Another night of the Knights

In Match-4 of the DLF Indian Premier League, V.V.S Laxman, captain of the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, won the toss and elected to bat. On the Eden track, the team set a rather low total by the standards of T20, a mere 110 in18.4 overs. However, the experts of the game were almost unanimous that this was going to be an uphill task for the Kolkata Knight Riders and that the formidable score of 110 was indeed a competitive total on this track. When the Kolkata Knight Riders took the field to chase the total, a lot depended on the last match's hero, McCullum, but he departed quickly followed by Ponting and Wriddhiman Saha. The stands of spectators went quiet and the opponents were tightening the noose. Sourav did try to stay there but he too was dismissed for 14 after being hit twice by the ball, once on the chest and later on his fingers. Hafeez brought some relief with his big hits (a six and a four) when even singles seemed like a welcome thing. Nevertheless, it was the efforts of David Hussey (38 runs in 43 balls, which included one 4 and three 6s) that finally saw the hosts home. All this happened not before a slight drama when the lights went out with 3.2 overs to go (the Kolkata Knight Riders needed 22 runs from 20 balls at this stage). Had the lights not come back, application of the Duckworth Lewis method would mean a tie that would have been followed then by a bowlout. Thankfully, nothing like that happened and the home team won, not before giving us, the supporters, a few big scares, though.

I sat glued to the television throughout this game as I'm going to miss the next few ones, as they would be played on weekdays. Hope that the Knights would continue with their winning streak until the next holiday (18th May) when I can again make good use of the time watching them bat.

Few words that are so profound

I came across these lines which are so meaningful that I just can't help but share it with my blog readers. So, here it goes:

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you. Then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love". - Neil Gaiman

Ticket info for IPL

I would love to go to the Eden Gardens on 18th or 25th May (both being holidays) to watch at least one match of the IPL (Indian Premier League) and to cheer the Kolkata Knight Riders but am too lazy to run around for the tickets (yeah, online booking is available too, I know, but I never had any faith on online transactions, you see). So, let's see if some angelic intervention happens or not. :)

Well Done Kolkata Knight Riders

Though I missed most of the action of the first match of IPL (Indian Premier League), I returned from office just in time to savor the magnificent batting of McCullum en route to his not out 158 (in 73 balls, with ten 4s and thirteen 6s). In the second half, the bowlers of the Kolkata Knight Riders team tightened their grip on the match and gave Bangalore Royal Challengers absolutely no chance. So, it was a thumping win for Dada's team by a massive 140 runs in the first match of IPL.

Three cheers for Dada (aka Sourav Ganguly)....Hip Hip Hurray!!!

A peep into the Station Master's room at Central Metro Station

Yesterday on my way to office, my 40 ride metro ticket got rejected at the electronic gate though the last day of valid tenure was another week away. So, I approached a metro official posted at the gates for help. However, after a look at my ticket, the gentleman advised me to use the side gate to go ahead (lest I get late for my office) and visit the station master on my return journey. I was just too happy to oblige. So, in the evening, I went to see the station master, rehearsing the dialogs in my mind in case he was in a bad mood (I have this notion that a majority of government officials are always in a bad mood whenever they have to do something not in their itinerary and are often far placed from the word "etiquette"). But this time, I was quite happy to be proved wrong. The station master not only gave me a patient hearing but also offered me a seat. He examined my ticket first for the balance amount and then twice at a machine kept in the room before declaring that I can continue with the ticket and that no further problem would be there). Meanwhile, I also managed to have a look at the big screen (divided into four quadrants) which was showing areas of the station being monitored by the close circuit cameras. But this peep also gave me an insight about why suicides are still common at metro stations. In fact, limited vigilance at some particular points would never be enough to stop the deaths. So, unless the government goes ahead to install railings at the sides of the platform that would open up only after a train stops, people would continue with their suicide bids on the tracks of the metro railway.

Coming back to the story, thankfully, my ticket gave me no more problems and the ride back home was eventless.

Image courtesy: Website of Metro Railway, Kolkata

Fantastic Rupankar: a musical evening

Yesterday, I went to the University Hall at College Street to listen to a program of singer Rupankar (titled: Tumi Shunbey ki). Before this program, I had listened to just a few songs of this singer that were played on fm channels, especially, 91.9 FM (popularly known as Friend's FM). Though I liked the songs of Rupankar quite a lot, I never had any idea about the versatility of this singer. Rupankar gave a hint of his talent in yesterday's program. I'm really thankful to a friend of mine for arranging the tickets, without which I would never have been able to witness this event.

True to the hall's tradition of not being punctual, the program tested the patience of the audience a lot before finally beginning at 7 p.m (instead of the scheduled 6 p.m as printed on the tickets). However, Rupankar apologized somewhat at the very beginning and from there onwards, it was a smooth sailing. In the first half, the singer presented some of his not-so-common songs. He began with a song dedicated to his recently born daughter, Mohul. Two were medleys, marvellously blending the original English versions with the Bengali ones. Some songs had interesting phonetical sounds. Rupankar did full justice in singing these, moving with ease between fast numbers and not-so-fast ones. Little conversations in-between the songs gave an insight into the sensitive side of this versatile singer.

During the short tea-break, I came downstairs to have a cuppa but the huge crowd deterred me. Outside, it was raining heavily. The second half fittingly began with Rupankar's popular number Aaj Srabone (perhaps a tribute to the welcome showers outside). This half was dedicated to the audience and Rupankar belted one hit number after the other as requests from the crowd came pouring in, often in dozens. Finally, at 9.10 p.m, the program came to an end though many like me in the audience perhaps would have liked it to continue for sometime more (provided that vehicle back home was arranged or else, it would have been a problem to return). All-in-all, the whole event was simply brilliant. Hats off to you Rupankar. I hope that you would continue to enthrall your audience for years to come. I am already looking forward to your next stage show.

Chaitra Sale e life ta hell

As the month of Chaitra (the last month of the Bengali calendar) draws to a close, all the shops and shopping malls are offering discounts and special offers by the dozens to woo people. Poor souls like me are often caught in traffic jams, thanks to people who spill out on the roads from the already jam-packed shops, busy buying things with such a mad enthusiasm as if there's no tomorrow. So, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Chaitra Sale e life ta hell.

On a positive note, as the Bengali new year (Poila Baisakh is on 14th April) is about to begin, I hope that it would bring in new joy, hope and opportunity in everyone's life. So, here's wishing everyone Subho Nababarsho (in advance though).