Bombay

When Mary Pickford died in 1979 she bequeathed her large star sapphire, the Star of Bombay, to the Smithsonian if the museum would take it. I called the gem man there and asked him if he wanted to take possession. He came right out to Los Angeles, and upon seeing the gem said, "We want this sapphire. It is much brighter than our others--we will trade them off." He opened his pocket knife and pried the clasps loose, freeing the sapphire from the elaborate diamond necklace. He wrapped it in a soft cloth, put it in his coat pocket and returned to Washington.

The BBC's obituary of author and essayist Christopher Hitchens who died Thursday notes that he once resolved to visit "a country less fortunate than [his] own" at least once a year. That took him to places such as Poland, Argentina and Greece in the 1970s and more recently Uganda, Romania, Nicaragua and Iraq. It's an interesting quest. Hitchens, of course, wrote prolifically about these places with provocative fervor, usually in the form of  essays or commentaries on politics, political leaders, etc. As book critic David L. Ulin writes in this L.A. Times appreciation : "That was the thing about Hitchens - agree with him or not, it was impossible not to be stirred by his willingness to stake out unpopular positions, to say things that others weren't willing to say. " His works also contain deftly written portraits of what he saw on his travels, little gems that have always made me a bit of a Hitchens fan. Here's an excerpt from a 2008 Vanity Fair story about Britain's exclusive Eton school in which he gives his homeland a stony stare: "One summer morning I took myself off to have a look round the old place.

Home-furnishing retailer Bombay Co., which has liquidated its 388 stores, has obtained a commitment from a U.S. bankruptcy judge in Fort Worth to sign a confirmation order approving a Chapter 11 plan, according to the company's lawyer. The disclosure statement explaining the plan predicted that unsecured creditors would receive 16.4% to 28.9% on their claims. Holders of gift cards are in a separate class and are to receive 25%. The plan was proposed by the company together with the creditors' committee.

Shot in the dusty desert of California, where the Salton Sea was once intended as a getaway oasis and is now a near-abandoned ghost town, the hybrid film "Bombay Beach" is more lyrical tone poem than straightforward documentary. Directed and shot by the Israeli-born photographer and video artist Alma Har'el, the film interweaves footage of residents in their real, regular lives and also captured in staged reveries of dance while following three subjects: a young boy, an old man and a transplant from South Central Los Angeles looking for a fresh start.

Once a dismal collection of seven mud-flat islands, this teeming and vital city by the Arabian Sea is India's most affluent metropolis. Its busy port handles almost one-half of the country's overseas trade. First noted as a settlement in AD 150, the town was ruled by various Hindu and Muslim dynasties until ceded to the Portuguese in 1534. The Portuguese did virtually nothing here except give the town its name (Bom Bahia: good bay) until they passed it on as a wedding dowry to the British in 1661 when their Catherine of Braganza married England's Charles II. The British leased Bombay to the trade-conscious East India Co. for 10 a year.

A 5-year-old girl rolled into India's commercial capital of Bombay and a civic reception after roller-skating 1,000 miles from New Delhi. Sheetal Pandya arrived Wednesday after spending 52 days on the road with her father raising nearly $12,500 for cancer research.

In a cramped fifth-floor walk-up in this gritty north Bombay suburb, Anthony Parakal adjusts his thick glasses and carefully feeds a crisp sheet of paper into a battered portable typewriter. "Sir," he types at the top, as always. Parakal is a man of letters--a great many letters. By his count, the 61-year-old retired railway clerk has had more than 3,750 letters to the editor published in a dozen major Bombay newspapers over the last 38 years.

The BBC's obituary of author and essayist Christopher Hitchens who died Thursday notes that he once resolved to visit "a country less fortunate than [his] own" at least once a year. That took him to places such as Poland, Argentina and Greece in the 1970s and more recently Uganda, Romania, Nicaragua and Iraq. It's an interesting quest. Hitchens, of course, wrote prolifically about these places with provocative fervor, usually in the form of  essays or commentaries on politics, political leaders, etc. As book critic David L. Ulin writes in this L.A. Times appreciation : "That was the thing about Hitchens - agree with him or not, it was impossible not to be stirred by his willingness to stake out unpopular positions, to say things that others weren't willing to say. " His works also contain deftly written portraits of what he saw on his travels, little gems that have always made me a bit of a Hitchens fan. Here's an excerpt from a 2008 Vanity Fair story about Britain's exclusive Eton school in which he gives his homeland a stony stare: "One summer morning I took myself off to have a look round the old place.

In "Wanted: Actor to Take Action," (Nov. 26) Robert Welkos bemoaned the lack of Hollywood action stars. My solution: Let's start importing stars from Hong Kong and Bombay. Jackie Chan is already huge, and Chow Yun Fat's Hollywood debut comes next year. What about Bombay's sexy, charming action stars? Akshay Kumar has already captivated millions with his bedroom eyes and bulging biceps; while Shah Rukh Khan corners the market on young-rebel charm. Both are accomplished on-screen fighters.

Two Sikhs named as conspirators in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and to destabilize India were arrested in Bombay, the United News of India reported. Dalip Singh, 55, and Jagmohan Singh Tony, 35, lecturers at Bombay colleges, were among five people formally charged with sedition and waging war against the country. Two others, Attinder Pal Singh and Simranjit Singh Mann, are in detention, and the fifth was charged posthumously. Gandhi was shot dead at her home in New Delhi on Oct. 31, 1984, by two Sikh bodyguards.

Mumbai's high court on Monday reaffirmed the death penalty against the lone surviving gunman in the 2008 terrorist attack in which 166 people were killed and India's financial center came to a standstill for nearly three days. Pakistani national Ajmal Amir Kasab, 24, can appeal to India's Supreme Court within 30 days. India's preferred method of execution is hanging. In its 1,208-page order, the Bombay High Court said Kasab's actions in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, exhibited "extreme perversity and brutality," making this a rare case in which life imprisonment was inadequate.

Kiran Rao's "Mumbai Diaries" (Dhobi Ghat) is a shimmering, loving homage to the formerly named Bombay in all its teeming, crowded vitality. With its key settings in a crowded, largely decrepit, congested yet beguiling, picturesque older portion of this city of 14 million inhabitants, the film is like a rich tapestry in which are interwoven the intersecting lives of three people. It marks a subtle, assured and altogether distinctive feature debut for writer-director Rao and its radiant leading lady, rock star and stage performer Monica Dogra.

MOVIES Edgar Wright Triple Feature With a cinematic oeuvre that features comedic zombies, explosion-happy British village constables and guitar-wielding teen heroes, the English director distinguished himself with a unique comedic vision. He'll share inspirations and methods of his films ? "Shaun of the Dean, "Hot Fuzz" and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. " New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., L.A. Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., $7. (323) 938-4038. Graphation Film Festival In recent years, comic books and graphic novels have proved fertile ground for Hollywood movie adaptations.

Hailed as the "Riverdance" of the belly-dancing world (who knew?), Bellydance Superstars presents the premiere of "Bombay Bellywood," featuring a global blend of belly-dance styles, 19 professionally trained dancers and thrilling live percussion. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. 8 p.m. $21-$45. (323) 512-4080, http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com .

Home-furnishing retailer Bombay Co., which has liquidated its 388 stores, has obtained a commitment from a U.S. bankruptcy judge in Fort Worth to sign a confirmation order approving a Chapter 11 plan, according to the company's lawyer. The disclosure statement explaining the plan predicted that unsecured creditors would receive 16.4% to 28.9% on their claims. Holders of gift cards are in a separate class and are to receive 25%. The plan was proposed by the company together with the creditors' committee.

At roughly five blocks in length, the lively commercial stretch in Artesia known as Little India is indeed a diminutive version of the sprawling subcontinent. It may only hint at what the country has to offer -- 14 official languages, two major religions (Buddhism and Hinduism), a diverse array of 5,000-year-old cultures -- but it'll be sure to transport your senses for the day. Eating NIBBLES AND BITS Indians are excellent snackers, and down here you can't throw a betel nut without hitting a shop full of sweets and savories.

Police Sunday found a booby-trapped motor scooter that could provide leads to a series of synchronized bombings that killed 300 people in Bombay. The scooter's luggage compartments were stuffed with plastic explosives wired to the ignition, Police Commissioner Amarjit Singh Samra said. No one has claimed responsibility for Friday's blasts, but police say they have been questioning many people.

Specialty home-furnishings retailer Bombay Co. said Friday that Gordon Bros. Retail Partners and Hilco Merchant Resources won an auction for its more than 360 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The winning bidders will shut down the U.S. stores and keep the Canadian stores open, according to Bombay, which is based in Fort Worth. It did not disclose the winning bid. Bombay, which said Thursday in court papers that it owed creditors $109 million, filed for bankruptcy protection Sept. 20.

LONG gone are the days when American movies contained Busby Berkeley's human kaleidoscopes or Fred and Ginger's swirling forms, but big song-and-dance numbers live on in India, where they are a vital part of many popular films. That pulse-pumping tradition is meant to propel "Bombay Dreams," a stage musical jammed with numbers by the respected Indian film composer A.R. Rahman.