Mazhai, ManVaasanai and Molaga Bajji
Laila's hovering around Chennai. The new cyclone strangely named as Laila puts up a thick cloud cover. No rain yet, till late in the evening. One thing that I missed in Singapore is heavy rain and a thing called 'Man Vasanai', sounds filmy but its one of those things that takes atleast 4 months of stark dryness and a gentle rain to raise that aroma around the town. Singapore has rain but almost every day. These cyclone ladies have some affinity for Nagapattinam or further south towards SL. Its been a year since my granny passed away. She was from Nagapattinam, the famous cyclone magnet. The illustrations about the heavy rain she witnessed were records of life from that era.
“Life comes to a stand still when there is an outbreak of rain. A fishing village with an iconic church facing the sea has its huts flooded. The clay which forms the base of the hut transforms into buckets holding sea water. Fishing has stopped before the rain has started and may be paralysed for 2 weeks or more. Temples and churches become humble abodes of hordes of villagers. The rain drops are heavy and decieves to form thick shiny silver strings towards heaven. These temporary settlement are not perfect shelter neither. These acts seem to remind people what are the most essential things of life. Amongst cries for people gone missing the genuine care for each other enables people to see through another cyclone.”
The first time I thought that she was exaggerating. Slowly I got to see glimpses of what might have been a terrible situation to be in. Having born in Chennai, with radio and Television. Rain is fun and heavy rain is unheard of. Oldies talk about hailstorms (Aalangatti mazhai), in Chennai, really !!. The first time i got to visit a hut house was in 1997-98, to visit my classmate's house. The house was only the size of an average drawing room but had a television, a pedestal fan and a cot. It housed a family of 5 and an infant. The sea was just 50-80 m away from those huts. My memories painted a quick picture of the yesteryears with those houses. We went passs a nearby temple which is ill-managed with a thick coat of sea-algae. I don't think prayers are offered anymore there and the last time I went to that temple was to witness distribution of rice and clothes after a heavy rain. The ration card's color decided the kilograms of rice to be distributed and the entire village was there to oversee the operations. Therefore rain, especially cyclone and now tsunami are big stories to be told about for sea-side dwellers like me.
Now, I am enjoying a light breeze with some Samosa&Sundal. I rewind myself to my yesteryears of summer rain: paper boats and games on the road. With motorcycles, traffic these; you can't have any sort of game these a days in the roads. So much have moved on and I understand that a generation has rolled over and I am in the middle of that process. Scooby Do/ Dexter/Tom&Jerry have given way to Pokemon/PowerRangers/Avatar(AirBender). I can't really appreciate these content is more proof that the ball is set in motion.
Now with a gentle drizzle, but a thick cloud cover I ride through my neighbourhood.
Stop 1: Molagaa Bhajji / Whats with Rain and Molagaa Bhajji I dono, they seem to be a wonderful pair. Molagaa Bhajji seems to have married Marina Beach nevertheless Mazhai and Molaga Bhajji make a good couple any time.
Stop2: Samosa Sundal / Traditionally the eateries pour sundal cooked as a semi gravy over smashed samosas and they make a lip smacking combination. Bought some and on my way back home, I rode slowly through one of the quieter areas to enjoy the drizzle.
The drum roll of heavy rain eludes as of now but the rain songs have started in the radios. Let me sit back and enjoy those songs from the present and past to take me to some cherished memories.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
IPL 2010
Even before the series started I was pretty sure that Mumbai Indians will go into the finals, not because they bought Pollard or the unexpected emergence of Saurabh Tiwary/Ambati Rayudu but for that man Sachin Tendulkar and his magic. I can't but amaze and accept that there is a new found rejuvenation about the Mumbai maestro.
There is a story that goes around, Eagle is a proud creature and obviously a powerful amongst its kind but it loses it edge at halfway during its life.(Apparently this is a myth) Its beak tends to mellow down to become soft and fragile. Presented with two options: one is to live a half life with former glory or to endure great pain in breaking its beak and allowing it to regrow to its former self.
Sachin faced a similar problem during his mid career crisis with tennis elbows, he was not able to wield his heavy willow. He was asked to change to a lighter bat and change his game style from blitzkrieg to light cavalry. The fact that he created many subdued knocks that would have made the purists happy is a different story. The power and monster that Sachin has been at the crease was missing. Missing for 6 years. In all these times he was learning to master the 2,3 and 4th gear and when nobody was expecting it – Sachin announced himself with that 175 knock against Australia and then poor RSA had to face the new Sachin. The God is back.
With that sort of inspiration, the Mumbai team studded with heavyweights can gel in as a team. For there is a man who holds answers and ways for what could be achieved in a cricket ground. Being a Chennaikaran, I am fond of my Superkings and Superstars. Superstars were an excellent team – a Team in the first place. I just love the sight of Ian Harvey and Ganapathi Vignesh blasting through almost every bowling attack around. Sadly, I may sound as a strong critic here but the sight of Parthiv Patel or M Vijay along with Hayden was not making it click. I had great regards for Badrinath but he needs to put some muscles for sure. He can't clear a normal ground, he seems to time the ball very well but get caught at long on, deep fine leg, or deep extra cover. He then proved me wrong with a few innings of substance and moreover intensity.
Ok, IPL2010. The adminstrators of Superkings played down the event by not picking up any big marquee players. I just can't take Jacob Oram bowling at 120 k. We could use Joginder Sharma /L Balaji for that place. Naturally there was no teeth in Chennai's attack. I was routing for the return of ICL players like G Vignesh and R Satish but they were picked by KKR and MI teams, I was totally lost and using the choice expletives at the administrators. I still think they should have held them within CSK, but there is a reshuffle next year so who cares!.
Seeing my team, getting bashed real hard in the first half of the IPL made my stance even more obvious and the predictors said that CSK would have to play out of their skins to reach the semis. As usual there were some teams who were willing to top the IPL charts from the bottom. Kings XI and KKRs. Then the turnaround happend in the absence of Dhoni on a bright day in Chennai. Generally cinematographers use light and color themes to match the mood of the films, they picked the perfect color yellow to burn the demons away and mark the genesis of the new era. Managalam Undaagattum. It was burning hot and amber was the color painted all over Chennai. A brighter innings took the commentators and Chennai crowd screaming their lungs out. M Vijay and A Morkel smoked Rajasthan's attack to all corners and it was one of those innings where Vijay was in the zone and was timing the balls so fluently, Jujube.
From there on, we were able to witness the genesis of a team which was writing their own script. There was intense passion on display and not to forget the enormous grit and steel on the faces. The lead up to the finals is a story to be told from generations to generations.
KXIP VS CSK : Athaan vantenla says Dhoni, Yaarukitta
Dhoni had a quiet tournament till then, the last time the two teams met there was a heartbreaking tie and a subesquent loss to those Jalandhar Jalsawaalaas. Now, Marsh toys around with Chennai bowling and props up the score to 190+. It all looked bleak with Hayden and Vijay back in the hut. Much was expected of Badhrinath and Dhoni both left to prove themselves. A steady partnership was put upon and the match was in auto-pilot. With the match reaching its climax, all signs were pointing to Dhoni for Chennai and Dhoni was smiling away at the situation. Enter the final over, 15 runs were required and it was that man Pathan who added to Chennai's misery earlier with his bat. Ball 1 was dispatched through extra cover it was full toss at yorker length wide outside offstump and with the angle very difficult to even nurdle around, but Dhoni found the gap perfectly and threaded the offside field for a boundary, the second ball was a mishit and it was signs of destiny that it landed safely between long on and mid on. Still a taunting score to chase. Then came the moment and the arrival of the man. It was a full length delivery and all L Siva had to say after seeing the ball hit was “WOW”. He needed to catch his breath and say unbelievable. By then, the ball had been couriered from Dharamsala to LeordGanj, which resides over the hills off Dharamsala. The next ball was powered away to another six and semifinals berth was confirmed. Just to see Dhoni react at the opposition was tinitillating to watch, there is a remix version of that moment to “Puli Varuthu” song from Vettaikaran, believe me it matched perfectly as a backdrop to that moment.
SEMIS DC VS CSK
So there is was the big semis and neighbours in the political map of India it was Andhra VS TN. The ground DY Patil, Mumbai. Have to say that CSK had better support at the neutral venue. Half the side was lost early and again it was that man Badhrinath who silenced his critics and proved why he is in the side with a Steely 37, Dhoni provided much impetus to the score with some quick runs and yet the score was slowly moving ahead. It took some rush of blood from young Anirudha Srikanth to hit two towering sixes and prop up the score to 142 which was pretty decent. Game on, I said.
Now, now : The Chennai bowlers put up one hell of a show and was spitting at the batsmen with venom, scoring was impossible and getting big guns like Gilchrist and Gibbs bottled up the way they did was remarkable. Not to forget the catches taken by Anirudha and Raina, this is a team. At no stage was I so pumped up or feel affiliated to a unit than at that moment.
FINALS
So you have Sachin, Pollard, Harbhajan, JP Duminy, L Malinga amongst others, what do YOU have? Well we have a team. Even a team studded with superstars was not able to stop the colossus of the CSKs. Raina had a brilliant day and Sachin played amidst 5 stitches, there was coincidence that I carried 5 stitches on my right thumb just around the same time, LOL. The moment of vindication was in the destruction of Pollard. Well you have an exploding device which can ricochet the ball back with more energy wherever you bowl at it. What to do? When everything else fails don't retreat but follow the instructions. Who's that, the captain, Dhoni. Just put two fielders in the V in the offside and continue to bowl yorkers around offstump. This tactic may soon be called as “Cutting down Pollard”. The marauder hit the ball lunging outside his reach and picked the Brisbane fisherman who proclaims himself that he is a madraskaran now. Match virtually over with the stadium emptying before the final over started.
“The theory of evolutions says, only the strongest will survive, but the theory of sports says only the passionate will win”
Go Team.
Even before the series started I was pretty sure that Mumbai Indians will go into the finals, not because they bought Pollard or the unexpected emergence of Saurabh Tiwary/Ambati Rayudu but for that man Sachin Tendulkar and his magic. I can't but amaze and accept that there is a new found rejuvenation about the Mumbai maestro.
There is a story that goes around, Eagle is a proud creature and obviously a powerful amongst its kind but it loses it edge at halfway during its life.(Apparently this is a myth) Its beak tends to mellow down to become soft and fragile. Presented with two options: one is to live a half life with former glory or to endure great pain in breaking its beak and allowing it to regrow to its former self.
Sachin faced a similar problem during his mid career crisis with tennis elbows, he was not able to wield his heavy willow. He was asked to change to a lighter bat and change his game style from blitzkrieg to light cavalry. The fact that he created many subdued knocks that would have made the purists happy is a different story. The power and monster that Sachin has been at the crease was missing. Missing for 6 years. In all these times he was learning to master the 2,3 and 4th gear and when nobody was expecting it – Sachin announced himself with that 175 knock against Australia and then poor RSA had to face the new Sachin. The God is back.
With that sort of inspiration, the Mumbai team studded with heavyweights can gel in as a team. For there is a man who holds answers and ways for what could be achieved in a cricket ground. Being a Chennaikaran, I am fond of my Superkings and Superstars. Superstars were an excellent team – a Team in the first place. I just love the sight of Ian Harvey and Ganapathi Vignesh blasting through almost every bowling attack around. Sadly, I may sound as a strong critic here but the sight of Parthiv Patel or M Vijay along with Hayden was not making it click. I had great regards for Badrinath but he needs to put some muscles for sure. He can't clear a normal ground, he seems to time the ball very well but get caught at long on, deep fine leg, or deep extra cover. He then proved me wrong with a few innings of substance and moreover intensity.
Ok, IPL2010. The adminstrators of Superkings played down the event by not picking up any big marquee players. I just can't take Jacob Oram bowling at 120 k. We could use Joginder Sharma /L Balaji for that place. Naturally there was no teeth in Chennai's attack. I was routing for the return of ICL players like G Vignesh and R Satish but they were picked by KKR and MI teams, I was totally lost and using the choice expletives at the administrators. I still think they should have held them within CSK, but there is a reshuffle next year so who cares!.
Seeing my team, getting bashed real hard in the first half of the IPL made my stance even more obvious and the predictors said that CSK would have to play out of their skins to reach the semis. As usual there were some teams who were willing to top the IPL charts from the bottom. Kings XI and KKRs. Then the turnaround happend in the absence of Dhoni on a bright day in Chennai. Generally cinematographers use light and color themes to match the mood of the films, they picked the perfect color yellow to burn the demons away and mark the genesis of the new era. Managalam Undaagattum. It was burning hot and amber was the color painted all over Chennai. A brighter innings took the commentators and Chennai crowd screaming their lungs out. M Vijay and A Morkel smoked Rajasthan's attack to all corners and it was one of those innings where Vijay was in the zone and was timing the balls so fluently, Jujube.
From there on, we were able to witness the genesis of a team which was writing their own script. There was intense passion on display and not to forget the enormous grit and steel on the faces. The lead up to the finals is a story to be told from generations to generations.
KXIP VS CSK : Athaan vantenla says Dhoni, Yaarukitta
Dhoni had a quiet tournament till then, the last time the two teams met there was a heartbreaking tie and a subesquent loss to those Jalandhar Jalsawaalaas. Now, Marsh toys around with Chennai bowling and props up the score to 190+. It all looked bleak with Hayden and Vijay back in the hut. Much was expected of Badhrinath and Dhoni both left to prove themselves. A steady partnership was put upon and the match was in auto-pilot. With the match reaching its climax, all signs were pointing to Dhoni for Chennai and Dhoni was smiling away at the situation. Enter the final over, 15 runs were required and it was that man Pathan who added to Chennai's misery earlier with his bat. Ball 1 was dispatched through extra cover it was full toss at yorker length wide outside offstump and with the angle very difficult to even nurdle around, but Dhoni found the gap perfectly and threaded the offside field for a boundary, the second ball was a mishit and it was signs of destiny that it landed safely between long on and mid on. Still a taunting score to chase. Then came the moment and the arrival of the man. It was a full length delivery and all L Siva had to say after seeing the ball hit was “WOW”. He needed to catch his breath and say unbelievable. By then, the ball had been couriered from Dharamsala to LeordGanj, which resides over the hills off Dharamsala. The next ball was powered away to another six and semifinals berth was confirmed. Just to see Dhoni react at the opposition was tinitillating to watch, there is a remix version of that moment to “Puli Varuthu” song from Vettaikaran, believe me it matched perfectly as a backdrop to that moment.
SEMIS DC VS CSK
So there is was the big semis and neighbours in the political map of India it was Andhra VS TN. The ground DY Patil, Mumbai. Have to say that CSK had better support at the neutral venue. Half the side was lost early and again it was that man Badhrinath who silenced his critics and proved why he is in the side with a Steely 37, Dhoni provided much impetus to the score with some quick runs and yet the score was slowly moving ahead. It took some rush of blood from young Anirudha Srikanth to hit two towering sixes and prop up the score to 142 which was pretty decent. Game on, I said.
Now, now : The Chennai bowlers put up one hell of a show and was spitting at the batsmen with venom, scoring was impossible and getting big guns like Gilchrist and Gibbs bottled up the way they did was remarkable. Not to forget the catches taken by Anirudha and Raina, this is a team. At no stage was I so pumped up or feel affiliated to a unit than at that moment.
FINALS
So you have Sachin, Pollard, Harbhajan, JP Duminy, L Malinga amongst others, what do YOU have? Well we have a team. Even a team studded with superstars was not able to stop the colossus of the CSKs. Raina had a brilliant day and Sachin played amidst 5 stitches, there was coincidence that I carried 5 stitches on my right thumb just around the same time, LOL. The moment of vindication was in the destruction of Pollard. Well you have an exploding device which can ricochet the ball back with more energy wherever you bowl at it. What to do? When everything else fails don't retreat but follow the instructions. Who's that, the captain, Dhoni. Just put two fielders in the V in the offside and continue to bowl yorkers around offstump. This tactic may soon be called as “Cutting down Pollard”. The marauder hit the ball lunging outside his reach and picked the Brisbane fisherman who proclaims himself that he is a madraskaran now. Match virtually over with the stadium emptying before the final over started.
“The theory of evolutions says, only the strongest will survive, but the theory of sports says only the passionate will win”
Go Team.
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