Michael Vaughan has revealed that many former England players were jealous of Kevin Pietersen after the latter bagged a huge contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore had bought Pietersen for $1,550,000, which made him the highest-paid IPL player along with Andrew Flintoff at that time.

"I think there was a lot of jealousy," Vaughan said in an interview with foxsports.com.au. "And the players will completely deny it now but I think there was at the time when Kevin was on a massive contract.

"There were all sorts of whispers and rumours of cliques in the team. There was a little band of a few; Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, (James) Anderson, (Stuart) Broad and Matt Prior. The whispers were they were on one side and Kevin was kind of standing on his own on the other side," the former England captain said.

The 45-year-old further said that while Pietersen was off the view that playing in the IPL would further the development of the one-day team, England players felt he was going after money.

"It wasn't anything other than that Kev (Kevinn Pietersen) around that time wanted to go to the IPL. That's how it all started to blow up and that's when those factions came into play," said Vaughan.

"He was saying to the team he wanted to play because it would further the development of the one-day team and all the one-day players would get the chance to play there and improve their game. They deemed that he just wanted to go for the money. He was on a big contract while not many of the other players were even getting sniffed at.

"It was very much Kevin against the team in terms of that one," he added.

During the course of the interview, Vaughan also said that Pietersen should have never played for England again after the infamous Text-gate scandal in 2012.

Pietersen, who was born and brought up in South Africa, was accused of sending texts to South African during a Test series between the two teams against his captain Andrew Strauss and a few of his team-mates.

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Navy and private firm divers search for Bidre's remains in Bhayander Khadi. Pic/Hanif Patel

Day 1 of the search for assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre's mortal remains with the help of the hi-tech magnetometer was unsuccessful. Navy divers with the help of their private counterparts carried out a five-hour long search with the machine, but found only a gunny bag, which, the police said, was filled with sand. The search operation will continue on Wednesday.

"Search operation began around 12 noon; five Navy divers and two private ones scoured specific locations in Vasai Creek with the magnetometer, but didn't find anything significant," said a police source.

After searching for five hours, experts then carried out a scanning of the creek for a couple of hours. They zeroed in on nine possible locations, of which two had given out strong signals of having metal underwater. "Day 1 hasn't given anything significant. Search will be continued on Wednesday," said DCP (crime) Tushar Doshi.

The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch is probing the murder of Bidre, allegedly killed by inspector Abhay Kurundkar on April 11, 2016. According to co-accused Mahesh Phalnikar, the main accused had dismembered her body and put the parts in a metal trunk, dumping it in Vasai Creek. Investigators are searching for that trunk.

Also Read: Ashwini Bidre Murder Case: Trunk Filled With Body Parts To Be Traced With Iranian Magnetometer

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The body was found on Wednesday

The Vashi police have identified the woman they found stuffed in a metal trunk on Wednesday morning - Kiran Temba Sherpa, 50. A resident of Turbhe, she used to work as a housekeeping staffer in a private firm. The police have refused to divulge any other information, saying they are close to cracking the case.

Around 11 am on Wednesday, a resident of Vashi Gaon had called up the police and told them that a trunk had been washed ashore near Vashi creek, and a foul smell was coming from it. Senior inspector Ajay Landage and his team had reached the spot and found the woman's body with several clothes inside. Officers had then circulated her photo to find out who she was.

Yesterday, a few residents of Turbhe went to the police station and identified the woman. Landage said, "We've got information about her family, but we won't disclose it as probe is on."

The police are confident of cracking the case soon and have registered a case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) against unknown person/s.

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A part of the ceiling in Vashi's Raguleela Mall which is one of the prime centres of attraction collapsed on Tuesday afternoon. There was no report of any casualty or injury. The mall is flocked by thousands of people every day for shopping during the weekends and festivities.

Horrible pictures from #Raghuleela Mall #Vashi. Hope Noone is hurt@mid_day pic.twitter.com/1dEQkOdrO3

— Anuraag Kamble (@AnuragANK) July 24, 2018

"Panic gripped when a part of the ceiling fell down at around 12:25 pm. Security officials have asked people who were inside Raghuleela Mall to stay inside their shops," an eyewitness told as reported in Latestly.

Entire POP of Raghuleela Mall, Vashi fell down few minutes back pic.twitter.com/DQxJqJuNhK

— mumbaikars (@Anish67929937) July 24, 2018

It is not clear whether the collapse has anything to do with heavy rains in the city. Further details were awaited.

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L-R, Radio City's RJ Salil, RJ Archana, Singer Shankar Mahadevan, Mushtaq, Dadarao Bhilorey at Radio City's Kar Mumbaikar initiative at Vashi Toll Naka

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana filling the potholes in Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana along with Singer Shankar Mahadevan filling potholes at Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative by Radio City

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We spotted a new eatery in the busy commercial hub of Sector 17, Vashi, and the signboard got our attention immediately — Nothing But Chicken, it boldly announced, Now Open. Mental note to self — must check this place out. Soon enough, we find ourselves at the new eatery one afternoon. With just four high chairs, the place is more a take-away, but we choose to have our working lunch at Nothing But Chicken (NBC).

The décor is cheery and functional with doodles of smiling hens giving us company. We also note signage about the restaurant being Halal & ISO 22000 compliant, and most importantly for us, that the meat is fresh, not frozen.

Chicken seekh kabab

Chicken all the way
At the entrance, NBC sports a huge refrigerated display that has raw, pre-cut and in some cases, pre-marinated chicken portions. You can choose from a variety of sausages — jalapeno and cheese, cocktail, classic salami to name a few — or you could buy pre-marinated chicken, grill it yourself and enjoy it in the comfort of your home. Options include chimichuri, peri-peri, Greek yogurt and pepper, cheesy garlic breast among others.

The second display counter has all the ready-to-eat goodies — you can choose from a variety of sandwiches and salads or simply opt for a pilaf or chicken vada pow, desi burger, chicken seekh pow or chicken kheema pow. We order the chicken vada pow (`65), grilled chicken wrap (`105), two pieces of galouti seekh kabab (`34), three pieces of classic seekh kabab (`48), tandoori tangdi (`102) and chicken mayo roll (`105). We realise much later that they billed us for a classic salad (`82), which we were not served. When we point it out to the staff the following day, they are polite and refund the amount and the applicable taxes, too.

Chicken vada pow

Back to our chicken encounter. The order is served one item at a time, heated in front of us in a microwave oven. The presentation is fuss-free and practical. The wrap, kababs and tandoori tangdi are so hot, they are steaming right to the very last bite.

Vada pav vs burger
We are informed that the lone difference between a chicken vada pow and a desi burger is the flavour and spices of the patty.

Tandoori tangdi

The former comes served with a chicken patty in a brown bread pav with cheese dip and schezwan sauce. It is tasty, but since the dish is named after the popular Mumbai snack, we would have preferred the traditional chutneys to go with it. That, we feel, could have been the differentiating element between the desi burger and the chicken vada pow. The patty is mildly spiced and despite being reheated, hasn’t become tough. This, in fact, is true for everything we order.

The tandoori tangdi is well marinated with the classic smoky taste, cooked just right so it is tender. The chicken mayo roll is too bland and sour for our taste. The galouti seekh kabab and the classic seekh kabab taste different, in a good way — the chicken in both offerings is tender and flavourful.

The interiors

The grilled chicken wrap is a whole wheat roti with a masala chicken filling. It has the right balance of spice and is quite filling. By now, we need something to quench our thirst; NBC stocks regular soft drinks and we wash down our meal with a couple of fresh fruit juices on offer. With its reasonably priced, no-frills menu, NBC is ideal for a quick, VFM meal, or to help you cut down your chicken preparation time at home. With courteous staff, they seem to have their act in order. However, given their location, they are likely to face stiff competition from their F&B neighbours.

Time 9 am to 11.30 pm
At Sector 17, Shiv Center, Next to Arneja Corner, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Call 8828812200

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On Sunday afternoon, a foot overbridge near the Vashi Police Naka collapsed while a part of it was being removed with a crane. Apart from the driver of the crane, who suffered minor injuries, no one has been affected by the incident. However, the incident led to traffic congestion on the road towards Mumbai coming from Navi Mumbai. 

Following the collapse, the Mumbai Traffic Police immediately took to Twitter to inform commuters to take alternative routes. Though cops claimed that the traffic situation normalised on Sunday night, most vehicles on Monday morning took the alternate route via Airoli to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

Watch the video here...

Locals and traffic officials have alleged the Public Works Department (PWD) didn't inform anyone from the Navi Mumbai traffic police or the Vashi police about the dismantling work on Sunday, and that the crane used for it was of a low capacity.

The incident occurred when PWD engineers were dismantling the bridge. When the team was removing a part with the help of a crane, the device couldn't handle the pressure of the bridge, and thus ended up collapsing on the road. Traffic and disaster officials said the crane being used was of a poor capacity.

PWD should have instead brought in two cranes having a good capacity. mid-day reached out to local PWD officer Kishor Patil, but he remained unavailable for comment. PWD built this bridge two years ago. However, locals said that just six months later, it got damaged after a trailer crashed into it. Nobody was using it after that, but PWD decided to demolish it only this month after one-and-a-half years had passed.

Traffic officials said that prior to the collapse, traffic had already been diverted to the other side of the road, so no one was injured in the incident. PWD officials allegedly failed to inform all officials concerned with the area as well as citizens about the demolition, which is why it took longer to manage the situation.

Many users on social networking site Twitter shared videos of the same on their accounts expressing their frustration and anger over the situation. Here's a look at a few.

As of 6.15am in the morning, the entry into #Mumbai still blocked at Mankhurd. Potential traffic mayhem like yesterday. Took 4 hours to cross Vashi flyover yesterday. @MumbaiPolice not answering phones/WhatsApp. Go via Airoli to enter Mumbai.

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

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Crane clearing work still in progress at mankhurd octroi post.#Trafficupdate @MumbaiPolice huge traffic pile on. Took 1 hr to cross #vashibridge pic.twitter.com/OslI3YdcHV

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

@MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice I tried calling/sending WhatsApp messages to 8454999999 to know the status of the Mankhurd incident yesterday (got stuck for 4 hours after that). No one picked up/replied. Is the number correct?

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

#TrafficUpdate #mumbai heavy vehicles stopped right before #vashitoll. Collapsed crane clearing still underway, near mankhurd octroi post. Huge traffic pile on pic.twitter.com/ZKS4jmDuj2

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

Also Read: 4 dead in Pune after hoarding falls on vehicles at Mangalwar Peth

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The Way of the Cross, a re-enactment of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is a visual reminder of his agony, pain, suffering, and death on the Cross. On the eve of Good Friday, over 300 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church gathered to witness and participate in the Stations of the Cross. Retracing the steps of Christ, more than 300 Catholics and bystanders walked the streets of Vashi singing hymns of praise and prayers.

The Friday's mass commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago. The next major event will take place on Sunday morning when the 'Passion Week' ends with the Easter Sunday festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here's how the parishioners conducted the station of the cross in Mumbai:

Jesus laying in his mother's lap

The enactment of the station of the cross depicts Jesus in pain and agony

Parishioners walk along with the station of the cross as they recite hymns and prayers

On Good Friday, thousands and lakhs of Christians will be out in large numbers and overflow the local churches as they participated in the Good Friday mass.

Today, in Kerala, local churches were overflowing as thousands of Christians participated in the Good Friday mass. Of the around 3.4 crore population of Kerala, Christians number 61.41 lakhs, composed of 29.94 lakhs males and 31.47 lakhs females. The chief priest, who conducts the day's mass, along with a large number of the laity re-enact Jesus' journey with the worshippers moving to each station singing hymns as the story of the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ is narrated by the priest.

The most important ritual in this mass is the drinking of 'choruka' - a decoction made of bitter gourd juice and vinegar - by all the devotees. When the Good Friday mass reaches its last lap, the priest pours out a spoon of 'choruka' into the mouth of each and every person attending the mass.

At the end of the Good Friday mass in Kerala, those attending are served 'kanji' - the steaming hot gruel made of rice along with mango pickle and a serving of pulses. To know the full story read here.

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An infuriated Varun Dhawan has called out the virus for making the world come to a standstill. He took to social media to share a video of him hurling the choicest of expletives.

The Street Dancer 3D actor can be heard saying, 'Corona ki... (sic)," and then the beeping begins. Though he is seen screaming, netizens were unable to decipher what he was saying. This was Dhawan's way to vent his fury at the pandemic. The video ends with a huge smile on Varun's face.

The actor captioned the clip, saying: "#badwordsgoodvibes. I feel better #indiafightscorona". Check it out:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#badwordsgoodvibes 😂 😊 I feel better #indiafightscorona

A post shared by Varun Dhawan (@varundvn) onApr 19, 2020 at 10:22am PDT

Fans found it amusing. They felt he had spoken his mind but without offending anyone. Actors Tiger Shroff, Rakul Preet Singh and Huma Qureshi dropped laughing emojis in the comment section.

Veejay-show host Anusha Dandekar wrote: "hahaha."

The ongoing lockdown period is sure giving actors a time to explore their creativity. Some are busy cooking, others brooming, still others are writing poems while some are trying to be singers.

Earlier, Varun Dhawan took to rapping. The actor came up with a rap video about the coronavirus lockdown, urging people to stay indoors. "You can't go to the parlour, you can't go to the street, you can't go to sabzi mandi," Varun raps in the video, which features clips of the popular cartoon television series "Teletubbies", Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan from "Devdas" and, of course, stills of PM Narendra Modi.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#LOCKDOWN 🧼2️⃣1️⃣🔞📛 #vararaps Stay indoors stay safe Thank you @tanishk_bagchi @ericpillai @dipraj_jadhav_edits @go_addy

A post shared by Varun Dhawan (@varundvn) onMar 27, 2020 at 8:21am PDT

Sharing the rap video on Instagram, Varun wrote: "varundvn #LOCKDOWN #vararaps Stay indoors stay safe

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One of the most bankable and pretty actresses currently, Kiara Advani was a cutie as a child. And it seems like the actress was always into Bollywood if this video is any indication. The Good Newwz actress shared a video from her childhood days on Instagram in which she can be seen doing Bharatnatyam to an English song in a cute ballerina dress! Sharing the video, Kiara wrote, "When mom thought I would join the Bolshoi ballet but I chose Bollywood instead #thewonderyears."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

When mom thought I would join the Bolshoi ballet but I chose Bollywood instead💁🏻‍♀ï¸Â #thewonderyears 🌈👯‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ‘§ðŸ¼ðŸ¥°

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onApr 21, 2020 at 11:25pm PDT

We simply can't get over how absolutely adorable Kiara Advani was as a child! The way she throws caution to the wind and dances her heart out is incredible and so innocent. And would you look at her pretty pink ballerina dress?! If this doesn't drive away your quarantine blues, we don't know what will.

Ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra commented on the video and its something you must have thought too when you watched it. He wrote, "Kiara the talent was there since childhood," Neha Dhupia wrote, "Adorable" while Arjun Kapoor commented, "That's a heady mix of class and mass."

What did you think of this video?

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Marriages in Bollywood have often hit the rocks and ended on a divorce. And unfortunately, another marriage has ended and that's of Gulshan Devaiah and Kallirroi Tziafeta. Talking to SpotboyE about the same, the actor spoke about their mutual decision and why they didn't announce the news on social media.

Devaiah stated, "We are amicably divorced! We both are doing okay. We did not put out a press or social media statement because our marriage is our private matter. That's all there is to say." And talking about his marriage in one of his media interactions last year, he spoke, "Being married is not easy. There are always ups and downs. The problem is that, in a marriage, you may be in love with your partner, but you don't know how to handle that person's presence in your space. But we are living and learning. As of now, we are together."

Gulshan and Kallirroi tied the knot in 2012! The lady, who's from Greece, always used to share some intimate and cute pictures with Gulshan on her Instagram account. On the work front, Devaiah will be seen collaborating with Ira Khan and Vijay Varma for a project soon.

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When normalcy returns, Varun Dhawan may well host a glitzy bash that mentor Karan Johar would approve of. For now though, an intimate celebration is on the cards for the star who turns 33 today. The actor plans to spend the big day with dad David, mother Lali, brother Rohit and family, who stay a few floors above him in a Juhu highrise.

It was originally supposed to be a working birthday for the actor as Coolie No 1 was slated to release on May 1. "The family had considered formally announcing Varun's engagement to long-time girlfriend Natasha Dalal on the occasion. However, given the current scenario, they have decided to do it at an appropriate time," says a source.

David Dhawan

Though tight-lipped on the subject of Varun-Natasha's engagement, filmmaker David says he is glad the family is together on the star's big day. "It will be a quiet family affair. Over the past few weeks, Varun has been with us, and has been taking care of Lali and me. He is especially concerned about me as I am diabetic," he says. Ask him about the fate of Coolie No 1, and the filmmaker says, "It's my 45th film as a director. I think people will want to watch comedy [post the crisis]. Work on the film is underway."

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Many Bollywood celebrities are seen following the strict rule of lockdown, to fight the deadly virus, COVID-19. Badplapur actor Varun Dhawan is no different! Being a responsible citizen of the country, Varun decided to celebrate his 33rd birthday at home, with his loved ones. Varun has been sharing his celebratory updates on social media.

Varun Dhawan ringed in his 33rd birthday by cutting a home-baked chocolate cake, and it looks absolutely mouth-watering. All elated, the actor also posed with the cake, with his bright smile. Take a look!

Chocolate cake/picture courtesy: Varun Dhawan's Instagram account

Varun Dhawan poses with his birthday cake/picture courtesy: Varun Dhawan's Instagram account

Speaking about his professional journey, Varun Dhawan was last seen in Remo D'Souza's Street Dancer 3D, opposite Shraddha Kapoor. He is all set to share the screen space with Sara Ali Khan is David Dhawan's Coolie No. 1.

For the uninitiated, Coolie No. 1 is the remake of the 1995 blockbuster, Coolie No. 1, which starred Govinda and Karisma Kapoor in the lead. This time, the ensemble has Paresh Rawal, Shikha Talsania, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, and Jaaved Jaaferi. Given the cult classic that film was, it will be exciting to see what new and fresh the makers have infused in the remake.

On the personal front, Varun Dhawan is dating Natasha Dalal, and the duo is said to tie the knot as the year ends. 

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Varun Dhawan turned 33 on April 24, 2020, and the actor has been spending a lot of time celebrating with his near and dear ones. As the clock struck 12, the actor cut a homemade chocolate cake. He shared the sweet pictures as his Instagram story and people couldn't stop but shower him with wishes and blessings. The actor decided to celebrate a low-key birthday at home due to the current lockdown situation in the country.

How can his BFF Arjun Kapoor stay away from cracking a joke on the birthday boy! Known for playing pranks on his co-stars and friends, this time too, Arjun left no stone unturned to leave the followers in splits. The actor wished the birthday boy on social media, and it looks hilarious! Check this out.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Bad (haircuts in this case) Boys 4 Life. Happy birthday @varundvn the content maker par excellence, the new rapper in town & the natkhat balak forever !!! #vdin4d #hairytales #swamitypeka #brotherfromanothermother #facecreamernumber1

A post shared by Arjun Kapoor (@arjunkapoor) onApr 23, 2020 at 12:46pm PDT

It wasn't just only Kapoor who wished the 'Street Dancer,' Varun Sharma also posted, "Happpyyy Happyyy B'day Bhaii @varundvn [sic]"

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Happpyyy Happyyy B’day Bhaii @varundvn ❤️ ✨ तू जैसा है बस वैसा ही रहीयो हमेशा!! Biiggg Hug Bhaiii Love you!!🤗😘 Rab mehar kare!!

A post shared by Varun Sharma (@fukravarun) onApr 23, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT

Speaking of Street Dancer 3D, co-star Nora Fatehi also shared an Instagram story wishing Varun.

Happy birthday, Varun Dhawan!

On the professional front, Varun Dhawan will be next seen in Coolie No. 1, opposite Sara Ali Khan. Directed by father David Dhawan, this will be the first time Varun will share the screen space with Sara.

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The giant tub of popcorn has been replaced by a humble bag of chips, and the big screen by our 14-inch laptop screens — there's no denying that the lockdown has changed the way we watch movies. It appears there may be a further shift in cinema viewing pattern. Even as many filmmakers have decided to wait out the period and release their offerings on the big screen, the key players of digital entertainment have initiated dialogues with studios about releasing their films directly on the Internet. Amongst the first superstars to consider taking the leap is Akshay Kumar. Sources said Disney+Hotstar is in talks with the actor to procure the release rights of Laxmmi Bomb, which was slated to hit theatres on May 22.

A source reveals, "Akshay, director Raghava Lawrence and the producers are discussing the offer. There's a lot of post-production work left on the movie, including editing, background music, mixing and VFX. Since the team is working from home, the process is taking longer than usual. However, the makers are hoping to have the film ready by June. Although currently, the lockdown is on till May 3, theatres may continue to remain closed to ensure social distancing. In such a scenario, the team may consider having a direct-to-web release."

Akshay Kumar. Picture courtesy/ PTI

As a producer with sharp business acumen, Kumar had understood the potential of digital entertainment early on, and hence, decided to foray into it with the in-the-works series, The End. He is contemplating if releasing the horror comedy — a remake of the Tamil hit, Muni 2: Kanchana (2011) — online will be a wise move. "Akshay wants to make sure none of the invested parties make losses, and that the movie reaches a wide audience. While Disney+Hotstar ensures a worldwide reach, making the film available across small towns in India will be a concern for them."

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Actor Taapsee Pannu who is on a photo-sharing spree these days on Saturday shared an exquisite throwback picture from her trip to Rome. Just like many others who are dreaming of vacations during the lockdown, the 'Pink' actor is also seen reminiscing about her vacation in her latest throwback post on social media.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time. I love seeing places which should either have beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants. Basically good restaurants is the basic common key here. I loved using all the local apps to find me local transport n restaurants to dine in. Quaint cafes which make u pause. I think it will be some till I experience the thrill of travelling again. But until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it’s quite possible that things won’t be the same tomorrow 🤷🏻‍♀ï¸Â #Throwback #Archives #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 24, 2020 at 9:57pm PDT

Alongside a picturesque picture shared on Instagram, the actor wrote: "One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time... "

Taking it to the captions, the 'Mulk' actor also pinpointed the key factors she seeks while travelling. "I love seeing places which should either have a beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants," the caption read.

"Basically good restaurants are the basic common key here," the 32-year-old wrote. She also mentioned her interest in using the "local apps" to find her "local transports and restaurants to dine in." "Quaint cafes which make u pause," she added.

Referring to the current lockdown and unpredictable situation the life has been thrown into in the wake of coronavirus crisis, Taapsee also added that one can "experience the thrill of traveling again.. until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it's quite possible that things won't be the same tomorrow."

Lately, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Kiara Advani is bored of sitting in her south Mumbai home. It appears that she is missing the studios and the shoots. More importantly, she can't catch up with her pals. We assume this includes a certain Bandra-based Mr Malhotra as well. In an attempt to describe her mental state, the Kabir Singh (2019) actor shared a childhood video.

She also posted a video in which she is seen riding on her bicycle. She tells mother Genevieve that she is fed up of waiting and playing indoors as she wants to go out to play. Advani captioned the video, "The wonder years... but my mental state right now... nobody's going out. Home sweet home (sic)." Take a look!

 

 

 

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“Mummy, I’m fed up of waiting because I feel like going” My mental state right now🙃 but...nobody’s goin out! Home sweet home! 😇 #thewonderyears 🌈

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onApr 23, 2020 at 2:51am PDT

It's not just this one, but before she rode the bicycle, Kiara Advani confessed how her mom thought she would take up ballet as her career, but chose to be an actress instead.

 

 

 

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When mom thought I would join the Bolshoi ballet but I chose Bollywood instead💁🏻‍♀ï¸Â #thewonderyears 🌈👯‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ‘§ðŸ¼ðŸ¥°

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onApr 21, 2020 at 11:25pm PDT

In another video, Kiara Advani was seen sipping milk from her favourite Cinderella cup. Not kidding! Well, who hates princesses? And Cinderella? So nostalgic! Check this one out.

 

 

 

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#thewonderyears 🍼🌈🍭🧸 doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani.. and my obsession with Cinderella 👧🏼

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onApr 20, 2020 at 11:42pm PDT

Speaking about Kiara Advani's childhood days, the actress also shared a sweet picture with brother Mishaal, where she is seen planting a peck on his cheek. So adorable! So, this is what siblings look like.

 

 

 

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Happy Sibling Day @mishaaladvani squishy for mishy forever❤ï¸ÂðŸ˜˜

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onApr 11, 2020 at 6:50am PDT

Well, many aren't aware that Kiara Advani is really good friends with Isha Ambani. The actress and her childhood friend share a warm bond, and these images are proof enough!

 

 

 

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There are some special people who are a part of your life and you grow up with. My oldest friend, still as caring, as humble and as amazing as you were when we first met! My to be bridey, Ishu never ever let the child in you grow up❤ï¸Â forever your Aliu 👯‍♂ï¸Â Congratulations @_iiishmagish @anandpiramal 💍🎉Comofomo🙃

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani) onSep 22, 2018 at 9:49pm PDT

Kiara, there there! We completely understand what you are going through right now.

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Summer is one of the hardest seasons for skin care. Scorching heat, pollution and sweat make it impossible for one to keep their skin clean and glowing. So, activated bamboo charcoal comes as a rescue during the summer.

During the hot summer days, your skin also absorbs impurities from surroundings. This, in turn, results in blemishes and blackheads. In order to prevent your skin from these damages, Vanlalmuanpuii from green trends Unisex Hair & Style Salon and Bina NG, Salon Director from Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio, shares ways in which activated charcoal can be infused into your everyday skin care routine:

1. Scrub: Developing a skin care routine is important because it helps the skin maintain the elasticity while strengthening and paving way to clear, beautiful and smooth skin. With a plethora of products available in the market, it is important to add a basic face wash and scrub with activate charcoal to cleanse and exfoliate one's face regularly. Activated charcoal scrub helps to remove impurities, gently exfoliates, balances oily skin and shrinks appearance of pores.

2. Facial: A bi-monthly facial infused with activated bamboo charcoal will keep your skin free from toxins, impurities, dirt and blemishes. The creams and peel off masks used as part of facials, help in keeping one's skin well hydrated and reduce the puffiness.

3 Mask: Activated charcoal draws bacteria, poisons, chemicals, impurities and other micro-particles to the surface of skin, helping you achieve flawless complexion. A DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Charcoal mask by blending activated bamboo charcoal, aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, tea tree oil and fuller's earth is the perfect anti-aging solution that your skin deserves.

4. Deep cleansing: With your skin exposed to harsh sun rays and pollution, pores in your skin get clogged with toxins leaving your skin dull and lifeless. This in turn affects the overall complexion of the skin during summer. A strong remedy for this is infusing activated bamboo charcoal in a deep cleansing technique, which opens the pores and clears toxins, dirt and protects the skin for acne breakouts as well.

5. Peel off mask: Activated bamboo charcoal peel off masks is one of the soothing ways to help beautify and better one's skin. The mask is one of the powerful ways to clear the skin of toxins, dirt, impurities and blemishes. Not to forget, charcoal peel off mask is also one of the quickest ways to see immediate results.

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

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Representational Image

Components in the mosquito saliva can trigger an unexpected and long-lasting immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite, say scientists.

The researchers found that more than 100 proteins in mosquito saliva are mediating the effects on the immune system, or may help the virus become more infectious.

Identifying these proteins could help design strategies to fight transmission of dengue fever as well as other diseases caused by viruses also transmitted by Aedes aegypti, such as Zika virus, chikungunya virus and yellow fever virus, the researchers said.

"We found that mosquito-delivered saliva induced a varied and complex immune response we were not anticipating," said Silke Paust, Assistant Professor at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital.

"Billions of people worldwide are exposed to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, and many of these conditions do not have effective treatments," added Rebecca Rico-Hesse, Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, US.

For the study, appearing in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the team worked with a mouse model of the human immune system.

Previously, the team demonstrated that mosquito-bite delivery and needle-injection delivery of dengue virus in these "humanised mice" led to significantly different disease developments

They found that mosquitoes are not just acting like "syringes" to merely inject viruses, but their saliva seems to contribute significantly to the development of the disease.

In the new study, the team tested the effect of virus-free mosquito saliva on humanised mice and compared the results with those obtained from humanised mice that had not been bitten by mosquitoes.

Evidence to immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite -- was found in multiple tissue types, including blood, skin and bone marrow, the researchers said.

"For instance, both the immune cell responses and the cytokine levels were affected. We saw activation of T helper cells 1, which generally contribute to antiviral immunity, as well as activation of T helper cells 2, which have been linked to allergic responses," Paust said.

"The diversity of the immune response was most striking to me. This is surprising given that no actual infection with any type of infectious agent occurred," he noted.

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Cadbury Junction

The picturesque canopies and gentle streams of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) attract not just birds, butterflies and bees, but shutterbugs and couples as well.

Our neighbourhood national park in Borivli has emerged as one of the go to destinations for pre-wedding photoshoots, says Ahmed Anwar, Director and Chief Conservator of Forest (CFO), SGNP. He says, "I can clearly see the increase in the pre-wedding as well as maternity photoshoot in SGNP since last year. What I can gather from this is that youngsters love to picture their memories with greenery." Call it a trend or a tradition, but the pre-wedding photoshoot, replete with wardrobe changes and high-end photo-editing, is part of modern wedding arrangements.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park and inset (Darshan Ambre)

While couples often venture out of the city to local or exotic destinations — say, a vineyard in Nashik or Koh Samui — SGNP's green acres or Ballard Estate are preferred, too. This is especially true for those couples who want to spend about Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 a day— a starting range for pre-wedding photoshoots, making them selective about the destination for their shoots. Other locations that are sought out, say photographers and couples, are the stairs of Asiatic Library in Fort, Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai, Utsav Chowk in Kharghar and forts, such as those in Sion, Worli and Vasai.

Vasai Fort and inset (Tejas Chachad)

Sanket Sawant, a wedding photographer from Thane says, "Couples come ready with ideas about the locations. Their first
choice, very often, turns out to be SGNP. Other places they like to head to are Upvan and Cadbury Bridge in Thane." Couples can getthe permission at SGNP after they pay fixed amount of R3,300. Photography is allowed in a 5 km area that is
accessible for visitors. Security concerns restrict people from venturing further into the core forested areas. Early monsoon and post monsoon, up until winter, is the best time to shoot at SGNP, say photographers.

However, instead of the wilderness offered by SGNP, should couples choose to opt for sunset-lit beaches, there is a problem,
say photographers. Professional photography is not allowed on Juhu Beach and Girgaum Chowpatty specifically for prewedding
shoots. If one wants to shoot there, permission from the civic body has to be taken, which takes time. Therefore, many photographers don’t choose these locations. Vasai Fort, a structure erected in the year 1184, has remained an attraction
for decades, not just for Bollywood, but also couples seeking to replicate a Bollywood moment. What's more attractive, unlike SGNP, is that there is no fees to shoot inside the fort. However, the bigger hurdle is dealing with crowds and local residents that gather around the posing couple.

Photographers say that rather than head there on weekends, make use of the busy weekdays, when the fort is empty. Sagar Mahadik, who has been working as a wedding photographer for the last four years, says, “Many people demand locations with a lot of greenery and seclusion, which SGNP offers. For that matter, Ballard Eastate roads are very much empty on weekends. If a couple is ready to go out of Mumbai, then the ShivTemple atAmbernath, Palava City in Dombivli are also secluded favourites.”

Ambre says that even if SGNP gets crowded during the wedding season, the good news is that photographers cooperate
with each other.

Santosh Kumar Shah

Virar resident and former film distributor Santosh Kumar Shah, 48, has lived through what can only be described as a tragic Bollywood plot, thanks to a landlord and policeman from hell.

Trouble began in January 2013, when he decided to move from Andheri to Virar. Shah had been a distributor for films such as Mahasangram (1990) and Insaaf (1997). He got a 1BHK apartment on a rent of Rs 2,700 and Rs 15,000 deposit, owned by one Ravikant Patil in Virar East.

No amenities
Shah was assured of every possible amenity in the house. But when he moved in, he found out that there was neither electricity nor any water supply. Shah said he complained to Patil about this and was assured it would be sorted out in a few days, but that never happened. He realised Patil had cheated others in the same flat, so he registered a complaint at the Virar police station. Patil was served a notice under Section 149 of the CrPC.

Soon after, Shah alleges Patil verbally threatened and abused him, asking him to withdraw the complaint and vacate the house. Patil then came to the flat with a woman and builder Bhushan Patil. Shah called the cops and went to the police station, when he saw Patil and the builder there. Shah said he was slapped by PSI Asif Baig. Shah's case was transferred to API DF Patil, following a robbery attempt in his flat.

PSI denies allegations
Baig denied all the charges. In fact, he said he would receive complaints against Shah from other society members, as he never paid his utility bills on time, resulting in the disconnection of his electricity and water. He would also call senior officers now and then for every problem.

Meanwhile, Shah alleged that in June 2014, he was assaulted by the accused and some more people. He called the cops, but nobody turned up. Shah attempted to meet Thane SP Rajesh Pradhan, but fainted before he could do so. The SP ordered his team to take Shah to the hospital and file an FIR against the accused.

Framed and locked up
When Shah came back to the police station to register the plaint, the cops ended up arresting him under charges of molestation and the POCSO Act. He ended up spending 20 months in prison for a crime he didn't commit. A court acquitted him and he was released on January 13, 2016. All cases against him were dropped in June 2017.

Shah then went back to the flat to collect his belongings but found nothing there. To his surprise, another tenant was residing there. His car was also missing.

Currently, Shah has no job and little money. He eats food at religious shrines and sleeps at railway stations. Last month, he approached current Thane SP Manjunath Shinde, who has asked Virar police to look into the matter. Palghar district PRO said, "We have received an application from Shah and ordered Virar police to investigate."

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The Navy was deployed to evacuate train commuters stranded at the Nallasopara station in Mumbai due to flooding of railway tracks between Nallasopara and Vasai Road stations, officials said on Wednesday.

Following a request from the Western Railway, the Western Naval Command deployed high-chassis vehicles that could traverse the flooded areas and reach the stranded commuters, a Defence spokesperson said this morning. Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rains for the past 48 hours resulting in water-logging in several areas which has severely hit road and rail transport also.

The Western Naval Command has been maintaining rescue teams and emergency equipment to provide assistance to Mumbaikars in emergent situations, the spokesperson said.

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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

It's been a grim one week for residents of Vasai-Virar. Situated in Palghar district, 30 km north of Mumbai, the city — Maharashtra's fifth largest — has been fighting a tough battle against torrential downpour, which left several areas under water for nearly five days.

The situation was so deplorable that, for the first time in its history, the Western Railway was forced to collectively summon the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Navy, Army, the Coast Guard along with the Railway Protection Force to rescue over 2,000 passengers stranded in trains mid-way due to waterlogging on July 10 — the day the region received 240 mm rainfall.

On Thursday, two days after rain stopped, several areas continued to be severely waterlogged and had no electricity supply. Meanwhile, three people lost their lives after drowning, and hundreds of residents were forced to remain home bound.

Residents wade through knee-high water near H Colony, Vasai West, on Friday. Pics/Hanif Patel

Far from the hubbub of Mumbai, this fast-developing region, which comes under the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC), was drowning and any attempt to save it, appeared foolhardy. For old-time residents, who've witnessed the transformation of this green land into concrete, the flooding situation is new and alarming.

Local experts and environmentalists, however, blame unchecked dumping of sand in wetlands, and haphazard construction activities for residential and commercial spaces in Vasai-Virar — the new address for the up and coming middle-class — as the reason behind the slow crumble the city witnessed this monsoon.

Satish Lokhande, commissioner, VVMC vs Sameer Vartak, activist

How residents suffered
Before Vasai-Virar got its own municipal corporation in July 2009, it was already a chosen destination for real estate sharks due to its proximity to the Maximum City. Located along the banks of Vasai creek, which separates the region from Mumbai and Mira-Bhayandar, the agrarian belt, comprising Vasai, Nalasopara, Naigaon and Virar, soon transformed into a residential hub. This change is evident in the four-fold increase of the population in the short span of 20 years — from three lakh in 1991 to over 12 lakh as per the 2011 Census.

On July 9, Vasai-Virar witnessed the first heavy downpour of the season. Several parts of Vasai and Nalasopara unexpectedly began flooding with low-lying areas along the creek facing the biggest risk. In Vasai, Suncity, Gass, 100 Feet Road, Samta Nagar, Evershine City were waterlogged, while Achole Road, Chheda Nagar and Samta Nagar in Nalasopara were also inundated with flood water. For Sameer Dudhwani, who resides on the second floor of DG Nagar Housing Society in Vasai West, where water levels had reached four feet, the heavy showers brought with it unexpected tragedy.

Sameer Dudhwani (right) shows a photograph of his ailing 65-year-old mother, Dilshad, who died on her way to the hospital on July 10, as he was unable to get her out of their waterlogged residential colony, DG Nagar Housing Society in Vasai West, in time for her dialysis appointment. Pics/Hanif Patel

Dudhwani, who resides with his wife and parents, lost his ailing 65-year-old mother, Dilshad, because he could not take her to the hospital on time. "My mother was on dialysis, and would get it done thrice a week.

She had an appointment for July 10, and we were supposed to take her to the hospital, but couldn't step out. As her condition became worse, my neighbours and I decided to lift her on our shoulders and wade out of the colony," Dudhwani recalled. Outside, they struggled to find transport. "Finally, a tempo driver helped us take her to the hospital. But, she died before reaching the hospital," he said.

Sameer Dudhwani

What made it worse was the fact that they could not bury her immediately due to lack of transport on the waterlogged roads. "We managed to bury the body only the following day," recounted a grief-stricken Dudhwani. Rosario D'Souza, a resident of 100 Feet Road, said the fire brigade officials from VVMC were a godsend, as they helped him drop his nine month-pregnant wife, who was in labour, to the hospital in an inflatable boat.

Rosario D'Souza, a resident of 100 Feet Road, said fire brigade officials from VVMC helped him drop his wife, who was in labour, to the hospital in an inflatable boat

The Vasai-Nalasopara-Virar rail stretch on WR was also severely affected with 400 mm water on the tracks by Tuesday morning. Passenger trains had to be stopped as water levels increased. Several outstation trains, including the Vadodara, Bhuj Bandra, Lokshakti and Jamnagar express trains, were halted. Passengers remained stuck for hours together without food, water or any help.

As the situation continued to get worse, AK Gupta, general manager, WR, rallied for help from all possible quarters. By late afternoon, teams from the NDRF started rescuing stranded local train passengers in inflatable boats. "Meanwhile, RPF teams reached out to passengers on the express trains. They had formed a human chain and taken out many passengers, but we also sought the help of the Navy for transport vehicles that could run in water," said Ravinder Bhakar, WR's chief public relations officer.

WR on Tuesday called the NDRF to help rescue passengers stranded in local trains, after the tracks were submerged in 400 mm water 

Poor town planning
According to bird enthusiast and Vasai resident Amol Lopes, the Vasai-Virar belt has always received heavy rainfall. "It rains a lot in this region every year, but it's the first time that we have witnessed flooding to such an extent," said Lopes, who has been living in Vasai for the last 37 years.

"The main reason is that a lot of construction bodies have recently started dumping sand and debris in the wetland areas. We have a lot of lakes and small ponds in Vasai and Virar, which serve as important channels to carry rain water to the nullahs and the sea. Due to the unchecked dumping, there is no natural reservoir for the rain water, causing townships to choke. In fact, several residents have reclaimed these wetlands and built houses over them," Lopes said, citing areas such as Gogte and Umela salt pans, and Vasai Suncity Road that are at risk due to this activity.

Fasle Hoque Qureshi, 33, (fourth from right) is a resident of Ambali Nagar. On July 10, he arranged biscuit packets for the stranded passengers of the Rajkot Trivandrum Express. The next day, Hoque, who also owns a restaurant, had food cooked and delivered to residents of Sant Jalaram Bapu Nagar. Among those who helped him were Farukh Pathan, a retired government official, advocate Ashok Mishra and local residents Usman Khan, Sandip Shukla and Jaiprakash

Environmentalist Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti raised similar concerns. "Check the maps of Vasai and Virar and you will realise why it is going underwater. Vasai and Virar are natural floodplains and not at all fit for townships, built on raised, reclaimed land. Yet, authorities continue to plan newer projects; due to this, illegal reclamation of land, and destruction of ecologically important wetlands and mangrove forests are rampant. No wetland has been spared and those un-built are also earmarked. Citizens don't have a choice as they cannot afford housing elsewhere," he said.

According to local activist Dominica Dabrey, at present, there are two major colonies under construction in Vasai West, which are blocking the path of the rain water that flows through a nullah. "The local corporation built a boundary wall near the nullah, narrowing its width, and causing excess rain water to overflow," said Dabrey.

Another local activist Sameer Vertak also showed mid-day several spots in Nalasopara where construction next to nullahs was rampant. He also pointed out a spot where debris had been dumped in a narrow gutter. Part of the Ulhas river, locally known as Sopara river, which starts from the hills in the eastern part of Vasai and ends in the Vasai creek, has also been encroached, and diverted, Vertak said.

"Also, while the population in these areas has increased manifold, the drainage system is as it was 15 years ago. The corporation has to increase the width of the drainage culvert, and clean them regularly," he said.

'Blame the rain gods'
Father Francis D'Britto, who first rang the alarm bells in 1989, when he approached the local tehsildar office of Vasai, demanding that they chart out a plan for the township, said, "At the time, I had warned them that if they did not tackle the situation soon, this place would drown. Look what's happening now."

 
Stalin D

Local MLA Hitendra Thakur said that Vasai recorded the highest rainfall till July 10, this season. "Last year, we recorded a total of 1,000 mm rainfall from the beginning of the monsoon season till July 10. But, this year we received around 1,700 mm rainfall," he said.

When contacted, Satish Lokhande, commissioner of VVMC also claimed that Vasai-Virar had received "abnormal rainfall" this year. "Also, due to the high tide, the water levels increased in Vasai creek, causing flooding in low-lying areas like Tulinj, Central Park and Deen Dayal Nagar," he said. Lokhande admitted that the drainage capacity in these areas was poor.

He, however, denied that unauthorised construction and encroachment in the Vasai area was responsible for the flood-like situation. "The drainage culvert carrying water from the city is very narrow. It needs to be enlarged and two new culverts need to be built. But, the culvert is on railway land. Our corporation is working on getting requisite permissions."

Chulna villagers rescue orphans

Over the last one week, residents of Chulna village in Vasai West, have come to the rescue of girls from a nearby hostel, Fatima Mata Convent. The hostel is home to 75 girls, most of whom are orphans. During the heavy showers that crippled Vasai, the area around the ashram was severely waterlogged, and the girls were forced to stay indoors. The residents, however, decided to make room for them in their own houses. Each villager adopted three to four girls. "We have kept them at our homes, where we are taking care of them. We have even arranged bus services for them so that they can go to school as usual. They will be with us till the situation gets better," said Asmita D'Costa.

With inputs by Rajendra B Aklekar

Also Read: Mumbai Rains: Vasai-Virar limp back to normalcy after deluge

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A board director of the Bassein Catholic Cooperative Bank, Dilip Mathak, 45, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself on Tuesday afternoon. His body was recovered by his family from his home in Pachubandar, Vasai West. No suicide note has been discovered yet.

Mathak used to reside with his mother, wife —whom he married in January this year — and younger brother. His body was found in a small room behind his bungalow around 5 pm. One of his family members informed the Vasai village police, who rushed to the spot, conducted a panchnama and sent the body for an autopsy at the local government hospital.

According to police sources, Mathak was a prominent name in Vasai, and was also the president of its Koli Yuwa Sanstha. He was a very friendly person. One of his friends said they're in deep shock as Mathak suddenly took this step, even though everything seemed to be going well for him. Speaking to mid-day, a police official from Vasai village police station said, "The reason behind the suicide has not been revealed yet and neither have we found a suicide note. We have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are investigating the matter."

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Nalasopara has heaved a big sigh of relief after the arrest of suspected Sanatan Sanstha member Vaibhav Raut, who had allegedly terrorised his neighbourhood with his activities.

According to the police, Raut, who called himself a gau rakshak, has been involved in a series of attacks on butchers in the area every Bakri-eid. Raut allegedly tried to create communal tension, particularly in the neighbouring Sopara village, by harassing locals and carrying out illegal raids on mutton and beef shops.

Every year, the police would extern him from the area for short periods, by serving him notices under section 144 of the Mumbai Police Act; he, however, would stay put by bringing in political influence in the name of cow protection, said an officer, adding that even the police will breathe easy after his arrest.

Living in terror
Sopara village's Muslim community, especially the butchers, lived in fear and insecurity due to Raut's activities — even when beef hadn't been banned by the government, he would go around conducting 'raids' on meat shops and harassing the owners, said a local, Anis Qureshi. Speaking to mid-day, he added, "In 2014, Raut forcibly stopped my tempo in his area and assaulted the driver.

The driver called me and I went to the spot, but Raut and his colleague abused and assaulted me too, saying I was smuggling cow meat. They forcibly took me and my tempo to Nalasopara police station. I have never carried or supplied cow meat; after I showed all the relevant documents to the cops, they let me go and registered a case against Raut and his colleague.

"Large numbers of Muslims as well as gau rakshaks had gathered outside the police station that day... he had succeeded in creating communal tension; clashes could have erupted anytime. Huge police bandobast was then deployed in the area, for the first time in the history of Nalasopara."

Policespeak
"There are two cases of rioting and one of not following the district collector's order registered against Raut at Nalasopara police station. Since 2015, we have been serving him notices to leave the area during Bakri-eid to maintain law and order there," said Datta Totewar, SDPO, Nalasopara Division of Palghar district.

Also Read: Crime: Trio planning 'terror attack' held from Nalasopara, Pune

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The Borivali Police on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old accused who allegedly duped and cheated people on the pretext of providing them with confirmed railway reservation ticket by possessing himself as a railway officer. The arrested accused has been identified as Piyush Gyanendra Sharma. The police nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP from Vasai.

Sources from the police revealed "Sharma is a habitual offender and has cheated many people’s including a 35-year-old lady victim identified as Geeta Jain (Name changed on request) who had came to Borivali Railway station to book reservation tickets for a group of people planning to visit Palitana Temple in Gujarat last month.

Speaking with Mid-day the lady who became a victim of Sharma's cheating said, "We are from Palitana district, 60 to 70 people from this district had planned to visit the Paltina temple in the month of December. I came here in order to book the reservation ticket for all of them. I was busy filling the reservation form when the accused arrived and asked whether I am going to use card or cash to pay the reservation amount.  He asked me to fill out the forms and give the money to him and he shall give me all the reservation tickets together."

She further added, "I believed and gave him the form and the money, he took the form and money and asked me to wait after which he went away. I was sitting and waiting for him, even when the reservation window started to shut down. I went and asked the sitting clerk that how you can close the window without giving my ticket. When the clerk asked me I revealed the story then he informed me that such officer does not work here someone might have made you fool, the duty clerk helped and took me to the RPF office, later we went to the Borivali police station and registered a complaint."

The Borivali Police station who nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP said, "The accused is a habitual offender. He revealed and confessed that he has cheated more people in such manner in Vasai, Malad, Bhayandar, and Borivali. He has been booked and arrested under section 170 and 420 of IPC was produced before the court today and remanded in Police custody."

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Girgaum Chowpatty in South Mumbai is set to undergo a major transformation. The beach will be declared Mumbai's first Clean Street Hub by the Food Safety Standards of India(FSSI) and the Food and Drugs Administration(FDA) on February 28.

The shop vendors will wear uniforms which have logos of their individual brands and swachhata ambassadors will pick up litter and educate citizens about public hygiene. The beach will also have live performances by street artists.

Mumbai Mirror quoted Vishwas Mote, assistant commissioner D ward as saying, We received FDA and FSSI guidelines from Delhi under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on maintaining hygiene at Bhel Plaza. We had audited the stalls in December and completed their training in January."

He also added that the trees around the stalls will have tree guards and seating arrangements will be made for people to sit and enjoy live performances on the beach.

"This is being revamped to international standards. There will more lights for the stalls. And to inculcate a sense of responsibility in keeping the stalls clean, the stall owners will hire two swachhta ambassadors. They will pick up any thrown litter, and will educate people on civic sense, to make them responsible for their own garbage."

Mote also mentioned that the Swachhata ambassadors will be given white uniforms and white caps. He said, "It is a multi-directional approach, where even helpers and chefs will sport branded uniforms for each stall, and the boards and nameplates will have a uniform design. The common hand-washing area for patrons will also be spruced up."

A vendor, Atul Gupta said that they had received training for four hours from the BMC.

He added, "We were told that if we had any vices like chewing tobacco or smoking, we should do it outside the beach, and not while serving customers. We were given minute details about washing hands and serving customers. We were instructed not just to clean the work stations, but also the inside of refrigerators. If we keep our surroundings clean, it will also keep rats and roaches at bay."

Indrani Malkani who is the member of the high-powered committee appointed by Bombay High Court said, "Hygiene is an all-encompassing aspect. Not just cooking part, but even when they are washing up. Street food is a great attraction in South East Asian countries, and Girgaum Chowpatty is synonymous with bhelpuri. The idea of inculcating hygiene habits among those who make and serve food is the prime focus."

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Going to a new restaurant is no longer about discovering what it has to offer on arrival. An online recce of the place is now part of the eating-out ritual. So, when we spot bhutte ki kees on the menu of The Culture House in Girgaum, we know we are ordering the much-loved dish from Indore's Sarafa Bazaar to satiate our Madhya Pradeshi palate — and to employ it as a litmus test to gauge the attention the recently opened restaurant pays to the vegetarian flavours of northern and western India it promises to bring to Mumbaikars.

We head to the eatery with a friend on a crisp Wednesday night, where we are welcomed by a hospitable staff. The spacious dining area has a haveli-like feel with chandeliers and wooden engravings. Located on a slightly raised level, it even has a vintage elevator for guests; a thoughtful addition, the friend points out.

Bhutte ki kees

As planned, we call for the bhutte ki kees (Rs 279) from the starters right away. "It will be made of sweet corn, though," the server tells us. Important information, considering the original recipe features desi corn, a monsoon crop, which isn't as sweet. But we are used to this jugaad at home, too, and are keen on seeing how the chef finds his way around it. The dish arrives in quick time, but is of a runnier consistency than it should be, and the mild use of spices does little to combat the extra sweetness. Disappointed, we move on to the one-plate meals, from which we pick the khichu khau suey (Rs 379) and Delhi stuff chilla (Rs 279).

Khichyu khausuey

The chilla, or besan pancake, is a staple on winter shaadi menus up north, served sizzling hot. We like the twist of stuffing it with paneer bhurji, but in the process, the chilla seems to have stayed on the tava a tad too long. The khau suey, a Gujarati twist on the Burmese dish, is what has got us all excited. And digging into the cotton-soft rice flour balls swimming in a coconut milk and curd broth leaves us reaching for more. The fried onions, peanuts and soya sticks make for the perfect accompaniments. But we do agree with our fellow diner when she remarks that the broth could have been thicker.

From the plethora of mains, we go for green Gujarat with bhakri (Rs 449). The undhiyo-like sabzi made with fewer winter veggies tastes just fine, as does the accompanying kadhi, but there is little on the platter that justifies the steep price.

Strawberry phirni

It's time for dessert, and from the seasonal options, we pick their strawberry phirni (Rs 349), which is a regular phirni topped with slices of the fruit. The moongdal sheera (Rs 299), when had later at home, reminds us of another winter shaadi indulgence, but we have tasted better versions. We'll return another day. But only because there is still much left to be tried from the vast menu.

AT The Culture House, Soni Building, opposite Bharati Vidya Bhavan, Girgaum
Time 11 am to 11.30 pm
CALL 30151598

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A Bandra boy is bringing back the music from the streets of Mumbai in a new avatar, with the debut of the ensemble Bombay Brass this Friday. And who better to combine the essence of Bombay and jazz than Rhys Sebastian, who was brought up by his musician mother Merlin D'Souza and grandfather, cello maestro Sebastian D'Souza? "It was inspiring to watch my mother work and provide for the family. The possibility of doing something apart from music — writing about football, for example — was there, but this is where I belong," the 30-year-old Manchester United fan shares.

Rhys Sebastian

His new ensemble, comprising Robin Fargose (trumpet), ID Rao (tenor sax), Ramon Ibrahim (trombone), Jehangir Jehangir (drums), Saurabh Suman (bass), Zohran Miranda (guitar) and Rahul Wadhwani (keys), is a result of his quest for his own sound and is more about experiencing the music than about just being a collective, Sebastian says. "It's about bringing the musical experience from the streets to the stage and giving it back to the audience. I love that energy and we tap into the same, making it inclusive for musicians as well as the audience," he adds.

In a way, their music will bring together Bombay and New Orleans, he points out. "I've always loved the hustle and bustle of Bombay, which I feel is a distant relative of New Orleans. Both have similar street music, with a lot of brass [like in wedding bands here]. I love the rawness of that sound. I love the freedom of expression in both these cities. What we are doing is not something that I have seen here," he adds.

Saurabh Suman

Besides doing Amy Winehouse and Stevie Wonder covers, the band will also have some Shankar Jaikishan songs that Sebastian's grandfather had originally rearranged. "I love Bollywood songs from the '60s and '70s, like Mera Naam Joker. I'm looking forward to bringing that back with a lot of brass," Sebastian informs. Their two originals for the evening promise to talk about the city, including about the traffic on the roads.

Sebastian is also working on a project called The Bartender with music director Mikey McLeary, where they will reinvent old songs from the '60s and '70s with a 10-piece band that will include three horn players and vocalists Shalmali Kholgade, Saba Azad, Rachel Varghese and Anjuli Sarvanaman.

ON March 15, 9 pm onwards
AT The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Mathew Road, Opera House, Girgaum.
LOG ON TO insider.in
CALL 83291 10638
COST Rs 749 onwards

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For God's sake don't come, don't come, don't come to this war in Europe... Cannons, machine guns, rifles and bombs going off day and night, just like the rains in the month of Sawan. Those who have escaped so far are like the few grains left uncooked in a pot," wrote Havildar Abdul Rahman (59th Rifles) to Naik Rajwali Khan (Baluchistan) on May 20, 1915, from France. The letter, originally in Urdu, was translated and censored for record-keeping and withheld from being posted. The war story, after all, had to tell, in the words of Wilfred Owen, "The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est, Pro patria mori" or, how sweet and honourable it is to die for one's country, in Latin.

Angeli Sowani

Fittingly enough, the letter finds itself right below another one — from the Buckingham Palace, signed by King George V, which conveys to the soldiers that the "Mother Country is proud of your splendid services characterised by unsurpassed devotion and courage." The exhibition Medals & Bullets, by British-Indian artist Angeli Sowani, is one interspersed with these stark contrasts. "Every medal comes at the cost of countless bullets," Sowani tells us, as she oversees letters, pictures, enlistment posters and songs of the Indian soldiers of World War I go up on the ivory walls of Jehangir Art Gallery, on the inaugural day.

The exhibition includes posters designed to enlist soldiers, translated letters, folk songs and paintings

The solo show is the culmination of the year-long research the London-based artist undertook on the forgotten Indian heroes of the war. The year 2018 marked the centenary of the Armistice Day, and several events commemorated the occasion across the UK. It was at one such documentary screening where Sowani heard a sound bite on the contribution of soldiers from colonial India — of the 10 lakh combatants and non-combatants drawn from the country, 70,000 were killed while 9,200 won gallantry awards.

Keen on finding out more, she began her journey at the war cemeteries in Flanders, Belgium, last year. "On one of the graves there are the words 'Om bhagwate namah'. It was heartrending to see that here lay a soldier — paid an average of '11 a month, most sepoys had never ventured beyond their villages — so far away from his motherland," she shares.

Laddie, a tribute to Indra Lal Roy, the sole Indian flying ace in the war

The visit to Flanders was followed up with several trips to the Imperial War Museum and British Library in London, where she accessed letters written, postcards exchanged and images circulated by Indian soldiers. In the process, she was also introduced to noted author and academic Santanu Das, whose book, 1914-1919, Indian Troops in Europe, helped her contextualise the letters. Before the National Institute of Design alumna picked up the brush, she also signed up for a course in World War I literature.

A recurring motif in her artworks is the gallantry medal itself. In one of the works, inspired by a soldier's depiction of the war as the warfare in Hindu mythology, she transforms the medals into butterflies, lifting into the sky — symbolic of lives flitting away.

A century and an enormous loss of lives later, two major countries of the Indian subcontinent were recently at the brink of war. Has man learnt his lessons at all? "This war was supposed to end all wars. Yet, we had the Second World War, and many more wars that followed," laments Sowani. "It seems like we can't stop fighting. The war never ends."

TILL March 24, 11 am to 7 pm
At Jehangir Art Gallery. Kala Ghoda
CALL 22843989

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Two labourers were killed on Friday after falling from the eighth floor of an under-construction building here, a disaster control official said. The incident occurred when they were fitting window panes of the Shabari Park building, coming up opposite the RK Studios in Govandi suburb.

Suddenly they lost their balance and fell nearly 80 feet below, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.

Other workers rushed them to the Shatabdi Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

It is not clear if they were wearing safety belts or whether a safety net was installed below to prevent such accidents.

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Rum lovers swear by the old rum-and-coke recipe. But if you want the spirit in a new avatar, along with chakna made with rum, he­ad to this rum festival in Chembur.

ON March 10, 9 am to 11.59 pm
AT Le Cafe, 1st Road, Chembur East 
CALL 67099999

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Thane: Political leaders cutting across party lines have opposed handing over of power distribution duties in three electricity subdivisions of Thane to a private player.

These leaders on Monday met at the circuit house here and among those who attended were Mumbra-Kalwa MLA (NCP) Jitendra Awhad, Shiv Sena MLA Subhash Bhoir, BJP MLA Kisan Kathore and Kalyan Shiv Sena district unit chief Gopal Landge.

These leaders claimed that the experiment to privatise electricity supply in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi here had failed and, hence, it should not be expanded to newer regions of the district. They also claimed that people were opposed to the entry of private players in place of the state-run Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) in this region.

On January 3 this year, private firm Torrent Power announced it had been appointed as electricity distribution franchisee for three sub-divisions under Thane urban circle of Maharashtra. "The company has emerged as the winner of competitive bidding process conducted by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) for the appointment of input based distribution franchisee for distribution of electricity in Shil, Mumbra and Kalwa sub-divisions under Thane urban circle, for 20 years," Torrent Power had said in a BSE filing. Shil, Mumbra and Kalwa sub-divisions have a customer base of 2.15 lakh, the filing said. The firm is also the electricity distribution franchisee in Bhiwandi since 2007 for a period of 20 years.

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Eleven years since work began on the fifth and sixth railway lines between Diva and Thane, the project still awaits completion. Certain to miss its March 2019 deadline, the project across nine kilometres, has been facing several hurdles since its inception. mid-day took a walk along the stretch this week to get the ground report.

Rapid work at stations
Near Diva, on the line towards CSMT, space still needs to be created near the existing level-crossing for the new lines, and rails will have to be aligned to the old tracks. Slightly ahead, work of levelling land next to the mangroves is being done in patches while work on Mumbra station is being done at a rapid pace.

After Mumbra, the new line bypasses the existing line to cross over the creek and the highway with a rail-overbridge. The line from this point to the new Kalwa station is complete with work on the station under process. Between Kalwa and Thane, the major bridges have been completed, but work of building walls and levelling is still under process at certain places.

'Too many hurdles'
Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) officials said that there have been delays because of too many external hurdles and complications. "The alignment meant rehabilitating people, with the involvement of numerous state government bodies," a senior official said. An MRVC spokesperson said that the project should be completed in 2019 itself.

The 2008 project
The project, which was sanctioned in 2008 as part of MUTP 2B, is crucial for the Central Railway as it will segregate the outstation and local train rail corridors and thus decongest the line. It has already missed deadlines in December 2015 and December 2017.

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The Feline Foundation, an NGO founded by Cat Cafe Studio, has some good news for Star Wars fans. It is hosting a Star Wars Quiz Night that gives you and your buddies a chance to win prizes.

You can flaunt your cosplaying skills and meet like-minded people. "It's an evening full of mystery in a galaxy far, far away. Better yet, it's also a fundraiser to support our efforts to provide medical treatment for stray cats in need," said an organiser. Additionally, all participants leave with assured gift coupons. Register now, and may the force be with you.

ON February 23, 6 pm to 8 pm
AT Cat Café Studio, Versova, Andheri West 
LOG ON TO catcafestudio.com
COST Rs 199

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We believe that the most important lesson our generation has learnt is that basic is good; enough for fashion labels to have a sub-category of basic apparel and Instagram to source gifs and stickers that say "basic". This (should) transcend to food as well, because at the end of the day, nothing beats sasta and tikau. And so, Kalina's Chindian eatery, King Chilli, has risen above the glitzy culinary offerings of BKC that are high on the glam quotient but not easy on the pocket.

We have been ordering in from what is easily one of the neighbourhood's favourite haunts for months. But a week ago, we learnt that it has launched in a new avatar with a larger dining area not far from the space it started in five years ago. So, on a Sunday night, we finally step out to pay the place a visit.

At the corner of St Mary's Chowk, a brand new shade covers the space. Potted plants line the shack-like eatery and a tawdry magenta curtain, which we identify — having spotted hawkers selling it for '150 at the roadside Monday market — serves as the door. Inside, chairs and tables that evoke the memory of Nilkamal furniture makes for the seating space, along with three booths with slightly plusher sofas that offer some privacy but are rickety all the same.

We join a queue that comprises Catholic aunties in their Sunday frocks and roadside Romeos in their Gully-Boy-inspired garb waiting outside the restaurant. The crowd is substantial, but fast moving, so we get a table in five minutes.

Tom yum

Our partner, who is whining about a sore throat, calls for a tom yum soup (Rs 139) while we order the crackling spinach chicken (Rs 285) and kung pao potato (Rs 174) to begin with, and a chicken in chilly oyster sauce (Rs 295), veg pad Thai noodles (Rs 190) and chicken North East pot rice (Rs 249) for the mains.

Kung pao potato

We find how nothing about the tom yum soup being Thai cute: adrak replaces galangal, nimbu takes the place of kaffir lime and its identifiable piquant broth-y flavour has transformed into a chatpata and fiery soup with a strong kick of spice. The addition of finely chopped dhaniya is equally endearing. Tom yum or not, it works. The chicken appetiser is enjoyable in that the meat itself is juicy and hot. The crackling spinach that it comes with is nice, too, but perhaps could have been elevated with a stronger dose of garlic. We relish the kung pao potatoes and find the use of wedges quite cool: it adds a certain girth to the dish. The lightly toasted whole cashews lend a mild sweetness, marrying the dish with its inherent tanginess.

Chicken in oyster chilli sauce 

The pot rice has a smoky hotness that is likely to have come from the overuse of chilli powder. This dish leaves two out of the four people at the table gasping for breath. We are still undecided about the preparation and could only safely say that we did not hate it. The pad thai noodles are a slight let-down having been overcooked this time. However, the chicken in oyster chilly sauce, a staple for us from the eatery, helps liven up the noodles.

We eat quickly despite the shortcomings of the mains and that's where King Chilli actually passes the test. It's the kind of eatery that may have a few botch-ups, but will remain the go-to place (as is evident from the queue even as we leave the restaurant an hour and a half later) for Kalina's humble diners, including us. What we mean is, where else could we have afforded an end-of-the-month double date for a total cost of Rs 1,522 and take home doggy bags? Only a sasta and tikau place, right?

TIME 11.30 am to 3.30 pm; 7 pm to 11.30 pm
AT King Chilli, near St Mary's Chowk, Kalina, Santacruz East.
CALL 9833487217

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King Chilli didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

"Empowerment is such a frequently used term. Sab bolte hai. But what it really implies is to just be yourself," Avantika Mathur asserts. The 30-year-old artist from Navi Mumbai has been making graffiti on the city's walls for years — and in some cases, the street lamp got there after the artwork did. "Art is a powerful medium, but street art is the best form to explain an ideology. It's an open gallery," she adds. And next week, Mathur along with six female artists will transform the neighbourhood of Marol into a gallery through Ladies First, India's first women-only street art festival.

Walls spanning over 10,000 sq ft will be painted on in Marol Village

The week-long event organised by Marol-based graffiti agency Wicked Broz in collaboration with the Military Road Residents Welfare Association, will see artists paint on multi-storied buildings and running walls spanning over 10,000 sq ft. Although talks about putting together a street art festival were in the works for a year, the idea of turning it into a women's-only event culminated from a Rajasthan trip in January that the organisers were part of. Rikis D Santander, a street artist from Chile, had mentioned that not only were India's gullies overcrowded, but very few women were part of that crowd.

Avantika Mathur

"Even globally there are very few female-centric events. Someone even asked us why women need a separate festival. I said that if I count the number of women who paint on the streets, that number will still be miniscule. Until we don't celebrate these artists, people won't be motivated to come out and paint," Zain Siddiqui of Wicked Broz explains, adding that they initially conceptualised a grander event with more artists. "But a lot of festivals happen as a one-time thing and then disappear. We didn't want that," he says, while proceeding to talk about the line-up that includes Abigail Aroha Jensen from New Zealand, Delhi-based Anpu Varkey and Ratna Singh, a Warli artist.

Zain Siddiqui

"The styles are diverse and we haven't only restricted ourselves to graffiti because we don't want to go around painting something ambiguous. It should mean something," Siddiqui tells us, while Mathur adds, "While Anpu paints large animals, I follow a bohemian surrealist style, which is all about finding yourself."

MC Manmeet Kaur

In addition to wall painting, Ladies First will also feature workshops, exhibitions of canvas work by participating artists, talks and film screenings. Hip-hop cyphers by female artistes such as Goa-based rapper MC Manmeet Kaur is also scheduled to take place. And on the last day, the public (including men) will be free to create artwork on a large wall. As Mathur says, education is key. "For people to appreciate street art, it is necessary that they understand it first. So, each piece we create will have a narrative."

ON March 25 to 31, 9 am to 6 pm
AT Bharat Van, Military Road, Marol Art Village, Andheri East.
CALL 8887795823
Email ladiesfirststreetart@gmail.com

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Varun Dhawan, who is currently promoting his upcoming movie Kalank, was spotted at a popular studio in Juhu, Mumbai. While on his way, the actor bumped into Sunny Deol, and he couldn't stop fanboying after meeting the Gadar actor.

Sunny Deol with Varun Dhawan/picture courtesy: Satej Shinde

Varun Dhawan was elated on meeting Sunny. The actor greeted Sunny Deol and was pleased to share this moment when they bumped into each other.

Sunny Deol, who is currently shooting for Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, which is his son, Karan's, Bollywood debut, also had a small conversation with his fan. 

On the professional front, Varun Dhawan will be next seen in Karan Johar's multi-starrer period drama, Kalank and Remo D'Souza's Street Dancer 3D.

Talking about Kalank, the film has a star-studded cast comprising Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sanjay Dutt, this period drama set in 1940s India, is definitely going to take you on an unforgettable journey.

The first look posters of the three men of Kalank came out on March 7 and the leading ladies' first looks were revealed on International Women's Day (March 8). The film was originally conceptualised about 15 years ago by the late Yash Johar and his son Karan Johar, who has bankrolled the film. Abhishek Varman has helmed the period drama that releases on April 17 this year.

Also Read: Kalank is the highest viewed teaser in Bollywood in 24hrs!

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BS Yeddyurappa submits his resignation as Karnataka chief minister to Governor Vajubhai Vala in Bengaluru on Saturday. Pic/PTI

At a press conference moments after BS Yeddyurappa quit as Karnataka chief minister for the third occasion in his life, this time after just two impotent days, Congress president Rahul Gandhi was asked if he would demand Governor Vajubhai Vala's resignation. Just the day before, Rahul had tweeted that Vala's decision to invite Yeddyurappa to form a government, despite being short of a majority and not having any other party's support, was "unconstitutional". Yet, with the press he was philosophical: "What's the point?" Rahul said. "Even if Governor Vala is made to go, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi would put another puppet in his place, who will take exactly the same decisions."

Rahul repeatedly stressed the point that the RSS, through Modi, is out to destroy all institutions in India because it respects no institution other than the RSS. Modi did not behave like a democrat, he said, but like a "dictator". (Also, the Congress president referred to his BJP counterpart as "murder accused Amit Shah".)

Some Indians don't mind Modi being a dictator. They think democracy in India is too slow and needs to be speeded up. Not only is this sentiment justified by pseudo-Darwinism — so what if the poor get left behind? — it doesn't seem to bother them that subverting Constitutional niceties may backfire on them one day, when the Great Leader is replaced by someone else, perhaps another regional leader in a hurry. For now it's okay if their Governors try one thing in Manipur and Goa, and then try the opposite in Karnataka.

Rahul did not mention, however, the elephant in the room: the occupant of the highest constitutional office in the land. For much of the republic's life we have had some pretty ordinary occupants in Rashtrapati Bhawan, and one need not go far back in history to find some awful examples. Pratibha Patil was nominated by the UPA to be India's first woman president, but she was far from a leading advocate of gender-equality or even equal-pay issues during her career; her elevation was simply an exercise in tokenism —much in the way that Ram Nath Kovind's is. (Another pedestrian candidate, to my mind, was fixer and murky backroom boy Pranab Mukherjee, who in 2012 end-gamed then Congress President Sonia Gandhi into nominating him.)

President Kovind isn't even the first dalit in Rashtrapati Bhawan. The first was KR Narayanan, who unlike President Kovind, had a distinguished career as a diplomat and an academician before he became vice-president (and in 1997, president). President Kovind's achievements have been modest in the field of education; and though he was personal assistant to Prime Minister Morarji Desai, he has been a Hindutva ideologue for over a quarter of a century. The RSS considers him its man.

President Kovind isn't anywhere near the stratosphere of popularity achieved by the other NDA nominee for president, the late APJ Abdul Kalam, who succeeded Narayanan in 2002. On the contrary, President Kovind was earlier this month left looking diminished thanks to former information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani (repeatedly the proverbial bull in Modi's china shop) who mismanaged his presentation of the National Film Awards, provoking many artistes to boycott the function. (The photos were catastrophic, showing rows of empty seats at the function.)

President KR Narayanan distinguished himself in office with a couple of correct Constitutional decisions that shocked the political establishment, because he acted impartially rather than be the government's rubber stamp. In October 1997, he returned the recommendation by then Prime Minister IK Gujral's to put UP under President's Rule. He is the only president to have refused to impose central rule (he did it again the next year), setting an important precedent for federalism.

Given the recent partisanship of members of the Election Commission and of the Supreme Court, and with Governor Vala's naked and shameless partiality — he disregarded recommendations by various Centre-State Commissions set up since Independence on the Governor's role in inviting a party for government formation — you need not be a rocket scientist to predict President Kovind's behaviour if the 2019 election produces a hung parliament.

Imagine a scenario where the BJP wins about 180 seats and the Congress wins about 185, or the other way around. Forget for a moment how the pre-poll and post-poll alliances shape up. Then ask yourself the question: who will President Kovind invite first to form the government? This must be weighing on the minds of Rahul Gandhi and his team. It is obvious to most of us why Modi appoints whoever he appoints to high Constitutional office — it is to do his bidding. President Kovind's critical moment in history will come when he will have to make a choice — to be another KR Narayanan, or to be another Vajubhai Vala.

Aditya Sinha's latest book, The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI, and the Illusion of Peace (HarperCollins India), written with former spychiefs AS Dulat and Asad Durrani, is out this week. He tweets @autumnshade Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Missed out on last week's Green Humour? You can read it here.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

There is nothing like a blind tasting to make you realise how your senses need an overhaul. But when there is chocolate involved, then it's a worthwhile endeavour. Especially when the chocolate-maker that invites you is the 140-year old Du Rhone Chocolatier from Geneva, which is a Swiss handmade chocolate brand. After I tasted a few chocolates at the new Du Rhone Chocolatier store that opened this week at Peddar Road (our favourite was the Coline which is a dark ganache with 70 per cent cocoa beans from Brazil and Papua New Guinea), we were treated to a fun game of blind chocolate tasting. We liked what CEO and owner Frederico Marangoni had to say, when he said he never wants Du Rhone to be a mass produced chocolate. "It's as old school as it gets. Every flavour is taken directly from the root. When you taste raspberry, that's real raspberry jelly," said Marangoni, and we have to agree, especially after tasting the richness of the chocolates.

The game was simple — smell a flavour, taste a chocolate and then write down what we experienced. The first one was our lucky one, as it's the only one we got right. We took in a whiff of orange, and bit into a delicate slab of chocolate. And then what Marangoni said suddenly made sense to us. "Most factory made chocolates have thick outer crusts and barely any chocolate inside. Here, the exterior is thin and fine, and full of rich chocolate inside. You can't have more than two at a time." And he was right.

Pic/Sneha Kharabe

I then tasted lemon (which I identified as peppermint), raspberry (which I called strawberry) and passionfruit (which I felt was kiwi). If you are dying to eye roll right about now, know that I am already doing it. The best part of this experiment was that I got to try these ultra fine, luxurious chocolates that made me feel like we were getting a taste of Swiss tradition. It also made me sure of the fact that we would be visiting the store again soon, to try out the Mocca Glacé, whose ingredients are a well-kept secret. But when you make chocolate as good as Du Rhone, it makes sense to guard with your life.

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Over a phone call from Kolkata, Vikram Rajan*, an audio engineer and guitarist formerly based out of Mumbai, wants us to listen to a track that he has composed. It's available on Soundcloud and, as we stream it, we more or less agree that its flavour of electronica-jazz could accompany a languorous Sunday evening. "For a long time, I had been unable to come up with something good. And, then, I composed this around March while I was microdosing and sometimes, megadosing on acid," says Rajan.

The 33-year-old is referring to a way-of-life that's effectively snapping the ties between drug abuse and the creative arts. This is a lifestyle experiment that some of the brightest techies in Silicon Valley are engaging in, and has got psychiatrists and anti-drug crusaders distraught. "From a 100 mics paper, I take about 20 mics, twice a week, giving the doses a 2-3 days gap. The effects of acid last for about six hours for me," says Rajan, who started experimenting with drugs as a teenager.

After a litany of prescriptions failed to control her mood swings and depression, Ayelet Waldman found relief in LSD. The former federal public defender authored A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life, in 2016. She wrote: "(It) made room in my mind not necessarily for joy, but for insight. It allowed me a little space to consider how to act in accordance with my values, not just react to external stimuli. This, not the razzle-dazzle of pleasure, was its gift." Pic/Getty Images

In need of a quick glossary before we proceed? Acid is officially called Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), a psychedelic drug banned in India, the possession of which can lead to imprisonment from one to 20 years under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. LSD is often illegally sold in the form of stamps, with the hallucinogen embedded on blotter paper. Mics is micrograms, that's one-millionth of a gram. A microdose is when you have about one-tenth of a recreational 'party' dose, which starts at about 200 mics.

"With microdosing, you are not tripping — this is not a trip. The euphoria isn't there. It's not about feeling good, it's about calmness," continues Rajan. Microdosing first hit headlines after Steve Jobs' passed away in 2011, when a number of inspiring tales on how LSD became the new go-to substance for enhanced performance by tech employees hit the net. Espresso became passé. 'Flow states' were the new yoga. While Jobs did more than just microdose (he was known to have gone all the way), Silicon Valley techies are reportedly doing acid in quantities such that their effects are 'sub-perceptual', where you won't "see stuff" but you harness its "positive" effects.

A dropper with CBD cannabis oil, used for medicinal purposes. Initial research in the area has shown that patients can reap the benefits without its full-blown 'high' effects

Paul Austin, founder of The Third Wave, where you will find a manifesto on microdosing, defines it as, "the act of integrating sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics, such as LSD or Psilocybin Mushrooms, into your weekly routine for higher levels of creativity, more energy, increased focus, and improved relational skills." The Third Wave, according to Austin, follows the first two waves, in which psychedelics were used indigenously for thousands of years, and then, in the 60s and 70s, when they were a part of American counterculture. Austin writes that The Third Wave is upon us, "brought about by recent developments in cannabis legalisation and psychedelic research — and it will change the way mainstream culture perceives psychedelic use."

Classically acid, now weed
For Rajan, however, it wasn't sub-perceptual Silicon Valley that got him to ration his 100 mics stamps, each of which costs about R2,000. It was simply a matter of demand and supply. Mumbai had better stuff than Kolkata, and more availability. Microdosing has classically been associated with LSD, but now has been extended to cannabis as well. Austin's website has guided instructions for microdosing on nine drugs, including cannabis and ayahuasca. Mumbai-based communications officer Varna Kumar*, 25, smokes a mandatory post-work joint every night in order to cope with anxiety and panic attacks. "I feel I have worked enough through the day, without much time to understand what I am going through. At night, when I am by myself, I smoke a small joint to achieve REM sleep," she says. The joint, a mix of two strains, sativa and indica, help her body relax. It makes her anxiety seem defeatable, is how she describes it. Her counsellor, who also smokes up, has not advocated this as a coping mechanism. "It's different from when I am smoking up recreationally during the weekend or when I am away on a vacation. I will do three to four joints when I have nothing to take care of," she says.

Rajan doesn't buy it. He offers an example that may be best contemplated upon or contested by those who have done both LSD and cannabis. "With weed, you are either stoned, or you are not. You will need to smoke up as soon as the high wears off. When you get stoned, your mind becomes passive. But, microdosing on LSD allows you to be calm enough to multitask, allowing a lot of information to be funnelled into your brain easily. You are alert, you are awake," he says, adding, "What is LSD all about? When you start tripping, you see a shift in perspective." You need not agree with Rajan, as he himself says, "We are all chemical reactions", with each of us reacting differently to drugs.

Covert, not convenient
Microdosing will often be compared to that hard-earned and well-deserved one drink after work hours. It's nothing like that, microdosers will tell you, and so will psychiatrists and rehab therapists. For one, microdosing has none of the ease of getting a drink at your favourite pub. You will be persecuted in your search for your creative spell or a calmer mind. Next, it's not even like getting a drug prescription that your GP advises you to have for the course of a fortnight. Kumar and Rajan know it all too well. Microdosing means self-experimentation, knowing when you are crossing the threshold into recreational high dosages. Cannabis, for instance, is best microdosed through edibles, like space brownies, which are available legally in some parts of the world. It's probably the reason why microdosing is yet to take on Silicon Valley proportions in India. "Here, we don't often get to know what strain of cannabis we are using, or where it is sourced from," says Kumar. Saying "this stuff is craazzyy" is, therefore, not enough if you want to microdose. "If you are living with family, it's hard to make edibles. All this means that the convenience factor associated with a drink is not the same with this covert process," she adds.

The idea of the junkie, with matted hair and piercings, is a stereotype that microdosing is replacing. It's no longer cool to be a junkie, especially in the vegan-conscious, gluten-free, aerial yoga health lifestyle that we are seeing around us. Microdosing may be the most metrosexual among the various kinds of drug use, and it carries the allure of high-performance and alleviation of mental health issues, with published studies to back these up. But doctors and psychiatrists are warning us about the glamourisation of microdosing, even as research to mainstream it for mental health is going on. Psychiatrist Dr Samir Parikh says, "Microdosing encourages the thought process that you need a drug for enhanced performance or better creativity or to calm your nerves. This will mean that students microdose before exams, athletes before a run, couples before a wedding, and the next thing you know, because someone has to attend a birthday bash. There is no end to important situations in life. We are making people believe that a student could have scored an additional five marks in an exam had she just microdosed. Can you imagine the perils of this philosophy?" he says. He backs this up with the number of risks associated with prolonged drug abuse, such as a permanent change in brain circuitry, cerebrovascular diseases, and panic attacks.

Then there are those who will argue that moderation as 'one-drink-a-day' is more addictive than the weekend drunken revelry. Is addiction, even in microdoses, still addiction, where the brain searches for rewards compulsively? Kumar disagrees. "Microdosing is the difference between dependence and addiction. For example, I am dependent on a cab to take me to the station. Can I get through my day without it? Can I walk to the station? Yes, I can. That's what microdosing is. I can get through my day without a joint, but a joint just makes it a little easier," she says.Psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Merchant, who runs a rehabilitation centre at Kalyan, says microdoses pose the risk of turning into overdoses. "With any drug, the body learns to metabolise it faster. Which means, that the quantity for a microdose will keep increasing and your hold on reality will keep getting more tangential."

Rajan himself admits to a 'bad trip'. LSD users will tell you that recreational doses are best done in settings that you feel comfortable in, to enjoy, or cope, with the hallucinations. With microdosing, you are headed into your office or your studio to function better. Rajan had once taken more than a microdose, leading him to have a panic attack, the kind where he couldn't even see his hands. The golden rule, he says, is that if you don't go on a full trip, you will never know what a microdose is.

That ailing pain
The push for microdosing is coming from a quarter where its future seems to be most secured — pain management. Mumbai-based homemaker Susheela Kamath*, 48, was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer a couple of years ago, and having undergone nearly a year's worth of chemotherapy and radiation, the accompanying pain and nausea, were all too real. Her daughter provided her with high-grade hash oil. The dealer provided her with a tiny spoon, the kind that you are handed inflight to stir your coffee with. "I had to initially understand, through a lot of trial and error, by gauging my mother's mood, on what a microdose for her would be. Hash oil is very potent," says the daughter.

A little drop of it on her toast every day, helped Kamath cope with pain. "From the third day to the tenth day after chemotherapy, my mother would have about three to four spoons a day, and, on other days, just half a spoon," says the daughter. Coping with the pain meant she could do more during her day, and also have an appetite. Now, months after she has wound up chemotherapy and radiation, she has bid adieu to the prescription drugs that came along with it, and the hash oil as well, without yearning for that high. Unfortunately, unlike medical grade marijuana that is available in some countries, and still not permitted in India, the daughter did not know if the oil had cannabidiol (CBD), which gives marijuana its medical properties, or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which gives you the "high".

Dr Kailash Kothari, interventional spine and pain management specialist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, says that there is not enough evidence to either prove or disprove that microdosing on cannabis can help with pain management, the way opioids, such as morphine, act on the nervous system. "Do cannabinoids work like tranquilisers or do they have long-term effect? There is not enough research as of now," he says, adding, "Getting dependent on these takes a lot of time and not something that can happen in about 15 days of use." In the meanwhile, you can enjoy a night of quiet or a better track on Soundcloud by rationing your stash. But, is it short-term solace or long-term abuse?

*All names have been changed on request to protect identity

More than 3.11 crore voters spread across 17 Lok Sabha constituencies will cast their vote today, in the final phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. While voters across North Maharashtra, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and parts of Western Maharashtra gears up to cast their valuable votes come April 29, a popular restaurant in Malad added its own twist in order to urge its patron and voters to cast their votes as responsible citizens.

While the Mumbai votes today, innumerable initiatives have come up in the city with innovative ways to encourage people to exercise their franchise. However, a suburban restaurant in Malad came up with a cheeky poster to encourage voters to cast their valuable vote.

The cheeky message by Uncle's Kitchen, Malad requests voters to cast their voters on April 29, 2019

Uncle's Kitchen in Malad is a popular eatery and it put up a rather quirky poster on the wall outside their restaurant. The poster on the wall of Uncle's Chicken read, "We will keep our chicks away from you till 6 pm so that you can cast your valuable vote." Thus, urging their patrons and voters in Malad and Mumbai to come out in large numbers on April 29 and cast their vote. They, of course, were referring to their chicken dishes in the witty poster.

Uncle's Kitchen in Malad is a popular restaurant that serves Chinese cuisine and celebrities including Mithun Chakraborty, Raza Murad, music director Pritam, Mohnish Behl and Suresh Oberoi are believed to be regulars.

The right to vote is the gift of democracy. Let's all go out and VOTE!#VoteForIndia#LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/CuzLniWUsn

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 26, 2019

Just two days ago, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar took to Twitter to urge voters to cast their vote on April 29. He said that this year besides him and Anjali Tendulkar, his children, Sara and Arjun too will cast their votes for the first time this election. He captioned the video: The right to vote is the gift of democracy. Let us all go out and VOTE!

The results of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be announced on May 23, 2019. You can log on to eci.gov.in for more information.

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Voter's names missing from lists is not unusual any more. But, in Bhendi Bazaar, an entire building full of voters has vanished from the list, leaving around 100 residents without their right to vote in this election.

Salam Khan, a 32-year-old businessman, has been casting his vote for years. On Monday, however, he got the shock of his life when he was informed that his name was missing from the voters' list. When he returned home, miffed, he discovered that all the residents of his building, Zainabiya, were not on the list for some reason.

"When I reached the polling booth, I was told that my name was not on it. I was very upset. Then when I reached home, my neighbours, too, start complaining about the same thing. Later, we got to know that the name of the building had gone missing from the list. This is such a big mistake, they have lost so many voters," said Khan.

Also Read: Election 2019: Mumbai scrapes through in voting report card

The residents alleged that they heard that because the building was old, the election officer was told that the structure had been demolished for redevelopment. "We cast our last vote during the BMC election in 2017. There was no problem then. But now, the whole building has gone missing. How is it possible?" asked Rasheed Sheikh.

Election 2019: Prominent personalities, other Mumbaikars come out to caste vote!

Crèches at polling booths

The Election Commission roped in Aanganwadi Sevikas on voting day to take care of children coming with their parents to voting centres. While several such Sevikas were seen standing near the polling stations to take care of children so that they don't enter polling booths, other arrangements were made in rooms inside various schools where parents could leave their kids for a short while to vote.

Also Read: Elections 2019: Regular voters find their name missing at polling booths

In Prabhadevi, 147 Aanganwadi workers were roped in for this. A municipal school at Prabhadevi saw about 40 children taken care by these workers throughout the day. Even at Malad, the crèche was a big hit. Vandana Kothekar, who was on election duty and taking care of these kids from Prabhadevi, said, "We saw a good turnout and parents were willing to keep their children as it was just a matter of a few minutes."

Salman Khan, SRK, Ranveer Singh, Kangana, Bachchans step out for voting

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The art display at the debut edition of the festival

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

Mooralala Marwada

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

Mohit Sharma in an earlier performance of Toba Tek Singh

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

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

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