Rs 250), which is slow-cooked for hours, with dollops of butter added at intervals, is a hit at the table.

Paan's labyrinth
Finally, it is time to savour the paan menu, which is peppered with curious names: Ice Paan, Fire Paan, Vanilla Paan, Pineapple Paan and Butterscotch Paan. The man behind the counter, Sumeet Kokate, previously worked at Tara Paan, a famous paan hangout in Nashik.

He proudly reveals that he was trained by 'guru' Tarasingh Shinde, who has supposedly created over 100 varieties of paan. Having learnt the ropes from the best, Kokate went on to experiment some more, while also borrowing from his guru. The result is a range of delicious betel-leaf treats. We start with the Blackcurrant Coffee (R85), where the leaf is dipped in a layer of melted chocolate. At first, we taste the sweet chocolate, but when we bite through the leaf, we experience a burst of flavours - fruity black currant and an after-taste of bitter coffee. The Fire Paan (R145) is all drama - cloves that hold the leaf together are set alight. You are to put the flaming paan right into your mouth to douse the flame. The fiery clove coats the palate, followed by kattha, gulkand, mukhwas, and other paan staples. The Ice Paan, on the other hand, is filled with crushed ice.

The Pineapple Paan (Rs 85) comes with a coating of the fruit and sugar paste. Inside, we taste sweetened coconut flakes, cardamom powder, gulkand, and mukhwas.

The establishment may have put out their disclaimers about Sholay, yet Amitabh Bachchan's gimmicky hit tune, Khaike Paan Banaraswala, comes to mind as we exit Basanti.

Opens: Tonight (7 pm)
Time: 12 pm to 3.30 pm, 7 pm to 1 am (from August 24)
At: 7/11, Meera Apartments, Juhu Versova Link Road, Seven Bungalows, Andheri West.
Call: 7045637722

Chicken Batibasa

The humble cuisine of Odisha is often overlooked, thanks to the state being sandwiched between culinary powerhouses West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. This weekend, home cook Ananya Banerjee will put the spotlight on fare from the eastern state at a pop-up.

Ananya Banerjee with guests

"I spent a few years of my childhood in Odisha, so I grew up tasting the cuisine. It's sad that no one serves Odia food in restaurants," says Banerjee. She shares that food cooked in the northern parts of the state shares similarities with Bengali cuisine, making use of mustard oil and seafood, while the southern parts use ingredients like tamarind and curry leaves, staples in south Indian cooking. "Then, there is the region around Puri and Cuttack, where the food is influenced by the Jagannath Temple's kitchen."

Pokhal Bhat

Banerjee's menu will include a mix of dishes from across. "The first course will have Bori Chuda [fried lentil dumplings] and Santula [mixed veggies slow-cooked in their own juices]," she says, adding that another interesting item is Pokhal Bhat, fermented rice served with accompaniments like fish and prawn chutneys, sautéed greens, and spiced potato mash.

Chana Poda

Non-vegetarians can look forward to the Machha Soriso Tarkari (mustard-based fish curry) prepared differently from its Bengali counterpart, and Chicken Batibasa, which features poultry slow-cooked in an earthen pot.

"While finalising the desserts, I realised I didn't want to get into the rosogolla debate," Banerjee laughs. "Instead, I will be serving Khaja [sugar-coated crispy fried dough] and Chana Poda, which tastes like a baked cheesecake made with paneer," she adds.

On: August 26, 1 pm
At: Sewri (exact address provided on booking)
Call: 9819497968
Cost: '1,100 (vegetarian); '1,325 (non-vegetarian)

(Clockwise from left) Bheja Hara Masala, Nalli Nihari, Paya Soup, Tandoori Roti, Dal Chawal Palidu, Pizza Naan and Bohri Biryani (centre)

The Hill Road's din is drowned out by soothing Middle Eastern music as we step into The Tha'l Co, tucked in a residential building off the bustling street. We soak in the pale blue and stone grey décor, with charming latticework, candle-lit tables and abstract art adorning the walls, half expecting a performance of belly dancers. Instead, two staffers bring out a massive, 33-inch Bohri thaal, laden with nine types of starters, four pickles and two salad options.

Pineapple Halwa, Kesar Pista Sancha Ice Cream, Amba Roti, Paan and Mukhwaas

Owner Avinash Bhatia gets the reaction he's hoping for - our gaping mouths. "Bohri food has always been close to my heart, as I grew up with friends from the community. I sourced traditional recipes from them," says the Sindhi businessman, who hails from a family of property developers. He also has experience of running the family-owned Club 9 at Pali Hill, which replaced Hungry Bunny, a cosy café that his father had launched back in 1990s.

A community call
The Tha'l Co offers à la carte and set menus, the latter in the form of thaals for a solo diner and even a family. They also take catering orders. "The family thaal feeds seven guests. It includes mains and desserts too," he says as he ushers us to a low-seating table with seat cushions. It represents the community's traditional dining set-up where a family sits on the floor around a common thaal. However, we opt for the table-and-chair set up, considering we're in for the long haul.

(Clockwise from left) Bheja Hara Masala, Nalli Nihari, Paya Soup, Tandoori Roti, Dal Chawal Palidu, Pizza Naan and Bohri Biryani (centre)

After the traditional passing of salt and a bite of sodhanu (rice and sugar to start the meal), we dig into Dhungareli Tangdi, wrapped in foil and cooked in coals. The dish stars fall-off-the-bone chicken legs cooked in creamy gravy with a distinct crumbly cheese texture that teases our palate.

Then, we move on to fried-till-crisp Chicken Kheema Samosas and Chicken Shahi Roll, where crumb-fried barrels burst with meaty, cheesy flavours. They're washed down with refreshing, watermelon-flavoured Bir Soda, as integral to the community as Pallonji's is to Parsis.

For veggies too
The vegetarian options include Soya Chaaps, where the mock meat is slathered with a makhani-like gravy. We also enjoy the salads - Kokam Bateta, featuring well-cooked potatoes hidden under a thick, tangy-spicy coating, and Kachumber laced with silken, mashed brinjal.

The highlights are the melt-in-the-mouth minced lamb Galawati and the skewered Seekh Kebabs, where the soft and juicy mutton packs in robust, spicy flavours.

Dance to DCP
The mains include Nalli Nihari, Bheja Hara Masala, Bohri Biryani and the vegetarian DCP aka Dal Chawal Palidu. The Nihari wins us over with its soft and succulent lamb cooked in a well-spiced stock with a hint of fennel seeds that we relish with fluffy Pizza Naan. The Bheja Hara Masala scores for its creamy coriander-based gravy, whose flavours are soaked in by goat meat.

The dum-cooked Bohri Biryani, with succulent chunks of mutton and potatoes, turns out to be a lighter version of its north Indian sibling. It's long rice grains are laced with the right amount of whole spices and slight tang from the curd. A smoking-hot piece of coal on a bed of mildly flavoured rice and lentils takes the modest DCP to the next level. The flavour lingers in our mouth long after we've tucked into the comforting dish with Palidu, a drumstick stew tempered with cumin and thickened with Bengal gram flour.

By the time we reach the desserts - the rich Pineapple Halwa and creamy Sancha (hand-churned) ice cream in kesar pista flavour - we feel too stuffed to move, realising the true meaning of food coma.

Opens: Next week, 12 pm to 3.30 pm; 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm
At: Pooja Society, Chinchpokli Road, Bandra West
Call: 8956988888
Cost: `786 (single thaal), `986 (per person for family thaal)

Mawa modak

Modak is Ganesha’s favourite dish and therefore, Ganesh Chaturthi celebration is incomplete without this Indian sweet. Modak has evolved with time and is now available in myriad forms, including steamed and fried forms. Thanks to restaurants and chefs in Mumbai, who are taking initiative to give a tasty twist to the traditional sweet dish.

This year on Ganesh Chaturthi, Executive chef Kamlesh Rawat of 180 Degrees Grand Sarovar Premiere in Goregaon has prepared a massive 5kg Mawa Modak to mark the occasion. The modak will be there on display until Sunday, August 27. Do not forget to drop in to take a glance of this mighty modak.

5kg Mawa Modak at Grand Sarovar Premiere

Read the recipe of the modak here:

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 3Kg Mawa(if hariyali mawa is good texture)
2. 1.5 Kg sugar or add as per taste
3. 200 Gm. Cardamom powder
4. 10 Gm. Saffron
5. 200 Gm. Ghee for Modak greasing

Method:
1. Heat pan in low flame and put mawa on it. As the mawa starts melting, keep stirring it on low flame.
2. When the mawa begins to melt add sugar in it and stir again.
3. When the mawa starts bubbling, add cardamom and saffron in the mixture.
4. Keep stirring on low flame until the mixture starts leaving the bottom of pan.
5. Transfer the mixture into a big bowl and wait for it to cool.
6. Place the mixer on a greased plate and mould it in the shape of a modak.
7. Garnish with saffron on top and the Mawa Modak is ready to be served

Where: Grand Sarovar Premiere, AK Plaza, SV Road, Goregaon West, Mumbai

This week seems to have done justice to the Indian and Parsi food. From Awadhi cuisine to egg variants, several new restaurants in the city are offering delicious fares, which are perfect to tantalize your taste buds with during the weekend.

.

1. Basanti: The menu has a distinct bent towards Awadhi cuisine. Chef de Cuisine Salim Qureshi of the famed Qureshi gharana brings family recipes and secret ingredients to Basanti. In Galawat ke Kebab, the lamb is cooked to so much perfection that the medallions will melt in your mouth, while the spices will tantalise our taste buds. The Nihari Gosht consists of generous proportion of lambs and makes for another good non-vegetarian option. While vegetarian dishes like Bhindi Naintara and Paneer Do Pyaza are comfort picks, the slow cooked Dal Ek Khaas happens to be a major hit. One of the striking items on the menu card is the paan. Ice Paan, Fire Paan, Vanilla Paan, Pineapple Paan and Butterscotch Paan, the man behind the pan counter has a lot to offer.
Where: 7/11, Meera Apartments, Juhu Versova Link Road, Seven Bungalows, Andheri West

2. Ministry of Eggs: This is a new egg-centric quick service restaurant located in the food court of a mall in Ghatkopar. Here, the menu is a delight to all egg lovers. The Egg Lasan Kachchu is a unique offering at this food outlet. The French Toast Sandwich Egg Rolls are perfect mess free bites. On the other hand, Parsi favourites Salli Par Edu and Akuri on buttered toast make for a good start to the egg trail. Egg Paaplet, Egg Lahori and Egg Mamna are three other offbeat delicacies that are worth savouring at the outlet.
Where: Third floor, R City Mall, Ghatkopar West

3. Monkey Bar: This restaurant in Mumbai makes its mission to serve breakfast anytime of the day, and by night. Dubbed Breakfirst Plus, this Sunday-only, all-day brekkie bonanza is a feast with a twist! One of their big-ticket dishes is Lord Cubbon's Vice, a traditional English breakfast. Egg lovers can dig into the EggHead section that offers everything from scrambled eggs to their interpretation of the Parsi staple — Curried Akuri with Malabari Paratha. For those who prefer a saccharine-heavy breakfast, there's always Cinnamon and Toffee Pancakes along with French toast. The menu also offers perfect hangover cures with signature breakfast cocktails like the Bloody Monkey, and thick shakes and fresh juices.
Where: Monkey Bar, Summerville, junction of 14th and 33rd road, Bandra West.

It's a long weekend and any long weekend is incomplete without a feast. Take your pick and drive to the joints for an ultimate food trail in the city.

Tofu for Ganesha
This vegan, gluten- and sugar-free modak is bound to get the fitness freak interested. A blend of tofu, almond flour, coconut powder and soya milk, with a whiff of cardamom and saffron, makes this made-to-order eat delicious to the core.

Time: 12 pm to 1 am
At: Dishkiyaoon, ground floor, The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex Road, Bandra East.
Call: 8291139404
Cost: '350 plus taxes for five modaks

With love from Manchuria
Enjoy the piping-hot and deep-fried Manchurian Modak that oozes with Chindian flavours or opt for other savoury varieties like Dahi Modak Chaat, Matar Samosa Modak and Hara Bhara Modak at a 10-day chaat festival.
Time: 12 pm to 10 pm at Dillie Heart, Nalanda Co-op housing Society, Evershine Nagar, Malad West
Call: 28800781
Cost: '99 (for a plate of five pieces)

Do the tutti frutti
If you love a dose of colourful tutti frutti, this mawa modak with a mix of the confectionary is what you need. They offer 20 variants, including Chocolate Chips, Gulkand, Roasted, and Mathura Modak.
At: Puranmal restaurants at Juhu, CSMT, Chandivali, Khopoli and Ghatkopar.
Call: 8080806749 (CSMT)
Log on to: puranmal.com
Cost: '121 for six modaks

Break it open
Try D:OH! Dak, a hollow chocolate modak filled with ice cream brownie and chocolate sauce, served with a side of hand-churned modak ice cream featuring jaggery, coconut and dry fruits.
Till: September 5 Time 9 am to 1 am
At: D:OH outlets in Kamala Mills, Lower Parel and Fun Republic Mall, Andheri West
Call: 62372830 (Lower Parel)
Cost: '299

For gooey goodness
Here's an artisanal version of your regular festive favourite - this modak has a filling of caramel and tender coconut, all encased in a shell of saffron mousse. And to help you maintain your vegetarian diet, it's egg-free!
Time: 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
At: Toshin, first floor, IVY Restaurant & Banquets, GM Road, Amar Mahal, Chembur West
Call: 67982298
Cost: '260 per piece

The anti-dairy bite
Sworn off dairy products and unable to enjoy mawa modaks? Order the decadent Chocolate Cranberry variety, which includes oats laced with cocoa and bits of tangy-sweet berries. It isn't just vegan but gluten- and sugar-free too.
Time: 9 am to 9 pm at Buddha Bowl, Hill Road, Bandra West
Call: 33126724
Cost: '360 (for a box of 11)

From Korea, with love

An Asian take on the classic cocktail, the Kimchi Mary features the Korean condiment and sticks of cucumber frozen into ice blocks.
Time 12 pm to 1 am
At Hello Guppy, Godrej-BKC, G-Block, BKC, Bandra (East).
Call 26534720
Cost Rs 300 plus taxes

Beloved bacon

Two of our loves — bacon and cocktails — come together in this Smoked Bacon Bloody Mary, which pairs perfectly with your slice of thin-crust pizza.
Time 11.30 am to 1 am
At Woodside Inn outlets in Andheri West and Colaba. CALL 26328963
Cost Rs 545 plus taxes

Peppered with pepperoni

Love your slices of pepperoni? The Mary Peppins, made with chicken pepperoni infused vodka, sweet chilli sauce and sea salt water is tailor-made for you.
Time 12 pm to 12 am
At Lemon Leaf, 4, Mandlik Road, Colaba.
Call 22020616
Cost Rs 450

Melon in the mix

A little sweet and little spicy, this Watermelon Bloody Mary sits pretty in a jar,
and sweet on your palate.
Time 9 am to 1 am
At Jamjar Diner outlets in Versova and Bandra West.
Call 26358880
Cost Rs 380 plus taxes

Recipe for a classic Bloody Mary
Ingredients
120ml tomato juice
60ml vodka
10ml lime juice
2–4 lime wedges
4–5 drops of Tobasco sauce
4 – 5 drops of Worcestershire sauce
3 – 4 ice cubes
Salt, to taste
Celery/green chilly for garnish

Method
Rim a roly ploy glass with a lime wedge and salt.
Add ice cubes, Tobasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, tomato juice and vodka.
Garnish with celery and/or green chillies.
Recipe courtesy Binny Dhadwal, bartender and consultant

Why so special?

Spanish festival La Tomatina is held annually in the eastern town of Buñol on the last Wednesday of August. The event, where people throw tonnes of tomatoes at each other, is the result of a public brawl that took place in 1945. The festival gained much popularity in India post the 2011 Hindi film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

I scream for beer-cream


This is the stuff beautiful dreams are made of. The Candied Hazelnut and Beer Ice Cream is made using the popular Indian brew, Bira, with fresh vanilla extract. We sure are ditching our diets for more scoops of this.
Time 12 pm to 3 pm, 7 pm to 12 am
At Arth, Pinnacle House, PD Hinduja Marg, 15th Road, Bandra West.
Call 9594060038
Cost Rs 300 plus taxes

For the child in you

Come summer, and munching on cookies and slurping popsicles was the norm for idling away vacations. Relive those days with these Craft Beer Popsicles served on a bed of cookie crumble. They are made from the in-house Ace beer, a French apple cider that has a mild apple champagne taste. This beer on a stick wins our vote.
Time 12 pm to 1 am
At The White Owl, One Indiabulls Center, Lower Parel.
Call 24210231
Cost Rs 195 plus taxes

Brownie points for this

Stout lovers shouldn’t give this a miss. Munchies is a gooey chocolate brownie made with stout and served with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Craving more? It comes drizzled with a decadent chocolate sauce made with stout.
Time 4 pm to 1 am (Monday to Friday) and 12 noon to 1 am (Saturday and Sunday)
At Brewbot, Morya Landmark 1, Andheri West.
Call 39698091
Cost Rs 385
Plus taxes

Shake it off

This milkshake is surely going to bring the boys to the yard. Beery Eyed is a milkshake made using beer, ice-cream and orange juice. They also serve wine milkshakes for
connoisseurs.
Time 10 am to 1 am
At All D:OH! outlets
Call 62360451 (Andheri)
Cost Rs 269

The floods have receded and the sun is shining brightly overhead. Sweat beads trickle down our brow as our taxi manoeuvres past bikers, trucks and pedestrians who seem to give two hoots about the incessant honking. Our journey ends outside Sitaram Building, where, in the past, many of us have stumbled in and out of Zaffran in the wee hours, looking to feed our hungry selves after a night of partying.

The restaurant was the brainchild of two friends, Chetan Sethi and Munib Birya, who met at Sophia College during their hotel management course in 1996. At 23, they pooled in finances to open a Mughlai restaurant at Crawford Market in 2003. "It was not even considered close to the hip neighbourhoods like Colaba," laughs Sethi, who mans the kitchen.

Mutton Pepper Kulcha

On the plus side, rent was low and the duo realised that there would be no dearth of clients, with shoppers, traders and office-goers thronging the area every day. "There were only Irani and Udupi restaurants in the neighbourhood back then," reminisces 38-year-old Sethi , confessing that they were initially met with resistance. "Even friends weren't ready to come to Crawford Market. Then, people started ordering in. We always believed that people will go anywhere for good food," Birya says, finishing the thought.

Fourteen years later, they are ready to launch version 2.0 of Zaffran, paving the way for Ustaadi, which will serve global fare, in addition to Indian cuisine. Spread across 7,000 sq ft with separate smoking and non-smoking sections, it also houses a kids' play area, with toys, a jungle gym and cartoon films on offer. At the table, the little ones will be served in colourful, kid-friendly plates, and a special Chhote Ustaad menu is also in the pipeline.

Kacha Keri Margarita

"We transitioned without shutting the restaurant. Zaffran has been a flag-bearer of wholesome Mughlai and North Indian cuisine; now, we are ready to offer more," explains Birya, who handles the front office and operations.

Old gives way to new
Climbing up two flights of wooden stairs, we walk into the familiar underground den-like space, with walls that mute the noise of the market outside and create a cosy cocoon. Warm yellow light from rustic bronze chandeliers sets the mood, highlighting select walls that have a story to tell. "While we believe in the mastery of art, we are celebrating 'ustaadi' across fields like photography, music and fashion. One section celebrates the mastery of writing with books adorning the walls," says Birya.

Balinese Spiced Banana Leaf Basa

Warning: the menu is vast, divided into five sections -- All-Day Breakfast and Pizza, Indian, Asian, Cosmopolitan, and Desserts. We begin our meal with Pulled Raan Bao (R375), Butter Chicken Bao (R325) and Balinese Spiced Banana Leaf Basa (R395). The Pulled Raan Bao is spicy, cushioned between a sweet bao that takes the sting out of the chilli. The Butter Chicken version is milder and flavourful.

We unwrap the basa to find it swimming in a coconut curry spiced with Balinese yellow chilli. The steamed fish is creamy, and melts in the mouth. Skilfully executed, the dish is simple, authentic flavours. We also recommend a new entrant in the Indian section, the South Indian-style Mutton Pepper Kulcha (R165), which comes oozing with butter and is garnished with rocket leaves that give it a crunchy finish. We wash this down with a Kacha Keri Margarita (R175).

Belgian Chocolate Roll

For the main course, there is Indonesian Nasi Goreng (R395), which comes with prawn skewers in a green sauce, prawn chips and an egg. Made using jasmine rice, it's a well-balanced dish with the flavours and textures of garlic, ginger, chillies and soy. We savour the slightly fiery aftertaste it leaves on our lips.

The Saffron Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto (R375) is creamy, and the al dente Arborio rice, earthy fungi and sharp saffron make it a delightful combination. We end the meal with a Belgian Chocolate Roll (R195), a gooey chocolate cake that comes covered in a nutty caramel-cracker coating. It immediately brings to mind Cooper's Fudge from Lonavala.

Munib Birya and Chetan Sethi 

Although flaunting a new menu, Ustaadi retains Zaffran's thought of offering filling, value-for-money fusion and authentic dishes. "No small plate ever fed a customer," laughs Sethi, confessing that they are looking at taking the brand overseas.

Mistaken identities

Pics/ Suresh Karkera, Tanvi Phondekar

It has been an eventful ride, the duo agrees. Hailing from a five-star hotel background where they had duties chalked out, their biggest challenge was venturing out on their own. But they learned on the job, and managed to create a cult following among young diners. Before signing off, they share an anecdote. "Sometimes, guests would walk in, and on noticing there was a wait, they walked up to us, claiming to know 'Munib' or 'Chetan' personally, and demanding to meet them. They didn't realise they were speaking to exactly Munib and Chetan."

Are you looking for food and drinks with twists? Then refer to our list of this week's top three restaurant picks:

1. The Bowl Box: This recently opened takeaway in Mahim delivers meal boxes in a variety of cuisines, which transport you from Asia to Italy. The Bowl Box dishes out an extensive menu with Asian, Indian, Italian and even Mediterranean meal boxes. In addition, they have options for 8-inch pizzas, rolls, appetisers, the kids' menu, stuffed pav, salad bowls, tandoori cuisine, and a separate one-bowl meal section too. Bowl meal of Chilli Chicken Rice, Chicken Fry, Kheema Mutter and Barbecue Chicken Wings are worth ordering from this new eatery. Though you may find few lapses in the meal, yet the Bowl Box’s delicious treats at reasonable rates will leave you content at the end.
Where: Kapad Bazar Lane, Opposite Paradise Cinema, Mahim, Mumbai

2. Dishkiyaoon: The restaurant in Bandra Kurla Complex is serving modaks with a twist, thanks to the ongoing Ganesh festival in Mumbai. Tofu modak at Dishkiyaoon seemed interesting and is worth a try if you are looking for an offbeat modak recipe. This vegan, gluten- and sugar-free modak is bound to get the fitness freak interested. A blend of tofu, almond flour, coconut powder and soya milk, with a whiff of cardamom and saffron, makes this made-to-order eat delicious to the core.
Where: ground floor, The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex Road, Bandra East

3. Hello Guppy: The chic eatery at Bandra Kurla Complex will leave you in twists with its offbeat version of the classic Bloody Mary. It has given an Asian take on the classic cocktail and named it Kimchi Mary. The Kimchi Mary features Korean condiment and sticks of cucumber frozen into ice blocks.
Where: Godrej-BKC, G-Block, BKC, Bandra (East)

Quench your thirst, binge on crunchy fries and get a taste of tofu modak this weekend in the city. 

When it comes to physical well-being, there is little doubt that we are what we eat. Yet, in our fast-paced lives, what we put into our system often pales before other priorities. Combine it with our readiness to consume packaged and junk foods, and we may be looking at serious health concerns in the long run.

A whole plant-based basics cooking workshop by Sharan, an organisation that spreads awareness about holistic health and an ecologically sustainable lifestyle, aims to reverse this trend by teaching its participants simple ways of eating healthy through the day. "The moment we start eating right, the body starts healing. The aim of this workshop is to celebrate food rather than deprive ourselves of it, which is why all the recipes are not just healthy and wholesome, but also delicious," says Reyna Rupani, the organisation's Mumbai head.

The workshop will be conducted by whole plant nutritionist Madhura Vayal and chef Rose Pinto, who will share tried-and-tested breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes such as Green Smoothies, Red Rice Idlis, Peanut Butter Salad, bread, vegan ice cream and cheese, oil-free Dahi Wadas and even home-made green tea. "The idea is to eliminate processed, preservative-laced ingredients from our diets. The best part about these recipes is that nobody misses the oil or sugar because the flavours only get better with healthier substitutes," Rupani sums up.

 
Spaghetti

Andheri is a melting pot of refreshing flavours. The wide collection of local, regional and international cuisines make this bustling locality nothing less than a food paradise in Mumbai. Young crowd, cool vibe and an overall pleasant setting, Andheri is a perfect place to indulge in a food trail in the city. From seafood and nachos to waffles and unconventional ice creams, restaurants in Andheri offer a huge assortment of delectable and unique dishes from around the world. These 8 restaurants in Andheri prove what the locality is a haven and ultimate destination of solace for foodaholics. Take your pick:

1. Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe: This cosy little cafe in Marol is an ideal destination to drop in for Spanish food. The menu comprises of Spanish specialities, fast food and local delicacies. One should definitely try their Bombon, Chicken sandwich, Spaghetti al Pesto and, Gooey Chocolate Brownie and Chicken Vada Pav. Health drinks like Cucumber and Spinach Juice and Beetroot and Carrot juice are also listed in the menu. Food is reasonably priced so you won’t get a hol the in pocket. Friendly staff, live music, outdoor seating and colourful decor make your dining experience a truly unforgettable one.
Where: 3 & 4, Golden Nest Cooperation Housing Society, Mapkhan Nagar, Marol Naka, Mumbai, Marol, Mumbai

Penne Makhani with Chicken Tikka

2. Ambrosia Cafe and Deli: Another quaint cafe tucked in one of the narrow lanes of the busy Andheri-Kurla road is Ambrosia Cafe and Delhi. The menu offers several options to choose from. The light bites are actually not light and are capable enough to fulfil your hunger pranks. Cheesy Chicken poppers, Crumb Fried wings, Penne Makhani with Chicken Tikka and Classic Waffle are the all time favourites here. Place your order and can even indulge in board games till the food comes to your table.
Where: Shop 2, Wellington Business Park 2, Opposite Skyline Icon, Andheri- Kurla Road, Marol, Mumbai

3. Hit and Run: With three outlets in Andheri, this small eatery emerged as a popular and an all-time favourite take away joint for Lebanese and Indian food lovers. This place probably delivers the best shawarma in Andheri (E) area. Apart from the shawarma variants, Hit and Run also offers lip-smacking Hummus with Pita Bread, Chicken Pahadi kebab, Chicken Hyderabadi kebab, Tandoori Chicken and Hummus Chicken salad. The Chinese food here is equally tantalizing. Chicken triple rice, Crispy chicken, and Schezwan rice are some specialities of Hit and Run that cannot be missed. The take away joint is easy and locate and fits the budget.
Where: Mahakali, Marol and Chakala

Shawarma

4. Icekraft: None can deny the fact that Oshiwara is a haven for our foodie folks. Amidst several Chinese, Indian and Continental restaurants, stands Icekraft, a tiny funky looking dessert parlour. Known for their live ice cream counters and unconventional flavours for the cool bites, Icekraft is worth a visit for dessert lovers. It is also the one-stop destination for waffles, pancakes and freak shakes. You can end your meal on a sweet note with Icekraft’s Charcoal Ice cream, Dark chocolate ice cream, Chocochip Waffles and Nutella Waffle. Also, customize your ice cream if you wish too. Also, the food joint comes out with festival special menus, so you need to keep an eye out.
Where: 5, Meera CHS, Opposite Windsor Grande Residences, Oshiwara, Andheri West

Charcoal ice cream

5. Bhojohori Manna: No food trail is complete without sampling regional speciality. Bhojohori Manna in Oshiwalivesive up to your expectation. Be it Luchi and Kosha Mangsho or Daab Chingri, Bhojohori Manna ensures that every dish carries with it the authentic flavour of Bengal. The restaurant made its way to Mumbai from Kolkata and has lived up to the expectations of Mumbaikars, especially fish lovers. You can fill up your stomach with Bengali dishes like Mishti pulao, Chicken Kabiraji Cutlet, Ilish paturi, Jhinge Aalo posto, Vetki macher paturi, and Parshe Shorshe.  
Where: 3 & 4, Reliable Business Centre, Near Om Heera Panna Mall, Oshiwara, Andheri West Oshiwara

Ilish Bhaja

6. Sammy Sosa: If you are in Oshiwara for pub hopping and need to chill over cool drinks and international food, then Sammy Sosa may come to your rescue. The all the day dining joint specializes in Mexican, Italian and Continental food. It has included salads and other healthy food variants in its menu to meet the hunger pranks of our health conscious folks. Pair your nachos, tacos and Chilli Cheese Fries with Vodka Sangria, Bira Lite or Brody Bourbon Beer New Sernyaa at this cool vibrant eatery. It is a perfect destination to drop in with friends and unwind over good food and classic drinks.

Where: Shop 18, Meera CHS, Near Mega Mall, Oshiwara Link Road, Oshiwara, Andheri West

Nachos

7. Vedge: We do like your veggie meals a lot! Veggie food too comes with a twist and Vedge justifies the fact to the core. The highlight of the eatery is the vegetarian version of Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisine. To be on the safe side, you can also pick a dish from their fully loaded Indian menu. Share a plateful of Wok Tossed Potatoes, Fully Loaded Nachos, Chilli Paneer bao and Dimsums with friends and family the next time you drop in to Vedge.
Where: Ground Floor, Fun Republic Mall, New Link Road, Veera Desai Area, Mumbai

Crab masala

8. Malwani Kalwan: No food trail in Mumbai is complete without tasting the coastal flavours. Think of some unusual seafood delicacies and Malwani Kalwan will have it ready on the palate. Drop in to this Andheri restaurant for a date with Crab soup, Bombil fry, Squid fry, Stuffed pomfret, Brain tawa fry and Gawth Chicken. The ambience is nothing outstanding, so only drop in for a seafood fix. The aroma and flavour of coastal meal will leave you finger licking.
Where: Om Cottage, Opposite Nana Nani Park, JP Road, 7 Bungalows, Andheri West

The next time you are in Andheri, you simply cannot miss out on these food outlets. Also, those residing in this ever bustling locality of Mumbai may put on extra kilos after savouring lip smacking global food from the joints. Never mind, many of these do offer healthy variants to strike a balance.

Happy munching!

Be it starters or desserts, restaurants in Mumbai are leaving no stone unturned to bring out innovative dishes on the platter for our foodie folks. While looking out for the top restaurants in the city who are giving a twist to the usual food and drinks, we came up with these three options. Find it out here:

1. Vegan Burger Kitchen: If you are looking out for vegan burgers and if you live around Bandra, then you're in luck, thanks to this new delivery service. At present, the menu offers nine burgers, each different from the next. All these burgers are made using locally sourced, organic produce. Asian-style Sweet Potato and Peanut Burger, The Crispy Eggplant Burger, The Unmeat Burger and Mushrooms and Beet Burger are some of the specialities you will enjoy at this all-vegan burger joint. The menu also lists beverages like iced tea and cold brews, as well as two desserts.
Where: Pali Hill, Bandra West

2. London Taxi: The gastropub stands tall at a corner of Kamala Mills and looks somewhat like a bovine inspired but a close look reveals a map of London. . Colourful pipes run across the ceiling, to form a map of the London Underground. The tabletops are printed with artwork inspired by Abbey Road. The menu has a wild mix of cuisines (think Prawn Thai Broth, Moroccan Fish Tikka and Madras Curry Scotch Egg). Everything is made in-house, including the sausages, sauces and breads. Food like Cajun-spiced Prawn and Kale Chips Salad, Truffle-scented Dark Chocolate Caramelised Cauliflower Veloute and drinks like The Trip and Picadilly Circus are some of the chefs favourite that you too can try. The Banana Rum and Toffee Parfait is a must try for dessert.
Where: A Wing, Ground Floor,Trade Centre, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel

3. The White Owl: You will now have the perfect excuse to have beer for dessert, too, with a sweet preparations made using the fizzy brews. Come summer, and munching on cookies and slurping popsicles was the norm for idling away vacations. Relive those days with these Craft Beer Popsicles served on a bed of cookie crumble. They are made from the in-house Ace beer, a French apple cider that has a mild apple champagne taste. This beer on a stick wins our vote.
Where: Lobby, Tower 2 B, One Indiabulls Center, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai

Bittu Sahgal and Dia Mirza enjoy a meal at Kitchen Garden by Suzette in Bandra. Pics/Shadab Khan

There is a peacock whose cacophony Bittu Sahgal wakes up to at his Napean Sea Road residence every morning , before he starts hammering away at articles for Sanctuary Asia, a magazine he launched and has been editing since 1981. And as Dia Mirza tells us how she came to be associated with Sahgal's various projects, a butterfly fluttering in the al fresco section of Kitchen Garden by Suzette lights up her eyes. The actor, who has been deeply involved with the cause of the environment, attended The International Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Forum in Kyrgyzstan last month, and was appointed the ambassador of the Wildlife Trust of India earlier this year. As the mentor and the mentee meet over lunch, words flow as odes to nature, unravelling the green legacy of India and the ecological miracle called Mumbai.

Hasan: How did your association come about?
Sahgal: She walked into our lives like a breath of fresh air.
Mirza: There had been always a sense of awe for the man he is and his work, but I hadn't had facetime with him. So, when I met him socially at a dinner, I chased him. I told him, 'The problem with people like you is that you don't communicate with people like me. If I had more access to your mind, I would take your ideas to more people.' Bittu is someone I look up to as my guardian, my guru. He really changed my life.
Sahgal: It takes a lot out of somebody to keep fighting for 40 years. Then I look at you and I say to myself, 'We won!' Life is a marathon and the baton has been passed on.
Mirza: The world is constantly drawing you away from your purpose. Bittu came into my life as a reminder of all the things I was nurtured with when I was being brought up. I went to a J Krishnamurti school, where we did classes under trees, we grew vegetables and discussed materialism. My work in films had taken me far away from all this but he reminded me that the two can co-exist. And I made a choice.

Avocado Toast and The Greek salad arrive.
Hasan: Speaking of choices, are both of you vegetarian?
Sahgal: I don't perceive meat as food. I was born in a non-veg loving Punjabi family, but I stopped eating meat when I was old enough to say no to my mother.
Mirza: I am not a vegetarian, but I have become more conscientious about my consumption. There are certain meats I don't eat, like wild animals.

Hasan: Where does Mumbai stand in the fight to ensure urban centres retain their green cover?
Mirza: As citizens of Mumbai, we need to remember that we are the only city in the world with a large forest cover in the heart of the city.
Sahgal: We have a garland of mangroves protecting us. Sanjay Gandhi National Park has more butterflies than the entire UK. We are like spoilt rich brats who don't understand the value of our wealth. Like the biodiversity of forests, we need biodiversity of attitudes and strategies.

Mirza: And laws. Isn't it appalling that we are waking up to waste management systems only now?
Sahgal: We have planners planning infrastructure at sea level, when the rest of the world is planning for six metres above sea level. It defies logic that my generation is straddling your generation with white elephant investments that can never work. Nature doesn't give you judgement, it gives you consequences. Mithi river was a consequence, as is Florida.

Mirza: As Bittu always quotes Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum: In the end we will conserve only what we love and love only what we learn about.

Sweetish House Mafia, known for its decadent desserts, cookies and cookie shakes, has now introduced a new cookie that will bring a smile to the faces of mums-to-be. The latest offering is targeted at expectant and nursing mums alike. The cookies are packed with nutrients that provide the energy required during pregnancy. They also fulfil sweet cravings that are common when carrying. The cookies also are a good option as a healthy mid-day munch for anyone counting calories.

Loaded with flax, oats, brewers' yeast and other yummy nutritional ingredients, these cookies offer a wealth of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. While flax provides Omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain development, oats are a rich source of fibre, iron, healthy vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Brewers' yeast is a great source of Vitamin B and amino acids, a natural ingredient used to help stimulate and increase the production of breast milk. With a dash of chocolate crumbs, the sweet package sounds like a sure hit for the mommie brigade.

Neha Arya Sethi, co-founder, Sweetish House Mafia, says, "Mums are some of our most regular patrons. While we'll be delighted to continue giving them our indulgent desserts, we realise that a big part of baby care comes from a mother's diet. Our Mommy's Cookies give mums and fitness enthusiasts flavours and wholesome components."

LOG ON TO: sweetishhousemafia.com

Ajay Devgn has produced and directed a music video, Thahar Ja, which speaks about weathering the storm. The star, who also features in the video, shot it himself at his Juhu home. It also marks the debut of son Yug as assistant director. The song has been rendered by Mehul Vyas.

It's a four-minute-long video and it not only captures the actor and his montages but also all the medical practitioners and unsung warriors that are fighting day and night to conquer the Coronavirus crisis. This is indeed a soothing way to spread hope and positivity.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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We will weather this storm together. Stay safe, Stay Happy. Apno ke liye #ThaharJa #IndiaFightsCorona @narendramodi @uddhavthackeray @cmomaharashtra @praveensinghpardeshi @my_bmc @meenaiyerofficial

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) onApr 25, 2020 at 12:31am PDT

During this lockdown, all the Bollywood celebrities have asked all of us to stay safe and inside our homes. They have also been saluting and applauding the efforts being put by the doctors and nurses to eradicate the virus. Some uploaded a video, many of them tweeted to thank them, and Devgn goes a step ahead and dedicates a song that's all about keeping patience and positivity.

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Telugu actress Samantha Akkineni turned a year older on April 28, 2020, and she was seen celebrating her special day with near and dear ones. Samantha's husband Naga Chaitanya hosted a sweet little party for the birthday girl at their home.

Chaitanya also baked a cake for his wife, and the actress shared a time-lapse video on social media. She wrote, "baking my birthday cake." Take a look at the series of photos and video shared by the birthday girl on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Family ❤ï¸Â .... (no points for guessing what I am praying for )

A post shared by Samantha Akkineni (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) onApr 27, 2020 at 12:29pm PDT

For the uninitiated, the 33-year-old actress has a solid fan-following not only in India but globally too and has given us two very memorable films- 24 and Eega, both brimming with imaginative ideas and smashing entertainment. Samantha has come a long way and carved her own niche in Indian Cinema. Her work in the Telugu and Tamil industry continues to resonate with audiences and critics alike.

Speaking of her professional journey, some of her most remembered works as an artist are 24, Oh Baby, U-Turn, Super Deluxe, and Rangasthalam.

On the other hand, talking about her personal life, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya tied the knot in both grand South Indian and Christian ceremony in October 2017.

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Fitness plays a significant role in the life of Bollywood actresses. To slay in Bollywood, the actresses are maintaining on to a well-toned body. Their toned curves make them look glamorous in the industry. It’s no surprise that for any given role our favorite Bollywood celebs have to set a strict fitness regime and follow a certain diet. Giorgia Andriani, who took the world by storm with her 'size zero' figure, recently through her social media posts, is today considered to be one of the fittest actress in the industry.

“I’m walking, practising yoga and following various workouts on YouTube, sometimes functional, sometimes weight lifting. And I am eating as early as possible at night.” Said Giorgia while talking about her fitness and diet routine. The actress has maintained a routine and stuck to her nutritious way of life all through the coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

 

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You are just one yoga session away from a good mood!🧘🏼‍♀️ #YogaLife #YogaEveryday #MeTime

A post shared by Giorgia Andriani (@giorgia.andriani22) onJan 28, 2020 at 1:32am PST

The Italian beauty Giorgia will soon debut in Bollywood with 'Welcome to Bajrangpur' starring Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra, and Tigmanshu Dhulia. Apart from that, she is set to raise the temperature with an Item Number in much-awaited 'Sridevi Bungalow' starring Arbaaz Khan and Priya Prakash Varrier.

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Siddhant Chaturvedi has made a dent in the industry with his power packed debut performance in the 2019 hit Gully Boy. The actor graced the screens as Mc Sher and the rest was history. Siddhant not only received a lot of love and appreciation from the viewers but the actor raked up a lot of critical acclaim for his effortless performance in the movie. The actor is a reflection of his character Mc Sher in real life as well and is often seen sharing his personal rap verses and poetry with his followers on social media.

Needless to say, Siddhant has left quite a mark with his debut performance in the Excel Entertainment production where he managed to hold his own as a newcomer alongside seasoned actors like Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt.

Siddhant bagged numerous awards all through 2019 for his debut performance with some of the most recent ones being the Filmfare and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for best debut performance. Mc Sher has etched a special place in the hearts of his fans with his stellar performance. Siddhant is a hit and has a huge female fan following that crushes over him, ideally granting him the nickname of the National Crush.

Carrying the higher than ever momentum into 2020, Siddhant has a host of movies lined up for himself, all with big banner productions like Yashraj and Dharma starting with Yashraj’s Bunty Aur Babli 2 with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee. Following which, Siddhant will be seen sharing the screen with Deepika Padukone and Ananya Panday in Shakun Batra’s untitled next film.

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The worldwide lockdown has forced us to stay at homes, stay indoors, and stay as far away from people as possible. Some are safe in their own homes and some are abroad with friends or alone. Jacqueline Fernandez, however, is locked down at a farmhouse and that farmhouse is at Panvel. Yes, we are talking about Salman Khan's very popular farmhouse where he celebrates his birthday every year.

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, she said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

And Salman Khan took to his Instagram account to share a shirtless picture of himself that was slyly clicked by Jacqueline and don't miss the caption the actor has written:

 

 

 

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Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

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Rishi Kapoor passed away on Thursday morning, April 30, 2020. Sources said that he had been admitted at H.N Reliance Hospital around three weeks ago and was in a critical condition for quite some time. Kapoor, 67, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer back in 2018 and was being treated in New York for about a year. Sources stated that Kapoor was suffering from complications of cancer treatment.

Neetu Kapoor and Rishi were in the US for the actor's treatment for almost a year. The duo returned to the bay in September 2019, and ever since then, he made frequent visits to the hospital.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2020, the actor breathed his last. Amitabh Bachchan, a dear friend of the veteran, shared the news and expressed shock on social media. Let's take a look at some tweets posted by the Bollywood celebrities.

Heartbroken ... Rest In Peace ... my dearest friend #RishiKapoor

— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 30, 2020

A genre of films has ended.
A school of acting gone. #RishiKapoor

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 30, 2020

Totally gutted. This is the unkindest April ever 😢😢 Rishi Kapoor ji à¥Â शाà¤Â‚ति 🙏🏼🙏🏼

— Renuka Shahane (@renukash) April 30, 2020

Been trying to write something n I can’t put my mind n hands in sync. More like the heart in between is just not able to comprehend this. That laugh, that sense of humour, the honesty and even the bully he was , will be missed. No one like you #RishiKapoor

— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) April 30, 2020

Rest In Peace Sir ... #RishiKapoor pic.twitter.com/S4RmJzg3gn

— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) April 30, 2020

Ekta Kapoor, whose father Jeetendra has been friends with the actor, posted on Instagram:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

They will never party again like this! Goodbye uncle and actor par excellence!!#riprishikapoor

A post shared by Erk❤ï¸Ârek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:01pm PDT

Kuch samay pehle Rishi ji ne mujhe unki aur meri ye tasveer bheji thi.wo sab din,sab baatein yaad aarahi hain. Main shabdheen hogayi hun. pic.twitter.com/IpwCKMqUBq

— Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) April 30, 2020

Jeetendra and wife Shobha Kapoor shared, "The magnitude of his loss and the void he leaves behind will be felt forever. We've lost one of our closest friends, our very dear brother and one of the finest human beings. It was an honour to be a part of his life. Our deepest condolences to Neetu, Riddhima, Ranbir and the entire Kapoor family."

Calling it a pandemic of sadness, producer Anand Pandit said, "Two days and two big shocks. It's a pandemic of sadness. Rishi ji was an extraordinary actor and an unforgettable human being. Larger than life and evergreen. I grew up watching his films and learnt more about life from the films during his second stint. Mulk,102 Not Out, Kapoor & Sons to name a few showed me and his fans how an actor can transform. We will miss you Rishi ji. We have lost a gem today."

Deepshikha Deshmukh shared, "News of Rishi Uncle's passing away is devastating. It seems unreal, untrue. It feels like somebody hit your heart with a cold rod. I will remember him for his beautiful movies, his larger than life persona and sharp wit. Farewell Rishi Uncle. You lived life king-size. My prayers with Ranbir, Neetu Aunty and Riddhima." 

She also tweeted about Rishi Kapoor's demise. This is what she wrote:

💔 cant even get myself to write a tweet #RIP Rishi uncle

— Deepshikha DDeshmukh (@honeybhagnani) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor had 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1973 to 2000, but many aren't aware that 40 of them were box office flops and only 11 managed to be successful at the showbiz and make it through the audience's heart. They were Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Chandni, Heena and Bol Radha Bol, Yeh Vaada Raha. He had the lead hero roles in two-hero films only 13 times, in Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhi, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Badalte Rishtey, Aap Ke Deewane, and Saagar, and then from 1989 with Ajooba, Chandni, Deewana, Damini - Lightning, Gurudev, Daraar and Karobaar.

In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, starring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles. In 2019, the actor appeared in The Body, also starring Emraan Hashmi which was released on 13 December 2019. Incidentally, it was his last released film before his death on April 30, 2020. Sharmaji Namkeen directed by Hitesh Bhatia, with Juhi Chawla, was under production at the time of his death. Rishi Kapoor was also going to be a part of the popular Hollywood remake "The Intern," also starring Deepika Padukone.

You'll be truly missed, Rishi Kapoor!

Veteran Actor Rishi Kapoor last rites to be performed at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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Actress Divya Dutta worked with Rishi Kapoor in films like "Delhi-6", "Manto" and "Chalk n Duster". The news of of the veteran actor's demise on Thursday left her "speechless" as she found the news "tough to digest" and got emotional as she reminisced the days she worked with him."

"I am speechless. It's tough to digest. This man was just full of life. He knew how to live life king size absolutely. Even in his last years. I just met him recently when he came back. It never looked as if he was sick. He was so happy, vibrant and spreading smiles all over," An emotional Divya with a shaky voice told IANS.

Noo noo rishi ji!!! You were synonymous with life itself!!My legend.. my inspiration.. my most favourite!! You truly lived life ! Will cherish my most precious moments with you.. you were so so kind n warm .apne se.#RishiKapoor .. you in my heart always.bas ya2020. Go away pic.twitter.com/CaAejejF5j

— Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) April 30, 2020

He was encouraging, she said.

"I have worked with him twice and every time he was so encouraging. He would say 'yaar! tu badhi achi actor hai tere saath aur kaam karna hai (you are a good actor I want to work with you more'. Coming from someone whom you have grown up watching, who's a legend, who I think has just... He's been my inspiration and it's too tough."

Divya, who has also worked with actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away on Wednesday, found it tough to bid goodbye to both the actors.

OMG..look at that.. both gone together.. heartbroken. https://t.co/uzGO4qxEqW

— Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) April 30, 2020

"Two loses in two days. Both people whom you are so fond of its tough to bid goodbyes like that," she said.

She went down the memory lane of the days when she was working on the sets of "Delhi 6" with Rishi, was hospitalised on Wednesday morning after complaining that he was not feeling well. The 67-year-old actor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Wife Neetu Kapoor was at his side.

"There was not a single dull moment with him. I loved sitting with him. He used to share such amazing anecdotes with full enthusiasm. I still remember each and every story he told... I remember we were shooting once in 'Delhi 6' and the entire night we all sang Rishi Kapoorji's songs and then we went sat with him that's for me the most cherished moment. He was just smiling.

"After that I have worked in two-three films with him. Just sitting with him was a delight. He was a delightful man."

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