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.

Vodafone- Everyday I Want To Fly

"Everyday I want to fly, stay by my side..

Everyday I want to dream, stay by my side..

Every morning, I wish I could just play..

Wish the mornings were just days.."

Given my penchant to listen to this as many times as possible, I could just not withstand the temptation to post the lyrics. Hats off to the guys who composed this new Vodafone song in a video which shows a little girl being taken care by the responsible, cute pug, which is "Happy To Help".

Click here to visit the full page.

Indian Premier League -IPL-8 Teams, Without Any Players, Only Warriors!

India, as we all know is a diverse nation. Diversity is one thing you would see everywhere, be it the season, or the style of living, or simply a dish which a person relishes at his/her favourite restaurant. There are religions sundry, ranging from Hindus to Parsees. There are places several, from metropolitans to villages. There are people many, from The President to A Common Man. When there are so many different things around, there aren't many games. Yes, we do games like Hockey and Soccer, but ironically, their existence is limited only to newspapers and local clubs. And then there's Cricket- a game which some die-hard fans like me and you follow- be it the score updates following all the way to your cell-phones when in classroom/office, or the sheer passion of watching the match glued to the telly and for a moment forgetting all rest other things. Cricket has almost went on to be a religion here, for there are a billion well-thought opinions as to whom should MS Dhoni choose for the final playing eleven, and most of the opinions are interestingly being justified in an impeccable way, almost faultless. Most of us are dogmatic anyway, aren't we?

BCCI chose this moment opportune to mark the beginning of a new trend in the cricketing world. It was on Friday, the 14th of September 2007, that they formally announced the start of Indian Premier League, a tournament on the lines of Soccer's English Premier League and the National Basketball League of the US. Twenty20 brand of cricket just got its dream start when India won the Inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa last year in a thrilling encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan, and it was the glory and the success of this event which salvaged ICC's lost pride in the farcical World Cup '07 at West Indies. World Twenty20's encore in South Africa shot out all concerns of Twenty20 biting the dust. And a new chapter of Twenty20 is here now, waiting to write the excitement all over again. April 18 is just round the corner now, and the tournament is on the verge of entering reality, after days of Bollywood Biggies and Business Moguls spending millions of bucks to accomodate the best sixteen under their names.

Never have the Bollywood superstars have had it so much to with Cricket. It was a new sight seeing big names like Shah Rukh Khan and Priety Zinta, along with liquor baron Vijay Mallya arrive at the auctioning of the players. The next days headlines made bold statements of MS Dhoni being paid the highest of them all, with rosters of players being auctioned and stacked millions of dollars against their names.

The 59-game event will kick off at the picturesque 55000-seater floodlit M.Chinnaswamy stadium at Bangalore with the-Vijay Mallya-owned hosts Bangalore Royal Challengers pitting against Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla owned-Kolkata Knight Riders. Unequivocally, one needs such huge names clashing at each other to set the wheels rolling. The two men at the toss would be the same men who began their careers together at The Lords, way back in 1996 and rose to fame with their careers almost going hand in hand. Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly, the most respected names in an Indian cricketing fraternity, would have a go at each other in a contest which has many other stars on platter, Ross Taylor, Ishant Sharma, Anil Kumble, Nathan Bracken and Chris Gayle to name a few. That must be the contest which would see every Bangalorean and Kolkatan cheer their heroes. Bangalore's been seeing heavy preparations for the last fortnight to kick start the event in a grand way, amidst local election pressures. Cricket enthusiastic kids, with some time off from the school, are having a gala time. Red and Golden Yellow clad Kannadigas are game with the Black and Gold clad Bongs. Indian film stars Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif along with locals Upendra and Ramya have been roped in to cheer for the Bangalore franchise while Khan himself will be doing it for his team. While Kolkata has good players like David Hussey, Ricky Ponting, Salman Butt, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Bangalore has its talent brimming from a pool of players like Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis who can grind down any attack, with a hard hitting Australian Cameron White alongside Mark Boucher. Dale Steyn, fresh from his exploits in the season has it in him to hit the right areas and castle the batsmen. Praveen Kumar can bring his leg cutters to telling effect and make life difficult for the men with the willow.




Shifting our focus to Emerging Media-owned Rajasthan Royals, they have hitters like Y Pathan, Graeme Smith, Dmitri Mascarenhas and Younis Khan in their ranks. And with them, they have a world class spinner called Shane Warne who would be leading the squad which has other impressive bowlers like Morne Morkel and Sohail Tanvir. They should make a great team, with the kind of bowling they possess, usually difficult to clear the ropes. Shane Warne himself would be rallying his bowlers well with an intelligent cricketing acumen and expertise, enabling Rajasthan Royals to achieve silent glory, without any icon players as such. They also have got sensible batsmen like Mohammad Kaif and Justin Langer who can arrest any danger with their characteristic calm approach to the game.




Travelling down South, from Jaipur to Chennai, we enter the land of Chennai Super Kings, led by the dynamic and astute Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is not new to leadership. It is not for nothing he is the most paid cricketer on the arena, the Indian Cements have shelled out a whopping $1.5 million to bag him, as a matter of fact. Keeping in support with the Jharkhand Blaster is the powerful-in-form Matthew Hayden, who can clear stands with utter disdain, and a smiling ease. In Stephen Fleming and Michael Hussey, they have got calm yet attacking batsmen, who on their day can take any bowler to the cleaners. And there are men like Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram, who have the flair and the left handed bat speed required to hit even good balls. Furthermore, the bowling department looks aggressive with the names itself, men like Muttiah Muralitharan and Makhaya Ntini able do the required damage in no time at all. This is one team which has the potential to bang any other outfit, and with a thinking Dhoni at their helm, it's easier DONE than said.



Did we have a look at Delhi? The Delhi Daredevils have got Multan Marauder Virender Sehwag and another Delhiite Gautam Gambhir, both looking in ominous form. There's South African AB de Villiers, Pakistani Shoaib Malik and young Indian talent Shikhar Dhawan, who can bat according to the nature of the pitch and score freely. Bowlers like Glenn McGrath, Daniel Vettori and Mohammad Asif are unplayables when they get going. Also are allrounders like Tillekeratne Dilshan and Fervez Maharoof who have been doing good for SriLanka for the past couple of years. Delhi has got all the firepower to intimidate the opposition. The skipper is someone who warm the offside region with his gamut of powerful strokes and trademark uppish cuts which can sail all the way over third man. Akshay Kumar is the brand ambassador for Delhi Daredevils, with GMR Holdings being the owners.



Deccan Chargers of Hyderabad. Now here's the information on the team, which, in my view, is the most dangerous team of the IPL. When there's someone like Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds in the side, you actually would not ask for more strokemakers. But add to them players like Shahid Afridi and Herschelle Gibbs and you know you are easily the most famed line up in the batting department. These are natural strokemakers, who are tailor-made for this format of the game, their mantra being "think nothing but hit everything which comes your way!". To buttress the already sound batting line up are Scott Styris, Rohit Sharma and VVS Laxman who are the men to anchor and steady the ship. Vaas is very much an intelligent bowler, with clever variations in pace and length. With Nuwan Zoysa, he has the right support to bowl to his strength. And Styris and Afridi can do the middle-overs job along with Symonds. Looking the most balanced team in the fray, I would not be surprised an inch if this team can go on to win the series. All credit to the Deccan Chronicle to weave such a wonderful blend of energy and experience. Positive predictions aplenty for this team from people and pundits around.

Preity Zinta walked into the auctioning conference with the least piece of information on cricket. But she has found a good mix of cricketers in her Kings XI Punjab. Yuvraj Singh, who has it in him to whack all the six deliveries in an over to six sixes is the Icon Player of this team, and he is well supported in the batting department with the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ramnaresh Sarwan, James Hopes and Simon Katich. All rounder Irfan Pathan can be handy in home conditions with his ability to move the ball laterally. Brett Lee, who's been in terrific form of late, is backed by bowlers like Sreesanth, Kyle Mills and Piyush Chawla. Sarwan too can prove his mettle with his slow leg cutters which are difficult to get hit out. A sound team woven around power and intellect.



Mumbai Indians, the most expensive franchise of IPL, are lucky to have some of the world's biggest names in their ranks with the batting department consisting of Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Robin Uthappa, Loots Bosman and Ashwell Prince. Shaun Pollock is a synonym for accuracy in the world cricket thesaurus, and he is being fostered by Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando. Hrithik Roshan is the brand ambassador of the Mumbai Indians and this team will get the best reception at the vociferous Wankhede Stadium. The team has Sudarshan Chakra engraved as its symbol, which denotes victory. If an opening partnership of the dream combine Sachin and Jayasuriya gets going, then there is nothing in the world stopping them. Robin Uthappa, the young batting sensation can derive all knowledge from these stalwarts and can keep batting to his usual tempo, scoring runs at will. Mumbai Indians Team is owned by leading businessman Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Group of Industries.


IPL has seen a large share of everything till date. Hypes, controversies, media wrath, celebrity participations, money issues and tremendous public attention. It's time it actually gets into the act and prove its worth. The stage is set. The arrival is anticipated. IPL's first edition will give us a clear picture as to where the game of cricket is heading towards....