We Render Sehwag

The curators at Chepauk wouldn’t be surprised to find some blades of burnt grass at the end of fourth day of the 1^st test between India and England. They’d recall finding similar stuff when India last played a Test here. There was something common on both the occasions. Not with the matchstick but a dreaded piece of a willow in the hands of a man less famously known as the Multan Marauder or Nawab of Najafgarh. And for all that glorious cuts- uppish and square, the man under focus is the innocent soft-spoken-yet-demolishing Virender Sehwag!

A target of 387 is not for nothing noted as a record target. And did I say that we were batting a fourth innings against the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar on a cracking fifth day track at energy-sapping Chennai? Not tough enough to stop Sehwag from making merry. And that’s exactly what the he did. Result- the English Team was driven to a state of autism.

Team India was clearly nowhere near the mark for the first three days. Perhaps the Mumbai affliction had hit us hard. A tinge of rust on the attitude was almost noticeable. Having conceded a crucial lead of 75, the English had slipped from 43-3 to 172-3 at stumps on Day 3. An air of defeat loomed large and we hoped to salvage a well-saved draw. True, Kirsten was confident, but that sounded a bit too optimistic. That was till Sehwag came out to bat.

Earlier on the 4^th day, England had crawled woefully in the 2^nd session to notch a paltry 57 in 22.5 overs. As if to remind them of what scoring rate is in conventional sense, and what it could be during his reign, Sehwag started flaying the wood at leather in his singular fashion. On Sunday noon, Chepauk was the place to be; with the deafening decibel cheer of the crowd resonating with the bat speed of Sehwag, as the ball made several trips down the ground, on the offs, off the legs and an aerial route for change. The delightful hits were the on their ground journey, the off-side being the most preferred direction. The flight became a regular spectacle, not off the bowlers’ hands but off the bat, with as many as four of them being sent straight to the throngs watching in awe. As KP watched, he’d have felt philosophical of the afflictions faced by bowlers who wither under the Sehwag agony. That is our Viru in his zone, a zone that is completely his own. On one instance, as Cricinfo put it, “A full toss from Monty Panesar was clipped through midwicket so precisely that the fieldsmen running across the rope met each other just as the ball squeezed past them and over.” Elsewhere on the screen, something read,

“ 11.2. Panesar to Sehwag, SIX, it’s so easy for him, just sizes up the length and goes downtown against the spin with a stunning six over long-on, man oh man oh man....”

57 runs were up by the 38^th delivery of the innings. There’s nothing much a bowler can do under such circumstances. Neither the history of the game nor the reputation of the bowler matters; either great accuracy or Sehwag’s misfortune can bring an end to such electrifying drama. Talk of bowling, Sehwag’s here for the grind.

Eventually, when he got out after a swashbuckling assault of 83 off 68, talks of a memorable Indian victory had gained momentum on and off the cricketing arena. The job was done, and perhaps, in the best possible way. Some balls were lost and some were torn. This was an innings which undid the effort of the team which remained on top for 10 sessions of the test.

An exact contrast to the theory of non-violence. The English would stop learning history after this.

This was the Test that will be remembered for many reasons other than cricket. There are few Tests which have no losers and this was an example of one such contest. The English know that it is their courage and the belief in Indian values which brings them here. We, as Indians, are mighty grateful to the trust they instilled in us, to bail us out of the dark terror-struck times. It’s great to see them cooperate with us to revive the class of Test cricket, perhaps at the time when it required the most. England can take solace in the fact that it is their presence here, which heals us and restores normalcy. People are talking cricket again. Sachin is playing for the nation more than ever. Can there ever be a better revival? This is the Test of the times. Cheer up England. Well done India. You guys contrived well to present me a high successful chase as my birthday gift.

India Battles Atrocities

Before anything, a mighty salute to the brave martyrs of Mumbai Rescue Operations- Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Gajendra Singh, Rajeev Khandekar and several other officers who laid down their lives for the greatest cause ever -India.

We strongly condemn the heinous atrocities committed by those who never valued anything except terror.

At the time of writing, the death toll at the Mumbai war siege reads 183. More than 350 are still fighting the battle of war and death amidst intense pain.

For 60 hours of intense operation in the southern Mumbai, the breath of a common man was shockingly bated in what can be described as a carnal ransack compounded with conflagration of terrorism. It was not only the financial capital, but the entire world minus the terrorists, which came reeling under the the banal cloud of terrorism. A cataclysm of blood at the heart of Indian economy has left a scar on humanity and its beautiful essence.

The scenes of terrorists running mayhem was the least thing Indians expected to come across right at the start of the day. A relaxed and serene restaurant quarter at Colaba turns into the epicentre of terror and bloodshed. The police get on their feet to counter-attack the menace. Within minutes, Nariman House, Hotel Taj Mahal and Trident Oberoi become the cynosure of eyes filled with tears and grief. The press crew lines up to bring a comprehensive picture. Even as the world grapples with the agony of ruthless cruelty, India summons its power to send its best soldiers to halt the terrorists on their blood-shedding spree. Finally, after 3 nights and 2 days, India succeeds in its effort to run the terrorists out of their steam and breath. After a daylong siege the soldiers took control of the building, but unfortunately it was too late to save the hostages, all of whom were found dead. Indian commandos killed two militants in the luxury Trident-Oberoi hotel on Friday and rescued nearly 100 people. After evacuating around 400 people from The Taj, our forces cleared the militants and rendered the place free of terror.

The harsh reality left behind by the series of attacks is that the criminals were almost omnipotent: They could strike where, when and -almost -whomever they wanted. Terrorist attacks have riddled the nation more often than ever in the current year. Not long ago, it was Jaipur which came under fire. Just a few months ago, Bangalore and Ahmedabad were raided in a span of two days. Shortly after, Delhi witnessed a series of attacks. And then, it was Guwahati. What was less frequent has become a matter of familiarity in recent times. Just a few weeks ago, an explosion rocked the city of Malegaon in the state of Maharashtra. The Indian police and paramilitary force is the biggest security force in the world, but given that India's population hovers around 1.2 billion, it is still much too small. But whatever be the siege, Indian soldiers have gallantly lived up to their duty of rescuing India from any terror threat.

The world today needs to join hands to erase this canker which threatens to disrupt the society in its wanton fit. But over the last few days, Indians has shown the world that they are not the ones going to be cornered by nefarious minds. We stand up to salute the nation which has given us everything. Bravo India...!!

The Royal Bengal Tiger- Saurav Ganguly

"The Prince of Calcutta. Two of his special qualities are his intelligence and articulation, both of which have helped him immensely in the world of contemporary cricket." -Geoffrey Boycott.

"The great thing about Saurav is that he doesn't let any criticism bother him. He is his own man, and an intensely determined one. He always speaks his mind. His batting is a unique mix of touch and power. When he plays those drives, it's all touch, all elegance. Timing is his gift. He has the ability to not only clear the ropes but even the stadium. Against spin, my god, he is really a murderer! One thing I'd love to have from his game is his the ability to clear the ropes. As a captain, he is always encouraging his batsmen, reminding them of past successes. Sourav is among the best one-day players I have seen". -VVS Laxman.

"A quality batsman. There are a couple of things I like about his batting. He is right up there on my list, as far as offside play goes. The other thing he excels at is his use of feet to spinners. He keeps his head down, has nice footwork and a lovely long follow-through. I really enjoy it when he comes down the track to spinners. In fact, you can safely bet that it would go for a six." -Ian Chappell.

"The great thing about Saurav is that he doesn't let any criticism bother him. He is his own man, and an intensely determined one. He always speaks his mind. His batting is a unique mix of touch and power. When he plays those drives, it's all touch, all elegance. Timing is his gift. He has the ability to not only clear the ropes but even the stadium. Against spin, my god, he is really a murderer! One thing I'd love to have from his game is his the ability to clear the ropes. As a captain, he is always encouraging his batsmen, reminding them of past successes. Sourav is among the best one-day players I have seen". -VVS Laxman.

"Ever since Saurav became the captain, I do not feel like a youngster in the team any more. Everybody is treated equally and Saurav himself is extremely approachable and a pillar of strength. Saurav stood by me when I was struggling. I owe a great deal to him for standing by me at the most important time. I can't express my gratitude to him in words." -Harbhajan Singh.

“On the off side, first there is God and then Saurav Ganguly.” -Rahul Dravid.


There once was an Indian team, a team which represented us in the Wills World Cup 1996. Azhar and his bunch of men were just about there, relying heavily on the young shoulders of Sachin Tendulkar. The common dictum was that India would stay in the hunt till Sachin stays at the crease. Too much for an expectation really. Sachin needed a partner and there was one such in a young person of a joint-family of 50 residing in The City Of Joy- Kolkata. [A record, Saurav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar ODI partnership measures 8227 runs in 176 innings at an outstanding average of 47.55, Cricinfo]. For a person who wanted to be a footballer- understandable given the knowledge of the intense passion of football in Kolkata- he took up cricket because of brother Snehashish's liking for cricket. And much to the awe of cricketosphere, it still remains a mystery how Saurav could take up left-handed batting despite being a natural right-hander during his childhood!!


His first international appearance dates back to 1992- ODI against West Indies at Perth- where he failed to leave his mark. But that we know Saurav for his qualities today, it's not surprising that he fought his way back to the team by consistent domestic performances. Some were concerned about his problems of attitude and haughtiness, but that apart, Saurav was special in his sense of batting, which enabled him to score a century against England at Lord's in 1996. Alongside came Rahul Dravid, and in the coming years, Indian was cricket built around the core of this strong batting triumvirate.


Though Saurav Ganguly had a decent Test average, it was in the ODIs that he shone to his acme. His best performances have come all around the globe, with Toronto being a paradise for him. It was here that he tormented Pakistan both with the bat and the ball. Coming to Dhaka next year, his 124 was the cornerstone of Indian victory, chasing 315 to take home the series. And then came the belligerent 183 off 148 balls at Taunton at Sri Lanka in '99 World Cup, where he sent several balls drowning into the nearby rivulet. At Adelaide against Pakistan in 2000, Ganguly cruises to 141 displaying a hunger to feast on anything pitched off. These were the knocks which brought Ganguly to the doorsteps of captaincy when India were left reeling under the dark clouds of match-fixing scandal. Tendulkar had faltered in his role as a captain and Saurav was here, raring to go.


It was under Ganguly that the players transmuted from being a mere group of cricketers to Team India. Known for his aggressive style of captaincy, Ganguly's tenure at the top is marked by several accomplishments. A series victory over Australia in India, which included the famous Kolkata victory, in 2001 is regarded to be India's best performance. The remarkable transformation of an under-confident team to a team which reached the World Cup Final in South Africa, 2003 and a series victory over Pakistan in their land remain the most notable achievements of Team India under Ganguly. Players like Sehwag, Laxman, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Zaheer were groomed well to hold the position that they now play for. A veritable master that he is, Saurav still commands the distinction of being the Most Successful Captain of Team India.


He still is game for come-back, as he famously did once. Over the past couple of years, his Tests average is much better than that of Dravid or Tendulkar. [Test best of 239 against Pakistan in Bangalore, 2007] The selectors might have problems with him, he might not be comfortable against the bouncer, there might be a slow runner in him or a slow fielder, but Saurav still is the architect of the success which Team India now thrives in. There is a great amount of difference in the style of the game being played on either side of Saurav's tenure. He will be missed a lot during the coming days. Team India today has terms such as 'The Fab Four' or 'Team Huddle', contrary to the terms like 'Little Master' before 1996. That alone tells us the impact Saurav, as a captain, has left.

Mysore Dasara- Taking Karnataka To The World

It is that part of the year again, when the evening crowd is at its feet, busy shopping for the upcoming festival. The posters hang around evey arcade, attracting the buyers with large discounts, mega-bonanzas, bargains and other exciting offers. The newspapers aren't spared too, for they are less of news but more of advertisements and business promos. Bangalore Times, a popular supplement of Times of India, contains 4 additional sheets of such promos, with players like Big Bazaar, Brand Factory and e-Zone filling the most of it. My nearest market at Jayanagar 4th Block, which happens to be an ultimate shopping destination for most of the South Bangaloreans, is all illumination along its corridors. Ganesh Chaturthi concluded recently, but the buzz was replaced by a month-long preparation for our Nada Habba Dasara. Karnataka is in its colourful elements, with the state romping in its characteristic grandeur.

Mysore. The Royal City of Karnataka has been the capital of several dynasties from as early as 1400. Known for its overwhelming heritage, a sight of Mysore during Dasara can actually cure you of sore eyes. The Navaratri glory begins on Mahalaya Amavasya, and runs in full splendour for the coming 9 days. With the Royal Family of Mysore inaugurating the festivals by performing special puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari, a host of cultural activities are arranged to mark the tradition of Dasara, which celebrates and commemorates the triumph of truth over evil. Programs like Wrestling Competition, Sports, Poet's Meet, Film Festival and Food Festival are attended by large number of people.


The Gombe Habba, a festival in which several dolls are arranged for display and good wishes being shared, is definitely worth a watch. The Mysore Palace, which was once owned by Wodeyar rulers, is being converted into a museum, which treasures royal costumes, paintings and jewellery. One wouldn't miss the sight of the jewel-studded throne of the Wodeyars kept at display at the Durbar Hall. The doors, decorated with taste, open to luxurious rooms which displays several paintings and royal craftwork. As many as eight portraits of Goddess Shakthi and an original painting from famed painter Raja Ravi Verma are displayed.


Vijaydashmi is the tenth day of the festival, which is also the day of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge and learning, known to bestow wisdom to worshippers. The auspicious day is also known Ayudha Puja, on which the workers must worship their tools. This day in Mysore, the celebrations reach their peak with a glorious procession of Goddess Chamundeshwari through the city streets. Starting from The Palace, the procession concludes at the Banni Mantap. In the past however, the 'Jumbo Savari' used to carry the Maharaja through the streets but this practice was modified recently. The procession is followed by the torch-light parade and a splendid display of fireworks which dazzle the night sky.

The Dasara festival at Mysore certainly reflects the culture and tradition of Karnataka. Every day in Mysore during the festival is fantastic, given the rich heritage of our state.

Left-handed Legerdermain

During those murky days of 1975 in England, as the crowd clad heavily in thick jackets and watched the game, the batsmen relaxed in the middle, enjoying the mild zephyrs crossing the park, seldom rotating the strike and changing ends. A run rate of about 3 rpo was the norm, and anything above 4 rpo never fell short of deserved eulogy. There was a certain Vivian Richards, known for his ability to send the ball out to tremendous distances, but a player of his caliber was too occasional and hence, outstanding. The better percentage of the deliveries were left for the wicket-keepers behind to collect, and if there was a wicket to fall, it mostly would have been a nick to the slips. More than half of the softest dismissals in cricket belong to those days of yore.

Two decades later, things were markedly different. The overall run rate jumped considerably to over 5. In came a new brand of cricketers, whose natural prowess belonged to their left arms. These were cricketers who perhaps drew inspiration from legends like Gary Sobers, who excelled in many sports along with cricket. Sobers played soccer, golf and basketball for native Barbados. You would be mighty surprised when looked into his bowling options. Left-arm-fast-medium, Slow-left-arm-orthodox and Slow-left-arm-Chinaman. Any thing else?

In the case of left-handed batting, one can actually notice that the striking arm is the right arm. And vice versa.


Sultan(s) Of Swing. The Dire Straits found a better match for their name in Wasim Akram. Very few know that Wasim Akram was struggling to make it to his college team. Gracious indeed. How can someone miss a cricketer of the highest embodiment? Wasim Akram, is known for his tremendous left-handed dexterity. That he could swing the ball either way, off or leg, change of pace, cut, length and angles is absolutely unprecendented. In the 1992 World Cup final, the two deliveries he produced to get rid of Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis were almost unplayable. His bowling statistics speak for themselves. Not only this, he also has a Test best score of 257*, better than that of Sachin Tendulkar. Wasim is an inspiration for younger quicks who include Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan.

The most notable of the batsmen is the ever-damaging and punitive Sanath Jayasuriya, who single-handedly threatened to finish the game in a jiffy. His aggressive batting is one of the cornerstones of the birth of a new cricketing strategy, which was to be carried successively in the later years. A virtuoso performer that he is with the bat, his off side flicks which send the ball over the ropes are the shots which any aspiring batsman would love to emulate. Those shots defy the laws of gravity and projectile motion, else why would Jayasuriya be the lone man to hit them? And if the batting is not sufficient, Sanath possesses the ability to choke the run rate with his slow left arm tweaks. His form is perhaps, getting better with his age.

Around this time in Perth Down Under, Adam Gilchrist was gradually making progress from an ordinary wicket-keeper to a specialist one endowed with fantastic batting abilities. Spending couple of years with the domestic Western Australia Warriors, Gilchrist successively topped the seasons most dismissals by a wicket-keeper. Initially being tried at the number seven position, Gilchrist went on to score at a brisk pace which prompted the think-tank to promote him to the opening order. In the 1999 World Cup Final, Gilchrist slammed Shoaib Akhtar's express deliveries to all corners of Lord's to script an emphatic victory. And in 2003 World Cup Final, Gilchrist rubbed into Indian woes by striking a well-timed 57 at the top. More was to come in the 2007 World Cup Final, when he lambasted a potent Sri Lankan attack to rip 149 off a mere 104 balls. Perhaps, bigger occasions ignite his spirits. GIlchrist is equally punishing in his white jersey. The distinction of being the first person to club hundred sixes in test cricket will always remain in his name.

Kevin Pietersen's switch-hit may have caused controversies but given the power he can derive, one can fairly give him the license. It is after all, not an easy shot to play. To swivel the arm in the reverse direction and pull is quite innovative.

Other names such as Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, Marcus Trescothick, Kumar Sangakkara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Graeme Smith, Saurav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Andrew Strauss have all carved special niche for themselves in the world of international cricket.

Left-armers have not dominated only cricket. Ask John McEnroe. One of the most prolific tennis player of his time, McEnroe had an odd technique which added to his strength of hitting the ball a considerable distance as early as the age of 4, which was the result of an extra-ordinary combination of hand-eye coordination plus power. Same with Martina Navratilova, her angle asked new questions to those facing her at the opposite end. Former Wimbledon Champion Goran Ivanisevic is another in the list. Not surprisingly, many of the guys are ambidextrous today. One of my pals named Praveen (Blogspot), bowls left-arm and bats right-arm. It definitely is worth a try. The left armers have a special charm arising out of the difference they create.

Delicious Delights of Andhra Cuisine

Someone who has travelled far and wide across India would definitely have experienced this. And those who have not would still find it easy to imagine. The South of India is visibly distinct when compared with the Northern half. The difference you notice when your train changes borders from UP to MP is not evident as it is when you chug across a South Indian border. The change of language can be a decisive factor though. Apart from language, all the 5 states have multifarious culture, lifestyle and traditions. While Kerala takes your memory to a series of regatta amidst verdant plains and water yards, Tamil Nadu reminds you of the temples of Cholas and Pallava dynasties, apart from hill stations and beaches. Karnataka, as I wrote in my previous topic 'One State, Many Worlds', is an assortment of various colours of life in the plateau. Historical temples, breath-taking green farmlands, thick jungles, gorgeous waterfalls, dry plains, everything except for desert and snow. And then there is Andhra Pradesh, the culture of which is a motley of Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalseema. Arising from its broad demographics is the variety of lifestyles- as reflected in the styles of cuisine and language. Before the prelude runs into a long one, let me converge to the topic. The taste of Andhra Cuisine.

Andhra cuisine, is notably known for its hot and spicy delicacies. Having influenced by the Hyderabadi and the original Andhra styles, the cuisine highlights the common thread of two cultures- spice! The speciality of this cuisine is that it does not take much time to pique the sense of taste buds. Hyderabadi Biriyani is a case in point. Known for its richness of spice and flavour, the Biriyani is one of the most sought after main course at any Andhra restaurant. The frond leaves used for serving just add to make the desire more ineluctable. Rice being the staple crop in Andhra, it's not a surprising thing that most of the Andhra delicacies are made of rice. The dishes are always accompanied by pickles/chutneys called as Patchadis. Herbs add to the seasoning which is served with the hot curry. Desserts include Kheer and Savayin (Vermicelli), prepared mostly during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. A wide range of dishes are prepared during Makara Sankranti.

Some of the popular vegetarian savouries include the famous Pesarattu, which tastes like Upma eaten with chutney. Dosas and Tamarind rice are the most common breakfasts in Andhra household. The Gongura chutney is a famous pickle, which is a must for any meal.

At least half of the 6.2 million denizens of Bangalore would have relished the Andhra cuisine, at famous Andhra style restaurants lines of Nandhini, Mayura, Amravathi, Nagarjuna Sagar etc. It's conversant to see many people choose Andhra meals for lunch and dinner. In terms of business, this cuisine has been comfortably cruising ahead as compared to other menus such as Chinese or Thai. Currently catering to the Deccan region, the cuisine would not take much to dominate over other recipes. Hyderabad House, plans to take the cuisine to Sydney, Australia and The Gulf. Andhra cuisine finally romps abroad and why not, after all, there's no paucity of admirers of these victuals.......

China, Phelps and Bindra Sizzle in Beijing

The 08-08-08 event was the most spectacular and awe-inspiring of recent times. The artistry, creativity and elegance put up by China was all there to see. Beijing was the cynosure of all eyes as the Bird's Nest basked in resplendent colours that evening. The sky lit itself to reflect the pomp unfolding beneath as the onlookers rejoiced every single moment of it, taking in all the pulchritude of the event. And those who thought China was sultry and dull in its appearance had several questions eating their minds. It was as good as a Peking Manchow served to a hungry man, unsettling the bitter prejudice surrounding China and leaving him crave for more. As an emerging nation, China made several strong statements, leaving everyone spellbound. Such was the specialty of the ceremony that French President Nicolas Sarkozy had to withdraw his earlier decision of not touring China. The West had to open itself to accept the staunch truth- China's Rising Power. George Bush and Vladimir Putin never complained in the end. President Hu Jintao later was to tell,"The World had never needed mutual understanding, mutual toleration and mutual cooperation as much as it does today".

In the news for all the good reasons, it is the 25 year old Indian shooting ace Abhinav Singh Bindra who ended the country's long wait for its first ever Olympic Gold in an individual event. India's last Olympic Gold came when our hockey team emerged triumphant at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. In Beijing, it was on this historic day, August 11, 2008 that India finally found its answers in the 10m Air Rifle Event. The young lad deserved this after several years of rigor and practice. An Olympian breaking into tears of joy at the medals podium is such a familiar sight. After all, it is the ultimate honour of human endeavour in any field. Surprisingly enough, Abhinav never expressed a flinch of tear or excitement. His gentle smile while accepting the coveted Gold perhaps arises from his strong belief of reaching heights by diligent workmanship. Finnish Henri Hakkinen, who was leading Bindra comfortably till the penultimate round, was all praise for Abhinav's consistency and his temperament of relentless fight. Hakkinen and China's Zhu Qinan, holding the first two spots after the qualification round were left trailing by Abhinav's accuracy. Bindra's last shot of 10.8 was just too good to be beaten by Hakkinen's listless 9.7. Abhinav's achievement adds the much-needed fillip to Indian Olympic circle, which was to a great extent, nominal in its cause till now. London now awaits Bindra for yet another gold, but let's hope he does not lose sight of his aim like Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Medal, Glory, Encomiums and lots of Hope rest on Bindra post his golden feat. Lets cheer him up for more.

At the time of writing, the shark had successfully achieved its 6th Gold. And wait!! He is not done yet. With 12 Golds in his name, American Swimming Sensation Michael Phelps is all set to finish Beijing off with two more. During 2004 Athens Olympics, Phelps had 6 Gold and 2 Bronze medals under his name. Today, he is reigning the All Time Olympics Medal Chart with 12 Golds. Michael Phelps has more than compensated for sister Whitney's injury that rendered her unfit to swim just when she was on the verge of making it to the national squad. Phelps is now all set to overtake Mark Spitz record tally of 7 Gold medals in a single Olympic Games.That shouldn't be a difficult task for him. He's been on song right from day 1 when he pocketed a Gold at the 400m individual medley, setting a World Record of 4:03.84. His feet have been referred to as 'fins' by the media, because he wears a shoe sized 14. His wing span, said to be at almost 6.5 ft, coupled by his 6' 4" height makes it ridiculously easy for him to transfer large amounts of water behind him. His hands and feet are like paddles in water and has an incredibly powerful kick. Having shown his ability to dominate in any swimming event, Phelps is special for his signature butterfly stroke. Says U.S swimming coach Bob Bowman,"I think if it were all over today, he'd be the greatest Olympian who ever lived".

China have been dominating hosts overall. They are comfortably placed at the top of the table at the moment, and are bound to finish on a high. The USA is far behind them with only eleven golds so far, and when you realize that Phelps alone has notched 6 of them, you know well.

Bean's Comical Pantomimes

“People think because I can make them laugh on the stage, I'll be able to make them laugh in person. That isn't the case at all. I am essentially a rather quiet, dull person who just happens to be a performer.................” – Rowan Atkinson.

The world today largely misses Buster Keaton, who ripped laughter among the audience with his trademark, seemingly-nondescript deadpan expressions. Alongside Keaton was a brilliant comedian named Harold Lloyd, who endured several injuries while performing dangerous stunts to make people laugh. And how can one forget a certain Charlie Chaplin, who delicately wove comical hues with ironies of a hapless bond servant treated in a merciless way. The above three influential comedians of the modern era will be remembered for a long time for their singular styles of making us break into laughter.

It required the outstanding efforts of an exceptionally talented Rowan Atkinson to continue from where Chaplin had left. The role of Mr. Bean was first developed by Atkinson during his days at Oxford where he studied M.Sc. Teaming up with Richard Curtis, an emerging screen-writer, Atkinson took up writing comedy reviews for the Oxford Playhouse. Meanwhile, a sketch featuring the character Mr. Bean was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. In 1987, Atkinson’s earliest appearances was at the “Just For Laughs” comedy festival in Montreal, Canada, a stage which he used as a test platform for his Mr. Bean character.

Mr. Bean, as we all know is a clumsy, funny, slow-witted, a-bit-selfish-at-times kind of a person who brings all sorts of unusual schemes into everyday life. Most of his antics involve around basic chores of getting dressed, eating, driving, or navigating a public washroom. An Englishman with a child’s mind, the character is played by Rowan Atkinson himself. Mr. Bean series can be considered somewhat a pantomime as it is much similar to early silent movies and relies on pure physical comedy, with Mr. Bean speaking almost nothing. This has added to its strength and makes it easy to be sold worldwide without any change in dialogue. Atkinson, who excels in his part of playing snobs and maladjusted individuals, must be lauded for his incredible enacting of an unusual character. He attributes his character’s success to the fact that the socially awkward, middle-aged Bean’s routine adventures, largely due to his inability to cope with the smallest of life’s foibles, reflects the feelings and experiences of people the world over.

Many would not know that it was Rowan Atkinson who has voice characterized Zazu, a red hornbill, in the movie, The Lion King. And many would be astonished by the fact that there are just 14 episodes of Mr. Bean series, but the kind of popularity and fame it has shot into, is transcendent. In the 1990’s, Mr. Bean series went on to be the highest-rated comedy series in British history. The series has been broadcasted in more than 80 countries, with nine million videos being sold all across the world. In Canada, the show has been a huge hit on the CBC channel.

In stark contrast to the character he depicts, Atkinson is known as an intensely private person. Living in a London suburb with his wife Sunetra Sastry and two children Lily and Benjamin, he rarely speaks about his family life. With a strong passion for Aston Matins and Ferraris, Rowan loves to collect cars. “But I’ve stopped talking about my cars” he says. “ I buy and sell them with such rapidity that by the time I’ve told you about what car I’ve got, I would have sold it” he quips. The British Leyland Mini car owes a large part of its success to Bean, as it is always seen bumping another car out of its parking space.

The person behind the screen is markedly simple. But Mr. Bean has always been a fascinating collection of conflicting qualities, or rather, lack of qualities.................

Ebullient, Energetic, Espana

Michael Schumacher, Harrison Ford, Enrique Iglesias, Jurgen Klinsmann Franz Beckenbauer, Joseph Sepp Blatter, Henry Kissinger, Juan Carlos........ the list went on at the VIP stand of a full-house 55000-holder Ernst-Happel Stadion at Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Gentlemen from sports, politics, culture and royalty had all arrived to watch Germany take on Spain in the grand finale to what was a spectacular UEFA Euro 2008 Championships.

UEFA Euro 2008 made an estimated two million soccer fans visit Vienna and cops had to fly in from France, Germany and Switzerland to ensure that the tournament was free of any shameful incident. It really is difficult to contain the ardent proponents who cheer for their respective nations. As many as 650 volunteers on job saw to it that the city streets were litter-free. Austria made every single effort to neatly carry out the task they had agreed upon to. Incredible effort!!

Lacking the usual pace during the initial stage of the championships, Germany finally came into its own with a host of performances which saw them outplay Portugal in the quarter-finals and then surprise Turkey in the semis with that glorious penultimate minute scorcher from Phillip Lahm which enraptured the Germans to no end. That’ll be an unforgettable moment for Lahm, as that atoned for his casual approach for the good part of the game. Germany were fortunate to squeeze through a spot to finals, something which even Joaquim Loew agreed. Schwiensteiger, Klose, Ballack and Podolski ended as the prominent goal scorers for Germany.

Spain on the other hand produced some consistent good performance right from the beginning of the tournament. David Villa’s hat-trick against Russia was one of the highlights of their impressive display in the league stages. In the quarter-finals, Spain outclassed Italy in the penalties, with their goal-keeper Iker Casillas being the hero of the evening following his two match-winning saves from Daniele de Rossi and Antonio de Natale. Guus Hiddink’s Russia, which managed to string together a bunch of victories to advance into the round of final 4, were again defeated by Spain, which also managed to maintain a clean sheet. Xavi, Guiza and Silva piled on goals to see Spain 3-0 home.

For the title clash, Germany received a boost when skipper Michael Ballack was included despite nursing a calf strain. Loew’s side did not take much time to settle. They were the side which looked more comfortable in the first half as the passing looked better than at any previous stage of the tournament. However, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Hitzlsperger could not convert any glimpses into a goal. Spain, minus the tournament-leading scorer David Villa, took a while to get accustomed to a new 4-5-1 formation.

Three minutes past the half hour mark, Torres sent one striking down the inside-right channel after Xavi sent a smooth ball into the German area. With a goal as lead, Spain increased the spirit of play and capitalized as Germany looked less potent with Ballack getting injured his left eye at an inopportune moment.

Spain leading the first half 1-0 held its nerve despite Shwiensteiger and Klose trying hard to make it all even. The scoreline would have read 2-0 if not for some intelligent defending and low crosses being cut short by Germans. And finally, as the game drew towards close, Spain had every reason to cheer for they were advancing towards a first major victory since 1964. They deserved the victory and the tournament for being consistent and performing throughout.

Meanwhile, Raul would have been as disappointed as Germany, for he opted to stay out of the competition. Torres, the man for Spain, was all joy as any Spanish on earth for putting an end to the famous tag which Spain had managed to achieve, ‘Perennial Hapless Comedy Under-Achievers Of International Football’.

Come What MAY......

It has been quite some time since I last hit the "Publish Post" link. The month of May 2008 was perhaps filled with more news than any month in the first half of the year. Perhaps, the lionine share of the news and all that constantly hit the daily headlines belongs to the Indian Premier League which has blown the trumpet of freshness, both in the world of cricket and that of business. Lots of cricket zealots (wives and girlfriends apart) would have silently cursed Lalit Modi, for spoiling their evening plans, sleep and keeping a zillions of spines chilling at the eerie hour of 12 (2400 hrs) in the possible hottest month of the summer. It really was an ornate extravaganza, for at times, I felt that the IPL would eventually replace the quadrennial World Cup in its fame charts.

Modi, later in Exxtra Innings, revealed that it was during a scorching noon at Wimbledon, where it all began. Sharad Pawar, Modi and other eminent officials of BCCI were at the Centre Court watching in awe as The Fedex Juggernaut was on its full strength thrashing a belligerent, equipotent Rafael Nadal en route its 5th consecutive championship to equal an existing record of Bjorn Borg. That the finale dragged itself into exhaustive 5 setter, two of which included tie-breakers, gave the spectators more than their penny's worth. Taking a cue from the unprecedented glory of Wimbledon, our guys have done an incredible job of gifting us a month-and-a-half-long reality blockbuster, which has already cast its growing shadow on the 50-50 over or 5-day version of the game. The league has already launched India to the fore of a corporate run cricket with tremendous ease. Fittingly, Rajasthan Royals, led by a shrewd campaigner in Shane Warne won the inagural edition of IPL, effectively putting an end to theories which sought the opinion that the amount of money invested is tantamount to talent and success. Where were the Asnodkars and the lesser known Pathans in the mind of a well bred cricket purist?? Hardly anyone would have guessed that these cricketers, who have spent most of their time playing for dull Plate 'B' divisions would carve a gem of success from a team which resembled a sandstone at the beginning of the league. All plaudits to Rajasthan, for proving the pith of the success was hard work and self belief. Those impaired in the Jaipur blast can happily find some smiles returning on their faces following the stupendous feat of Rajasthan Royals.




While IPL itself is not the soul of life, the month of May had other important things in store.In Karnataka,the focus on cricket had to take a back seat as the Royal Challengers of Bangalore did everything unasked for.Instead, someone who had been ruthlessly humiliated and betrayed in a 20-20 contest (the stakes involved here were higher than an IPL tie) had all reasons to cheer as he successfully made a come-back to shut JD(S) out of contention, atleast for the coming 5 years. BJP ripped severe deep cuts into its earlier coalition partner with 110 seats favoring the earlier-beleaguered party. While BJP's clinch this time around improved from 80 (2004 stats) to 110, that of JD(S) saw a slump from 58 to 28. A neat shift of 30 in the wrong direction for demonstrating calculated betrayal. The media crew, known for its expertize in spicing up things, did not miss capturing a glimpse of an empty JD(S) headquarters at the onset of declaration of the election denouement. Congress meanwhile remained mute as ever, taking no chances to reform ties with a party who've clearly demonstrated what they are capable of. BSY finally ascended the throne and the new government has just finished its expansion and is looking forward to justify its selection. The independent winners were drafted to create a majority bench and were actually offered posts which they otherwise would have never likely achieved. With this victory, BJP, which has seen tremendous success of late, achieved its first full strength government in South India and is looking in good nick for the 2009 national elections.


On May 5th, oil prices reached US $120 per gallon for the first time to pressurize world economy. And more was to come as it soared close to $130 at the end of the month creating severe panic. The central government, already under fire from several quarters due to rising inflation and fluctuating economy is fighting its best to keep the surge within manageable limits by reducing tax levy and other involved costs, but it remains to be seen as to how long will this last. Tough times await us if this runs rampant. It's interesting to see how Mr Manmohan Singh and Co. would manage to stabilize things in the final leg of UPA's helm at the top.


Shifting our focus to the cinema, Bollywood fared moderately this summer. It's the smaller screen which has captured the excitement with a steep increase noticed in television viewer points and ratings. While it was the Set Max which romped home with maximum prime-time television viewings, Star Plus came up with innovative programmes like 'Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain..?' to keep the viewers craving for more. Shah Rukh's affable hosting of the show has won several fans already including the likes of Lalu Yadav and Amitabh Baccchan.

So many things happening there within a short span of 30 days. It was a hectic but nevertheless happening May, things came and things went. Come what MAY, things begin and things continue.....................

The Remarkable Assortment of Fun and Comic

Suppandi.....Kalia the Crow.....Chamataka.....Naseeruddin Hodja.....Kapish.....Tantri the Mantri.....Ramu and Shamu.....Doob Doob.....Chamataka......Raja Hooja.....Detective Dog Ranjha.....Mopes and Purr.....Mooshik.....Shikari Shambhu.....and the list goes on.....

Well, I can bravely assume that it is totally impolitic to introduce these famed characters, as they easily have a large number of friends and fans across people of different age groups, predominantly children. All of them are skittish and special in their own characteristic way, and when you mix them together to form a colourful, humorous motley, it combines into a household-name-popular comic series called Tinkle. Into its 28th year, Tinkle has been the most sought-after comic in India, and still continues to reign the roster. Known for its incredible assortment of fun, stories, puzzles, quiz, contests and other features, this comic series has the reputation of more than 600 copies being printed till date.

Tinkle grew into fame in the early 80's shortly after being introduced. I still remember those days when I eagerly waited for the newspaper vendor to deliver the latest copy, and never gave it up until I finished reading at a stretch. Every story published in Tinkle has been distinct and of new taste, particularly the very first story of every edition, which generally is a sort of parable. Tinkle Digest, the greater version of Tinkle, has several such stories which teach a moral or two. Not surprisingly, it costs Rs.50 a copy, but is indeed worth every single penny.

Suppandi, one of the most entertaining characters of Tinkle is my most favourite character. I wonder if there is any other master on earth who has the forbearance and composure of that of Suppandi's owner, who gets baffled everytime he commands a task to Suppandi. Suppandi rocks nevertheless.

Coming to another funny character, any hunter would envy the hap of Shikari Shambhu who accidentally succeeds in hunting down a feral man-eater on the prowl. Sheer serendipity...!! As is his customary wont, he never (always, yet successful) has faltered in his bid to win the catch. Only his finicky wife and we readers know how lucky he is. Else, all other countrymen and village folks from hinterlands have a great reverence for Shambhu, the intelligent hunter.

Kalia, the crow, gifted with an exceptional moral rectitude and remarkable intellect has been the killjoy of zillion malicious plans devised by the hapless Chamataka and its willing accomplice Doob Doob for ages.

And then there is the wise Naseeruddin Hodja, a dream minister any emperor would love to have in his political state of affairs. Tantri the Mantri, the sly minister, has never had the fortune of stepping the throne, given his nefarious thoughts of cut short the life of his innocent ruler Raja Hooja. Serves him right, after all. And he is not finished yet, busy devising another one.

Mopes and Purr have been the most vigilant detective duo on the block, hunting down the culprits every now and then, with aplomb. This series got introduced later as it was missing in the earlier fortnightly editions of Tinkle.

To search and publish such fresh, wonderful stories, with other topics of related interest, on a regular basis when you have a large, anxiously waiting fan base can get seriously onerous. We readers are extremely grateful to Mr. Anant Pai, more fondly known as Uncle Pai. And not to forget the painstaking efforts of the artist team of Tinkle, who tirelessly depict the funny expressions and illustrate the gist of Tinkle. In many ways, Tinkle has been the elixir of thousands of us to get rid of all the tedium and feel rejuvenated. There may be a certain Champak or Gokulam, but Tinkle easily rules the realm of comics and is way beyond its contenders in terms of its number of readers and fans. It rightly deserves all the encomiums and eulogies.........

The Best Option To Ride

It was about 5 in the evening when I pulled out my Honda Unicorn and wiped a thin veneer of dust settled on it. The dust wasn't an unusual thing, given that there are several vehicles travelling through our colony, for there is a massive restructuring of paths and traffic routes all over JP Nagar due to the start of construction of a new traffic-decongestant subway at the 24th main. The route to my home from the market had just got longer, for there was the need to travel all the way down the intersection and take a U-turn for the simple task of crossing the raised median. Not too far away, I could catch the sight of a few people accompanied by a bicycle crossing the median by just crossing the cycle over the ridge. It's so very easy to sneak through with a bicycle than travel far and forth by my Honda. Add to that, the ease of pedalling and working out a few lazy, teeny-weeny muscles in your thigh, it's thousand times better to use a lovely-little-lighter frame of a chassis called Bicycle. It's like using a pencil on a moon than a specially invented zero-gravity refill pen. This perhaps is an appropriate metaphor. Simple things make things simpler, more often than not.

Bicycle, the term was coined by the French in 1860. A simple manifestation of a wheel driven by a pedalled gear, bicycle is perhaps the biggest accomplishment of a mechanical engineer who would dream of motorbikes and other transport vehicles. The chassis is a triangular frame, as in most of the cases, and the balance created on the frame is impeccable. At the first sight, the body may not generate any curiosity but come to think of it in technical terms and the mechanism which transforms the force generated by the pedal and imparted to the torque of the gear which transforms into a rotatory action, you have a marvel of a creation here. Over a long period of time, bicycle has undergone a lot of changes in its design and appearance but the charm of riding it for the very first time still remains to be matched.



Bicycle offers a vast sphere of advantage to its users. Talking of health and physical exercise, riding a bicycle gets rid of all the lethargy gained from jobs, most of which are getting more sedentary by the day. It is found that riding a bicycle for ten miles has the health benefit which is as much as the deficit of health caused by smoking a pack of cigarettes. A long ride during weekends in the verdant meadows and green country side should give you the ideal health uplift if the rest of the days are spent working at a desk at office. Cycling offers us a good alternative to catch up with some much-needed exercise compared to that obtained from a saunter in a park or a casual walk. A good amount of cycling would easily help you shed all those flaccid rings on your belly, and if you are a lean person, it would increase your hunger and thereby assimilate more.

Many would feel to see that there's no fun involved in cycling but ask someone who pedals regularly, he'd give you a perfect reason. When we pedal in using that extra bit of energy required to climb an acclivity, there's a complete breathe-in of fresh air which reaches all the way to the depth of the lungs. Breathing well is the single most important sensation to keep yourself young and feel rejuvenated over and again. Ask Yoga teachers and those who teach meditation, they would never disagree.

Coming to the hike of fuel prices, we are in the era where a barrel of crude oil costs US $126, which stood at around $99 not more than an year ago. If this increase gets more wanton and unheralded, days would not be far away when one would think more than once about their means of commuting. What could not be achieved by the Earth Hour would then be accomplished by the sheer rise in oil prices....!! Moreover, a layman would not demand the intelligence of a rocket scientist to understand the benefits of bicycle over motorbikes when it comes to maintaining the cleanliness of environment and reducing air pollution. And just imagine the pleasant sound of a cycle bell than the long clangor and din of relentless frantic honking and all sorts of noise made by automated vehicles. Noise pollution levels would come down considerably and a sense of tranquility prevails all over. It's more than in one way, useful and effective.


I take an exception to those travelling to farther places with limited time, but isn't it wise to use a bicycle if you have to commute moderate distances, in the vicinity of around 2-3 km? And for those who stay in cities like Bangalore, where there's a mandatory helmet rule in current existence, a simple pedal would save all the frowns and grimace of choking under the weight and help you keep smiling instead. For many good reasons as stated, cycling is a healthy practice. Don't feel shy of cycling, in case you do, for there's no age limit or barrier as such. Bicycle's a great gift to us from all those engineers who spent long hours designing it. They definitely deserve a special mention here. It's nothing mind-boggling but not less important indeed.

I believe that to a large extent that your views are affirmative with those of mine. And cycling is, after all, a ride to enjoy. It won't be long before cycling would be in the vogue.