<h2>I see trees of pink</h2>
<p>Fresh blooms of Pink Trumpet flowers add a splash of colour to a section of the<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-thane-travel-to-get-faster-mmrda-launches-elevated-freeway-extension-project-23605759" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> Eastern Express Highway</a> near Vikhroli.</p>
<h2>You go, girl!</h2>
<p><img title="Naavya Kaku; (right) Naavya Kaku windsurfs in Mumbai.  Pic CourtesyY/Hetal Kaku" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-b_e.jpg" alt="Naavya Kaku; (right) Naavya Kaku windsurfs in Mumbai.  Pic CourtesyY/Hetal Kaku" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Naavya Kaku; (right) Naavya Kaku windsurfs in Mumbai. &nbsp;Pic CourtesyY/Hetal Kaku</em></strong></p>
<p>We caught wind of a young sailing prodigy off the breezy <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/photo/in-photos-mumbai-chowpatty-immersion-preparations-in-full-swing-ahead-of-anant-chaturthi-107209" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chowpatty </a>coast during the recently concluded iQFoiling (high-speed windsurfing) Asian Games 2026 trials. Naavya Kaku, a 12-year-old student from Fort&rsquo;s JB Petit High School, was punching above her weight, competing in the Under 19 category. In conversation with her mother Hetal Kaku, we learnt that the teen bagged a third-place finish in the second round in Girgaon. &ldquo;As thrilling as it looks, pursuing foiling in India is a multifaceted challenge. Despite being a coastal city, access to sea areas where one can train is limited for civilians. The equipment comes with a hefty price tag of upto R10 lakh, and travelling with it adds to the costs. Naavya often needs to travel overseas to train, or hire a trainer to come visit us in India. Some recognition and attention to the sport could help build more accessible infrastructure,&rdquo; she said. We hope it&rsquo;s all smooth sailing to the next Asian Games for the young star.</p>
<h2>Caws for concern?</h2>
<p><img title="The leucistic crow (below) sighted near the Mumbai Zoo in Byculla.  Pic Courtesy/Umesh Avadootha" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-c_e.jpg" alt="The leucistic crow (below) sighted near the Mumbai Zoo in Byculla.  Pic Courtesy/Umesh Avadootha" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>The leucistic crow (below) sighted near the Mumbai Zoo in Byculla. &nbsp;Pic Courtesy/Umesh Avadootha</em></strong></p>
<p>Living in this city can drain you out. Ask its crows. An uncommon sighting of a grey leucistic crow yesterday near the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/photo/in-photos-huge-crowds-flock-to-byculla-zoo-amid-festive-season-108882" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Zoo in Byculla</a> sparked some interesting conversations in naturalist circles. &ldquo;The condition can arise from the mutation of a gene that affects melanin, the pigment that gives a crow its dark black colour. We see a partial loss of pigment when a parent in the lineage has undergone stress, likely from its diet and lifestyle. While the condition is uncommon among Mumbai&rsquo;s crows, it is even rarer in rural areas where there are fewer stressors,&rdquo; said naturalist Shmes Ansari, who was alerted of the sighting by the Zoo&rsquo;s assistant zoologist Umesh Avadootha. Safe to say, stress levels are soaring in this city.</p>
<h2>Koliwada to Dubai</h2>
<p><img title="Visitors learn Koli dance from Fernandes (in grey)" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-d_e.jpg" alt="Visitors learn Koli dance from Fernandes (in grey)" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Visitors learn Koli dance from Fernandes (in grey)</em></strong></p>
<p>A vasaikar is all set to teach <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/have-you-heard-shah-rukh-khan-jets-off-to-recieve-global-icon-award-23614327" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dubai </a>how to shake a leg in Koli style next weekend. Supriya Takkar Fernandes, who runs the Vasai Local restaurant in Karama, Dubai, told this diarist she&rsquo;s all set to get visitors grooving to Koli geet at a pop-up. &ldquo;It has become an annual affair now. We did it last year at the St Mary&rsquo;s Church in Oud Metha in UAE. The multicultural crowd, consisting of Filipinos, Brits, and Americans couldn&rsquo;t help but tap their feet to our music. A group from The Philippines even joined us to learn some moves. Soon enough, the classic dance prop, white handkerchiefs, came out,&rdquo; she revealed. Fernandes tells us she&rsquo;s more than glad to host Mumbaikars visiting the city on February 7 and 8 for a meeting with the &lsquo;Dubaikars&rsquo;.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img title="Bombil Fry from the restaurant. Pics Courtesy/Vasai Local" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-e_e.jpg" alt="Bombil Fry from the restaurant. Pics Courtesy/Vasai Local" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Bombil Fry from the restaurant. Pics Courtesy/Vasai Local</em></strong></p>
<h2>Wordplay in Juhu</h2>
<p><img title="Books from a previous initiative by the reading club. Pic Courtesy/Juhu Reads" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-f_e.jpg" alt="Books from a previous initiative by the reading club. Pic Courtesy/Juhu Reads" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Books from a previous initiative by the reading club. Pic Courtesy/Juhu Reads</em></strong></p>
<p>February will begin with a good cause at the Kaifi Azmi Park. On February 7, reading club Juhu Reads will host a session with the collective Books Tribute, started by Ananya Turakhia and Arnav Dharia. &ldquo;They have been collecting books, pre-loved and read, to distribute across different institutions. They will be bringing a portion of their collection to the session. Participants are free to read, give their own books, or take part in the session,&rdquo; shared Juhu Reads co-curator Shishir Bangera.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Get on board</h2>
<p><img title="Children pore over a boardgame at the 2025 edition. Pic Courtesy/Meeplecon" src="http://admin.mid-day.com/images/2026/jan/dos-thirty-jan-g_e.jpg" alt="Children pore over a boardgame at the 2025 edition. Pic Courtesy/Meeplecon" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Children pore over a boardgame at the 2025 edition. Pic Courtesy/Meeplecon</em></strong></p>
<p>The weekend will see board game enthusiasts head to Kurla for the annual edition of Meeplecon at <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/photo/in-photos-legendary-british-rock-band-dire-straits-mesmerises-mumbaikars-in-january-2026-at-phoenix-marketcity-kurla-109197" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Phoenix Marketcity</a>. This time, though, there will be an emphasised desi touch to the proceedings. &ldquo;It is a delight to see such creative ideas inspired by the diversity of India&rsquo;s culture. From games on Indian elections, to one on Raas Leela, it is a dynamic collection,&rdquo; shared director Prashant Maheshwari. With a convention of designers and critics, as well as a corporate championship over two days, it has something for everyone. Let the games begin, we say.</p>

Fresh pink trumpet flowers burst into bloom, adding colour and charm to a stretch of the Eastern Express Highway near Vikhroli, delighting commuters briefly

Mumbai Diary | Friday Dossier: Fresh pink trumpet flowers brighten stretch near Vikhroli

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Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

I see trees of pink

You go, girl!

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