Master Stroke

This is not too late for South Africa to prove its mettle – they have done it several times – but, what happened at Eden Garden on Monday February 15, 2010 has been written in the history of world cricket and world class sportsmanship. The crowd at Kolkata’s Eden Garden went home after having been treated to a stunning display of stroke play as the two players (read geniuses) put on a 249-run partnership for the third wicket – an ordeal – the South Africans will not forget too soon, leaving them with no option but to win the match to dislodge India from the number one position in the Test rankings.

It was a game where fortunes did not fluctuate much. It was but a remarkable exhibition of talent and stroke play by both the masters – Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag. While the master blaster Sachin notched up his 47th ton, the crowd also witnessed Sehwag’s 19th century to reach 342 for five at close on the second day.

The only disappointing fact was that the home team lost three key wickets in quick succession at the fag end.

But both Sehwag) and Tendulkar fell at the fag end of the day, but before they who unleashed some superb shots, and there wasn’t an iota of any discomfort at all against the South Africans, who tried every trick in their attempt to break the partnership, however, without much luck.

The game will be remembered for various reasons. First the magic which the 36-year-old batsman demonstrated, as he played each stroke with finesse causing spinner Paul Harris bowl negative line outside the leg stump.

His cheeky singles, with fours and sixes were a delight to watch. No amount of statistics can do justice to the runs Sachin had put. His disciplined dedication and for the game is a reflection to the 20 years of commitment he displayed, yet once again.

Moreover, it was Tendulkar’s fourth century in this series. The first Test was against Bangladesh in Chittagong last month. He hit his second century in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur and his third came in the first Test of the ongoing series in Nagpur.

Sehwag supported the master blaster throughout the game, a partnership of 249 runs. Sehwag was out for 165, while Tendulkar scored 106. The Tendulkar-Sehwag partnership enabled India to take the lead over the Proteas.
As one watched Sachin play his strokes, one could feel the geniuses hand at work dismantling all prejudices and false notions that with age one loses the technique and style of the game.
Tendulkar now has over 18000 runs from over 440 matches since making his debut in 1989. The first player to score fifty centuries in all international cricket combined, he now has more than eighty international centuries.

It was a mighty innings from a genius who has seen it all in the field in these 20 years – from back injury to media’s criticism – and has proved it again, that masters remain masters.

Incessant applauses on Monday at the Eden Gardens greeted the maestro as he crossed another milestone. It seemed it was the first match a young Tendulkar was playing as the hit hard.

Sachin’s achievements are many and yet he remains humble. Against Australia, Tendulkar has scored 2,995 runs, including nine centuries and against Sri Lanka he has amassed 2749 runs with eight centuries. Tendulkar also has an impressive record against arch-rivals Pakistan, against whom he has scored 2,389 runs including five centuries.

In Kolkata, Sachin again proved his commitment to the game and a desire to keep getting better each time he plays. Another journey awaits – a new milestone – as the world waits to see the master strike again.

ENDS#

Bleating Soul

The heart stops beating
As each day passes without
Hearing your voice.

From far corner of a room
The slight to and fro movement of
The chair is heard no more. Even
The stick and your chimneypot hat
Hangs by the side of the door!

Where have you gone?
Your pen lies still at the
Desk by the side of the old
Lamp – this never burns any further.

That was the day when
You wrote the last lines
Of your obituary and still
Wept silent tears, while
You avoided my looks!

Ah! And you rose from that chair
As if you had suddenly got the
Strength to rule the world – seemed
You had finally achieved your goal?

I watched you and felt you were crazy;
Did you want to taste the red old wine?
Or wear the old, brown gifted coat of
Your marriage; your weak wrinkled hands
Made some signals, I couldn’t catch…!

Alas! If I could catch the time too.
Hold it back and roll the course – the
Time rolled faster and your pen slipped as
You sat back to write something new.
Wish you could’ve done it
Over a bottle of red old wine….!

Three Bullets and the sounds of silence ...!

While the nation observed the anniversary of the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi Jan 30 2010 – that marked the 62nd anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Mahatma – few people are aware of the exact place where one of the most infamous political assassinations in history took place.
The streets of Delhi that lead to 5, Tees January Marg - earlier known as Albuquerque Road - seem to hold little or no significance for many. The building, today called Gandhi Smriti, is the historical place where Mahatma Gandhi lived the last 144 days of his life.
After his arrival from Calcutta (today Kolkata) on Sep 9, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi was motored straight to the building, then called Birla House. On his visit to Delhi, Gandhi preferred staying at the Harijan Basti, also called Valmiki Mandir, at Panchkuiyan Road, but as the refugees from West Punjab occupied the Basti, after the partition of India, there were concerns over his security.
The epic life of the Father of the Nation ended in the sacred place of the prayer ground of this hallowed house, which today treasures many memories of the last few days of his life. The old Birla House was acquired by the government of India in 1971 and converted into a national memorial and dedicated to the nation Aug 15, 1973.
The imposing structure of the simple Lutyen's style bungalow where Gandhi occupied just a small room has been witness to the developments in post-independent India. It was here, impelled by the communal riots, that Gandhi declared his intention to fast for an indefinite period. Only on receiving assurance from all communities, Mahatma Gandhi broke his fast - the last one - by taking a glass of orange juice from Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.
'Gandhi Smriti', says Dr. Savita Singh, director of the organisation, 'is a place of pilgrimage for millions of people from all parts of India and even beyond her shores', adding, 'a mass of humanity continues to come to the memorial as if to atone for the sin committed by one of us on a Friday evening almost six decades back.'
The preserves at Gandhi Smriti also include the room where Mahatma Gandhi lived and the prayer ground where he held a mass congregation every evening. It was here that Nathuram Vinayak Godse's bullets felled Gandhiji on his way on Friday, Jan 30, 1948, at 5.17 p.m.
A larger than life statue of Mahatma Gandhi, with a boy and a girl holding a dove in their hands standing on either side, emerging out of the globe - sculpted by eminent sculptor Ram Sutar - symbolising Gandhi's universal concern for the poor and the deprived, welcomes everybody at the main entrance of the Gandhi Smriti with these words: 'My life is my message' revealing Gandhi's practical moral attitude.
In total contrast one can't help but notice the impassive structure of the National Defence College just across the road, with three cannons staring in the direction of the place personifying the eternal message of truth, peace and ahimsa (non-violence) which Gandhi stood for all his life. The structure (read cannons) stands either in total defiance of these ideologies or can even be interpreted as a salutation in 'silence' to that eternal spirit.
On display in the museum are photographs, sculptures, paintings, frescos, inscriptions on rocks and relics pertaining to the years Mahatma Gandhi spent here. The meagre personal effects of Gandhiji too are carefully preserved.
If the Martyr's Column indicates the spot where Gandhi was assassinated, a bronze flame next to the lawns sends the message of continued hope and faith. The sparkling white walls inside the museum are covered with well-documented photographs on the life and message of Gandhi.
Further, the Eternal-Gandhi Multi-Media Exhibition - opened to the public on April 14, 2005, and dedicated to the nation - which uses state-of-the-art electronic hardware, makes it interactive and interpretative and is an experience by itself. By presenting all this through the latest technology, it is an endeavour to reaffirm and relive Gandhian values.
This unique multi-media presentation displays a language of physical interface, actions derived from classical symbols of the spinning wheel, turning of the prayer wheels, touching symbolic pillars, the act of hands touching sacred objects, collaboratively constructed quilts, sacred chanting in the collective group, the touching and rotating of prayer beads and so on.
'Today Gandhi Smriti is not just a heritage sight. It is an educational centre for people of all ages, especially for children. And children are bound to carry the eternal message of peace and non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi', says Smt. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, vice-chairperson of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi.
'It is important to give good memories to children in their formative years, and the message which they (children) take back from here will help build good citizens, make them strong and courageous and also full of compassion'.
By adding new dimensions to the historical place, Gandhi Smriti is a centre of pilgrimage, a place of learning. Gandhi is remembered every moment for his passionate adherence to truth and non-violence. He was modern and yet rooted to timeless traditions and values. He was not just a political revolutionary but also a great social thinker.
Representing truth, compassion and non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi belongs to the entire humanity. Millions of people and the world citizens visit Gandhi Smriti at 5 Tees January Marg – the place of the Martyrdom of the Mahatma for truth and non-violence – for spiritual inspiration, and in search of their own truth.
“Homage to the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi is homage to the greatest spiritual and creative flows of man and nature of the past and the present that have kept the spark of eternal love glowing in each one of us”, says Smt Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee.
As Albert Einstein on hearing the news of Gandhi's assassination said, 'Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.'
Sainthood often distances men from men, yet Gandhi was for the poorest of the poor. To stand in silence at least one day in a year for a minute - leaving the daily life chaos behind - before the Martyr's Column, will be a tribute to the man who helped us think as citizens. This would be far greater than the emotional homage that has obscured the thrust and significance of his teachings.
Ends#