ROCK ONN.....DADA

"Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamarey dil mein hai, dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qatil mein hai" This is what sums up DADA...a rebel. Yes a rebel he was who lived by the sword and perished by it too.
First of all let me make it clear that i was never an ardent Ganguly fan; and always belonged to the Dravid clan(media persons.... breaking news); but thats the greatness of the man, The pedigree to draw praise even from his critiques.
Defiance thy name is Sourav Ganguly. This 19 year old first came onto scene when he defied all notions and refused to carry drinks during his first ODI series(1991-92 Australia tour of India). He was not to be seen for the next 4 years until he defied all odds and struck a magnificient 130 against England at lord's on debut.(Rahul Dravid made 95 then playing the best man..as always) Although he was never seen as a test match great that moment redefined the definition of India and laid foundation of The Great Indian Middle Order.



His real test came when this young lad with pencil mustache was thrust into the captaincy role following the match fixing saga in 2000. Everybody thought that he wasn't ready and shudn't even be in the reckoning, but he defied the inevitable; again; to lead a young Indian side into the finals of the ICC Knockout cup 2000.
At that time he was the best ODI batsmen in the business and most times outscored his opening partner Sachin Tendulkar.
Under him India won some and lost some but what India learnt under him was to look into the eyes of the world and say" I wont lie down for the count; beat me if u can".
The most telling tale of his bravado was when Australia toured India in 2001, what was deemed as Final Frontier by the Australian media. But dada was up to it, he challenged the aussies at their own game. "Trash talkin", "Sledging" or "Mental Disintegration" as Steve Waugh called it. This is how he welcomed the No.1 test team with 15 consecutive test wins under their belt; "Australians may be the no.1 test team but they havent won here, last time they toured in 98' they lost, before that too in 96' they lost". And by his own admission this got onto Steve Waugh's nerves, then and there. To stomp onto a Lion's bare foot and stand your own ground is no mean feat. Dada did it and excelled at it too. That made him the captain India always wanted.
He was the one who always rooted for youngsters being infused into the team, and played mentor to the core of Indian team of now; Zaheer khan, yuvraj singh, harbhajan singh and virendra sehwag; who bloomed under his support. India always has had the class, the flair, the talent; he gave us the confidence to stand up and ba counted. Coz dats what he has done all his life.
His most astonishing feat is his knack of surprising even his ardent supporters. Arun Lal former India opener and cricket expert said recently"When he was dropped from the Indian team after the chappell saga, even i dint expect him to come back, but the way he played in South africa he surprised everyboby me included"
And sourav must have said to himself OOPS! I did it again.
There were many controversies in his career too, right from the start to the ego clash with greg chappell, an uncomfortable stint under once deputy Rahul dravid, differences with Sachin, and talk of his selfish batting; but thats not what we are going to talk about here.Visibly the pain has now risen too high for him. After being overlooked from the Irani trophy side he has decided to call it a day. He has not been in the reckoning for the one day side for quite some time now; for reasons best known to selectors. I also wanted him to retire but when he is now, it has left a bad taste in my mouth. This certainly isnt the way his end was meant to come.

The most successful test captain India has ever seen, The prince of calcutta, the God of the off side; watever we may call him has finally hung up his boots. He taught India how to be fighters and winners. He is a youth icon for sure; whom we must look upto. Dada deserves a ROYAL FAREWELL may he get one.

Lets pray he plays with the same death defying audacity in his last series and bows out on a high.
ROCK ONN ....DADA.
We will miss you.
And thats the bottomline cuz the great one said so.

TAG---(sakshi....u r gonna pay)

(v) smoked a cigarette--> Yeah....it works wen 6-7 pegs are in...brings u back to senses..

() done some form of dope----- naaa...never will

( ) crashed a friend's car---- havnt..but wud be good fun....

( v) stolen a car--> nahi yaar but got my hot wheels stolen all the time..huh

(v) been in love -->Quite a few times ...actually...comes naturally to me..haha...

( v) been dumped-->Dont lyk this D word..but haan hav had broken relatonships..

() shoplifted---- this is interesting....wen i wz in 6-7 std. Big fun bubble gum had stickers within...i used to pick a handful each tym i went to muskaan bakery...widout even gettin caught..thats cooool

() been fired--- naa for that i'll havta get hired first...hehe

() been in a fist fight--- bachpan mein lotz of them.....in college as well...got my nose broken...

() sneaked out of your parent's house---- ummmm...errrr....naaaah .

(v) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back--> yeah yeah...all mu school tym crushes.....poor me...( :) )

( v) gone on a blind date--> DATES???? i dont lyk them...

(v) lied to a friend --> many many many timez...

( v) skipped school --> Dint need to bunk....left school wid due permission......principal held me in high regards.hoohahaha...

( ) seen someone die--- haan yaar...sadly......my dad's maternal uncle.....was a tough year for me....

(v) had a crush on one of your internet friends--> nahi yaar....lots of dem had crushes on me....

() been to Singapore .

( ) been to Mexico ( does the sender own hotels here?????)

(v) been on a plane --> NEVER...hav been inside one though....(wry smile)

(v) eaten sushi And felt pukish.----

( ) been skiing-snow or water

(v) met someone from the internet--> nahi yaar....cyborgs arent that advanced till date....

() been at a concert--- Not exactly.......but listened to vinod rathore sing from the far side of the fateh sagar...he was i n concert in a hotel on the other side...

() taken painkillers--- Haan yaar.....get hurt a lot...m a sportman after all

(v) love someone or miss someone right now--> yes....a kaddu...a shona...a motu..

(v) laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by-->

() made a snow angel

(v) had a tea party--> nahi but had a lot of parties where tea wasnt on the menu..in fact...even food wasnt either...(:P)

(v) flown a kite --> Boo hoo boo hoo hu...nahin aati udaani...

(v) built a sand castle - waz 5 yrs old den

( ) gone puddle jumping--- even played in them

( ) played dress up--> Well left outside the off stump.

(v) jumped into a pile of leaves -->

( ) gone sledding

(v) cheated while playing a game --> To kya aise hi university captain ban gaya??

(v) been lonely --> Ma used to call me an IKALTORA...

(v) fallen asleep at work/school --> Nahi..had lot better things to do

() used a fake ID .

(v) watched the sun set --> always kept an eye on it...specially when my side had to bat second..in gully mohaalaa champions cricket..

() watched someone sleep-- MA...PA...motu(tabhi cute lagti hai) .

( v) felt an earthquake--> 3 days ago...was shivering real bad...malaria u see..

(v) slept beneath the stars --> Bundi my hometown...chhatt...garmi ki chhutti...chhidkaav...aha aha...mast neend

() been tickled-- lots f timez .

(v) been robbed --> still learning..

(v) been misunderstood --> I m rude u see...

() pet a reindeer/goat/kangaroo

(v) won a contest --> well almost..i m god's favourite runner up!!

( ) run a red light/stop sign--> he he he..

( ) been suspended from school--- who me???

( ) been in a car crash-- haan yaar fortunately nobody got hurt

( ) had braces--- needed to but dint

(v) felt like an outcast/third person--> naa i create my own crowd..

( v) eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night--> PINT??? had a full family pack once..

(v) had deja vu--> OH my guts...they work quite well..

(v) danced in the moonlight --> not my kinda stuff...

(v) liked the way you looked --> Haan haan of course....m not tusshar kapoor u see!!!

( ) witnessed a crime --- does bribery, rash driving, rowdy behaviour count????

(v) questioned your heart --> yaar heart ki awaz ..i struggle to hear it..

() been obsessed with post- itna ki i dont post dem..hahaha...

(v) squished mud through your bare feet ;)--- mazza ata hai..yippeee

(v) been lost --> all the tym..in my mind's cob webs

( ) been on the opposite side of the country

(v) swam in the ocean --> ocean yes...snorkeling yes...swimming..no

(v) felt like dying --> ye post thodi aur hoti to......

(v) cried yourself to sleep --> I like sleeping..actually..

(v ) played cops and robbers--> yes....raja mantri chor sipahi....ding ding ding ding......

(v) recently colored with crayons--> umm colors huh......

() sang karaoke-- haan haan....kuchh na kaho and mere sapno ki rani...

.(v) paid for a meal with only coins --> haan haan...chhole kulche...12 coins delhi..connaught place...

(v) made prank phone calls --> nahi yaar but pranks on legitimate calls..yess..

(v) laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose--> shut upp...

( ) caught a snowflake on your tongue

(v) danced in the rain --> bowling yes, dancing no...

(v ) a letter to Santa Claus--> ummmm..errrrrrr.....

( ) been kissed under the mistletoe..:D--- kisska TOE???

( ) watched the sun rise with someone you care about ..--- actually havnt seen the sunrise in a while

(v) blown bubbles-->

( ) made a bonfire on the beach

( ) crashed a party-- haan yaar...barged into an old friend's room..he was wid his..ahem ahem..

( ) gone roller skating

(v) had a wish come true--> Thoda aur vish karo..kyun amrit kyun nahin....

( ) jumped off a bridge-- haan SSB interview...burma bridge se...actually fell off

( ) ate dog/cat food

( ) told a complete stranger you loved them

(v) kissed a mirror-->

(v) sang in the shower-->In the shower, loo, class, exam hall, bus, train, bed, party, marriage, baraat, sangeet..u name it oh i forgot...even on stage sumtimes... :P

(v) had a dream that you married someone--> aishwarya, kareena, bipasha, shilpa, priyanka, all of dem..

(v) glued your hand to something--> cricket bat..batted for 4 hrz.hahaa

(v) kissed a photo--> yes!! yess!! yess!!

() climbed a water tower-- half way up...aage chhatta tha...madhumakkhi kaa

( ) screamed at the top of your lungs--- yess lord yess lord....howzzaattt.....pyar humein kiss mod pe le aaya....to name a few

( ) done a one-handed cartwheel

(v) talked on the phone for more than 5 hours--> I'll send u my mobile bills!!

() picked and ate an apple right off the tree-- apple, guava, anaar, angoor bhi

(v) climbed a tree --> amrood ka..nanaji k yahan..

( ) had a tree house

(v) been too scared to watch a scary movie alone--->

() believe in ghosts

( v) have more than 30 pairs of shoes --> is this for all the people i know???!.

() worn a really ugly outfit to school-- haan yaar i grew taller rapidly so my white pants...u knw

() gone streaking

() gone doorbell ditching

(v) been pushed into a pool/hot tub with all your clothes on-->

( ) told you're hot by a complete stranger-- HOT no..hot temperd yess

(v ) broken a bone--> Mine twice...batsmen's lot of timez( once got dropped cuz i knocked one of senior pro's finger off)

() been easily amused .-- i dont get amused..at all.

( ) caught a fish then ate it

() caught a butterfly .

(v) laughed so hard you cried--> yeah...um an absolute joker.

( ) cried so hard you laughed-- boyz dont cry...

(v) cheated on a test--> Engineering graduate..guess for urself...

(v) forgotten some one's name--> Haan yaar...short term memory loss...waise who tagged me bytheway???

( ) French braided some one's hair

() gone skinny dipping in a pool/hot tub/river

( ) been threatened to be kicked out of your house or been kicked out of your house--> every time i came back afte having a fight..

(v) loved someone so much you would gladly die for THEM --> i will live and make them happy

( ) cheated on someone--> ummmm...nxt plz..

(v) talk to yourself when no one's around --> singing is better!!

() hate someone you once loved -- no...dont hate anyone for dat matter

( v) love someone you once hated--> see above...

(v) kissed the phone for the person on the other side ------>> hmm...

(v) kissed the person on the other side of the phone --->>>well....yyyyeeaaaah!!!.

chalo done and dusted..um happy its over....comment at ur own riffk....

The Rising.....from ashes

"Sach.. bohut hi ajeeb-o-gareeb hota hai yeh sach...aksar. Truth is stranger than fiction"
By now u wud have realised(That is only if u have gone through the agonizing pain of reading my last 3 posts) that i have a fetish for using BigB dialogues almost anywhere and everywhere. But this post is not about him, nor is it another masterclass in cricket(From a wannabe sports commentator..thats me.hehe) where we discuss whom to pick and whom not to( with our valuable thoughts obviusly bearing no fruit whatsoever).

Lets start by describing the circumstances i'm writing in, its 02:47 in the night and this is the first time in months that i'm writing something with pen and paper(except of course darkening bubbles in my Prac cat OMR sheets). Before today there have been numerous instances where I wished to add to my blog's repertoire but just cudnt put bat to ball( beg your pardon for this cricket hangover.....on second thoghts its sounds cool.huh) So today i just dint want this idea to go down the drains and get added to my circular linked list of 'cud have been' piece of writings.(The writer is a computer engineer...hehe)


What I intend to write today is about the rush of blood u get when u get things done against all odds(This post was earlier titled "The rush of blood"). Its about the frenzy or the kick u get out of coming back from the dead. And this is certainly more thrilling than what one gets out of bungee jumping, scuba diving, rash driving, jumping a redlite etc.(all the desi and videsi daredevils are expected to pardon me for this) For me prevailing against the odds is the most thrilling experience one can have.

I recently experienced this when a loved one of mine was kinda uh-huh with me. I was dying to talk and had 1000s of things to say. But just cudnt get thru. And after puttin in all the hard work and waiting and wailing and ailing,,, all seemed lost. Then out of absolute nowhere appears my angel. The rush of emotions that hit me the joy the satisfaction the penchant of jumping sky high , the zeal to puch the air and yell like shammi kapoor; all at once in a split second(If u do not get what i m saying..you are completely entitled to). This roller coaster ride of emotions brings tears to the eyes of the strongest men, invariably.


This is what rising from the ashes is all about, i hope all of u remember how dire the circumstances were in 70s and then rose one man, The angry young man of india, every common man connected to the rage and sheer pain in the eyes of this great messiah, and thats what made him the superstar of the century, ZANZEER was born and with it started the journey of a legend. Wud he have become the superstar of the millenium, had his first 10 odd flicks worked on the box office? Sholay Trishul Deewar, the list continued. And thus came of the power one gets out of being torn to pieces and bouncing back.
Another case in point Is the famous India VS Australia Kolkata test in 2001. Where india after being almost down and out came back to clinch the greatest test match victory ever. Where two young boys became men and plundered the aussie ataack to pieces and with it there false pride too. To experience such a thrill i guess India shud consider accepting follow ons will fully in all its matches, as it gets the best out of them.
There are many more names, Andre agassi, Martina Hingis, Sourav Ganguly, Amitabh bachchan,Abishek bachchan , Rahul Dravid....the list is endless.
And at this point of time i feel like one of them, thanx to my angel.
Was even i had come back to secure the best academician award at my 12 class farewell after failing twice in mathematics in final exams in 11th and !st terms in 12th, So i guess this isnt new to me. But i dint have a blog to vent my happiness back then.


Here is to top it off the greatest poem of all time.

AGNEEPATH

Vruksh ho bade bhale,
ho ghane ho bhale,
Ek Patra chhah bhi mang mat, mang mat, mang mat,
Agnipath, Agnipath Agnipath;

Tu na thamega kabhi tu na mudega kabhi tu na rukega kabhi,
Kar shapath, Kar shapath, Kar shapath,
Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath.
Ye Mahan Drushya hain,
Chal raha Manushya hain,
Ashru, Sweth, Rakta se Latpath Latpath Latpath..
Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath.

- Late Shri Harivansh Rai Bacchan



And dats the bottomline coz the great one said so.