WALK THROUGH THE SHIVAJI PARK – A DIVINE EXPERIENCE

A lot has been said and written about a lot of cricket grounds around the world. The Lords is said to be the Mecca of Cricket. The Eden Garden is said to The Lords of the East. The MCG is considered as one of the seven wonders of the sporting world. India, a cricket crazy nation has over 25 international cricket stadiums. Each ground has its own importance and significance. However there is a ground, not of international stature, which is more famous and significant than most of the international stadiums.

If one is an avid cricket follower, it is not surprising to have heard of the legendary Shivaji Park even though there has been not a single international match played here.  More importantly it is a ground of special importance to aspiring cricketers from Mumbai and Indian cricket fans for personal and other reasons.

Adjacent to the headquarters of the Sena party, has historical and cultural value because of the political and social gatherings it has witnessed, and continues to witness. However, to the modern India and Mumbai its significance is different. Named after the great Maratha warrior Chatrapati Shivaji, it has turned out to be the cradle of many international cricketers of India.

One of the wonderful stories of this ground was how Vasu Paranjype coached his pupil asking him to mimic Hanif Mohammed saying ''when Hanif played his forward defensive in the Brabourne Stadium you could hear the sound (of the ball hitting the middle of the bat) as far away as Churchgate Station.''  As the legend goes, Hanif Mohammed replacement as the ‘little master’ among the cricket fraternity was Mr Paranjype’s pupil Sunil Gavaskar.

Another one was about how decades later two other kids walked all the way from their school carrying their kits to this same ground and trained with players twice or more their age, training for hours together after school in four different net sessions. It also known that Ramakanth Archrekar placed coins on the stumps and his students, if were undefeated throughout the day could keep the coins as souvenirs. And as history books reveal, Vinod Kambli’s friend Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has treasured 16 coins.

Having heard such wonderful stories, your truly had imagined this ground to be like other training grounds, having nets and different types of pitches, where young trainees prepare to realize their dream. However, what was seen there was something out of the world, something extra-ordinary and something truly sensational.

The ground is a big ground which can stage two cricket matches at a time. However, on that ordinarily hot Sunday, the Shivaji park was a stage for not one, not two but over a hundred matches. All that was needed was the 22 yards and a little more. There were bowlers taking run-ups from different directions and fielders waiting for the right cricket ball to come their way. Over a thousand kids and men, enjoy their tennis ball bet matches, while elsewhere there are other groups training with the leather ball. No one seems to have any worries of being hit by the batsman of another match who is batting behind the fielder. At one end there was a girl’s team having a fielding practice. There were teams of different sizes, different ages and playing with different equipment, different genders and with different objectives but the one thing common in all was the passion and love for the game. It was a sight to behold and more importantly it was a ‘divine’ experience.

The ‘experience’ that makes you  feel that you are now at the very Shivaji Park where their ‘God’ was groomed. Yes, the very Shivaji park where Sachin Tendulkar 'the cricketer' was born.

"The adventures of Samland"- The quest for a Job.

I had formally joined the NINJA group on march 31st. And the first thing I wanted to do was get off the 'Ninja' list. I just hate the title for some personal reasons.

I had two somewhat successful telephonic interview rounds. I was thrilled to make it to the third round. It was to be a Face-to-face interview in (....... ) though the job location was Mumbai.

I reached the holy place late in the night. Waiting to save me from the great Rikshaw-wallas were Sreejith and Kutti and Sinjith ( Yet another Mallu added to my friends list). I reached their and fell on the bad, completely tired, thanks to the heat and humidity known only to this place.

Fearing the heat we got into an AC Volvo to get to the office. And what do we see.... We were the only ones inside. (The ordinary buses will always be overcrowded) After about 15 mins travel some college guys got in. Man, these people were so happy and thrilled, and their faces were brimming with pride, we could actually feel some of it leaking from their faces. Guess what they even got a camera and began to pose for pics..... One of them wanted a Solo pic...... was pretty sure that was going to be his Profile pic in Orkut ( I doubt he knew if FB existed) forever. Damn We got into a Volvo.

As we were going, I was looking out of the window. And I was amazed to see many real Posh cars on road. I was not amazed to the Mercs or BMWs but was amazed to see that the people who owned these chauffeur driven cars wore lungis and had mustaches even Veerappan would be proud of.   In the meantime one of these college guys removed his "posh" China mobile and put songs on air. OMG. While some songs were extraordinary, some were pathetic... and this guy was enjoying himslef Bigtime.

After the interview (which went on very well) was over , Kutti and Sreejith took me to the beach. How could they even call it a beach. People people everywhere... and not a single babe around.

Then it was dinner time. Ask a few people for a god place to dine or chill out... pat comes the reply in their thick and proud accent... "Zharavanabhavan". ( I am sure if a survey of "the cool place to chill out with anyone" was to be conducted in this place, Sharavana bhavan would beat Pizza Hut & McD by miles.)

As I was leaving for parthi the next day I was very happy that I was going away from this place never to return again. Couldnt bear the Heat, Humidity, The language, No -other language speaking People and ofcourse Billboards with only one language on them.

A few days later when I was just remembering the horrible time I had in that certain place..... I receive a call .... " Nikhil, We are from.... You have cleared the third round, You will now have the fourth round on wednesday again in.............. CHENNAI.


Damn......



Disclaimer: This article was just a satire and no racialism was intended. The food at Sharavana Bhavan was not bad. And of course there were some real good looking "Babes". Lol.

And it took a Genius, 20 yrs!!!!!!

At around 6 pm on Feb 24th, 2010, the air was thick with anticipation in certain parts of the world. Classes in Chennai and elsewhere were called off and the teaching boards were replaced with LCD projectors. Professionals and employees parked their vehicles and stood by the roadside shops to follow the proceedings. Work in every office took a backseat. The six O’ Clock favourite soaps of the Tamil women were dropped of the priority lists. Hungry children had no other go but to wait as their mothers left their work just to witness history.

Hunger could wait. For, the moment for which a Sport had waited for 2961 matches, 39 years and a million attempts had arrived.

Sachin Tendulkar guided the ball to the gully and stole a single which ended what was one of the most significant waits in the history of sport. The 200 run barrier had been broken as the world began to celebrate.



A few schools had declared holidays. 85 year olds were excused for behaving like 5 year olds. Elsewhere in southern India, certain students of a Hallowed University paused their match to take a Victory lap in the Hill-View stadium. Celebrities and cricketers called him the greatest. Shane Warne cheered and rejoiced on Twitter. Hundreds of profile pictures on Facebook and Orkut displayed a humble tiny man in blue raising his hands and looking heavenwards. And Saaed Anwar paid his tribute.

Tendulkar has taken the great sport to a new peak. He showed the world with this masterpiece that age is no barrier and that class is enough and there is no need for brutal power. And that you don’t need a chance to do so. And he showed the world that he is still the best. The phenomenon had yet again played a path-making innings.

Way back in 1994, as a cherubic little boy, he changed the way an opener plays by scoring a brilliant 82 off 49 balls with just 22 scoring shots. It led to a revolution bringing to the fore attacking batsmanship later displayed by Jayasuriya, Gilly, Haydos and Sehwag.

In 1998, he removed the misconception that his dear friend Shane Warne was unplayable, by smashing the cricket balls, landed on the rough against the spin. The world then began to play Warne with far more ease and confidence.

And now yet again, the great Indian played a revolutionary innings. A double ton has now become a possibility. Gayle, Sehwag among others may now fancy their chances. But only fancy though. Oh!!!!

For, it took a genius 20 years and 442 matches to do so.