Phool-ing around
A troop of Bonnet Macaques have a field day playing with fresh flowers at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali
In the Dalai Lama’s words
Natasha Sharma, co-founder of the Govandi Arts Festival is reflecting on a special meeting in Dharamsala before her flight back home, when we reach out to her. Earlier this week, Sharma met the 14th Dalai Lama at The Office of His Holiness in Dharamsala as part of the 2026-27 batch of the Dalai Lama Fellowship. “There is an inexplicable energy and warmth around him. You forget what you want to ask of him, and simply soak in the moment,” she recalled.
Natasha Sharma meets the 14th Dalai Lama at The Office of His Holiness in Dharamsala. PIC COURTESY/NATASHA SHARMA
The 90-year-old spiritual leader, who has limited his public appearances, shared a few words of wisdom with the group. Sharma, who listened to a translation by scholar Thupten Jinpa intently, as she held the Dalai Lama’s hand, recalled his advice: “Love and compassion are the most important factors, and we all have it in us naturally.
In Buddhism, there is an understanding of taking this seed of compassion, and cultivating it. The attainment of enlightenment can only happen through this cultivation. If you want to see peace in the world, you must appreciate these values.” Sharma now returns with a vision to establish a studio to continue her work in the arts, community engagement, and public spaces.
Art for a Nobel cause
The Billionaires for Peace conclave at a Bandra five-star on Thursday saw a wealth of knowledge exchange, thanks to a decorated guestlist. Invitees to the private event by the I Am Peacekeeper Movement included former President of India Ram Nath Kovind, who was joined by five global Nobel laureates, including India’s Kailash Satyarthi.
Artworks on display at the exhibition. PIC COURTESY/ARTURA SPACES
We learnt that the power of art was on full display at a special exhibition by city-based Artura Spaces. “Keeping with the theme, we presented artworks on seven themes: Gratitude, humility, patience, truth, forgiveness, love and giving.
Ram Nath Kovind and Kailash Satyarthi. PICS COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Each artist was invited [to showcase] a single human emotion. A 68 per cent share of the sales will go towards funding life-saving surgeries through a leading hospital chain,” curator Prachi Kapoor revealed to this diarist.
India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team face ‘charges’
THERE is a restaurant bill that is amusing cricket fans over the last two days. If the receipt is to be believed, members of the 1983 Indian cricket team ran up a £764.40 bill at The Grosvenor Hotel in London’s Park Lane to celebrate their World Cup win on the night of June 25.
The viral £764.40 bill at The Grosvenor Hotel was deemed fake by former India cricketer Kirti Azad
Our in-house cricket nut admits that he was tricked too with this bill emerging suddenly. He remembered Sandeep Patil telling him how he and Ravi Shastri travelled in a little car to a fish and chips outlet at Piccadilly Circus to fill their hungry tummies. By Thursday morning, Kirti Azad had deemed the receipt as fake.
“This is fake. It is all over social media. We stayed at Westmoreland Hotel, next to Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. After the victory on June 25 1983, celebrations took place all night till morning of June 26th. We never went to this hotel. The signature of Kapil Dev is also forged,” wrote Azad on X.
By the way, this is what the Indian cricketers were ‘charged’ for:
6 Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial: £180.00
4 Ballantine’s Scotch Whisky bottles £72.00
7 Heineken Beer Pitchers £49.00
3 Glenfiddich Malt 12 Yrs bottles £90.00
2 Black & White Scotch bottles £26.00
4 Grilled Chicken Platters £56.00
3 Mutton Rogan Josh £39.00
4 Sirloin Steak Dinners £68.00
6 Club Sandwich Platters £38.00
2 Prawn Cocktail £16.00
4 Dessert Selection £24.00
18 Coffee/Late Night Coffee £18.00
2 Ashtrays £4.00
3 Dunhill Cigarettes (Carton) £24.00
Service Charge 10% £60.40
Total £764. 40
