A Cricket Crazy I Was

I had just finished one of my papers the previous day and sat brooding over what could have gone better. I focused on what went wrong rather than preparing for the next paper. But only until afternoon when the next match in the 1996 World Cup Cricket would begin. I reluctantly had my lunch and switched on the TV promising myself I would not stay glued to it for long.

Everything, including my mood and resolution changed in a few minutes when the winners of a certain ‘Best Catch and Run-out’ competition were to be announced. It was a few weeks before that when I decided on which was the best catch and run-out in a certain mid-match competition and wanted to answer the question. Sending through India Post, I knew would be slow and my answers would never reach before the last date, so I had called up my Uncle and asked him if he could fax from his office. He did.

Coming back to the announcement moment, my heart skipped several beats as I waited for the announcements; the judges' choices had matched mine! The second runner up was to be announced first and as the host Charu Sharma picked up the winner from a bunch of post cards, I knew it couldn’t be me! He then announced that he would pick up the first runner up from the bunch of faxes and I breathed a sigh of relief.  He then said it’s from a very far off place and I was almost telling myself that it had to me! In a few seconds, my name flashed across the TV screen and in those days when people paid less heed to privacy, my address too was on the screen. Yes, it was me! Yes, it was me!

I jumped up and down and cried and laughed loud and some of the neighbours thought that the siblings might be at their usual round of fights. I was alone at home and had just me to celebrate with! Not for long though as the phone started ringing...my uncle, my teacher ABD, my friends and relatives all who were watching TV that moment called up to congratulate. I called Baba but by that time the news had already reached him! Yes, it was one of those lucky lucky moments you want to remember for a lifetime.

I became a celebrity of sorts, everywhere I went random people would enquire and talk about it. I made several pen pals then, people who had caught my short address quick and written to me. At times, I would be embarrassed by people asking me if I had received the TV as it took a lot of effort from Baba and my aunt to actually get that coveted prize home. The Videocon 14 inch colour TV still lives in our home. Needless to say I didn’t care much for the First Prize as it was a ticket to Eden Gardens for the semis which I was eventually glad to have not won, thanks to the India-Srilanka outcome.

I don't think I will watch the 2019 Cricket World Cup but once was upon a time 'A Cricket Crazy I Was!

Summer of 1987

Shillong 1987



I don't remember which month it was but it was summer! It was just another normal day at school, when a group of boys entered the school premises and asked everyone to leave school. They also told us to stay at home for the next few days. What followed for the next few months could only be thought of as a story by anyone who has not lived it!

We were anyways growing up in an environment where we knew ourselves as outsiders, and we knew the reason...we didn't belong there and we didn't belong anywhere else! We were foreigners in our own country, yes we were foreigners in India.

It was another tribal/non-tribal clash. To be fair, it can't be called a clash as the land supposedly belonged to the tribals and they would resort to violence to create an atmosphere of panic.  It was one sided. This year it was directed at the Nepalis however at certain time or the other every non tribal community - the Bengalis, the Punjabi, the Marwaris all suffered. Banners and posters would clearly read 'Non-tribals get out'.

The KSU(Khasi Students Union) took the lead and resorted to violence against the non-tribals. Though initially it was targeted at illegal Bangladeshi however every non tribal community came under the radar. The state Government hardly took any action and watched in silence the death of non-tribals, the setting ablaze of shops and business establishments of the non-tribals, the unnecessary harassment to name a few!The Central Government was silent and indifferent.

When the Students' union leader was detained, what followed was 'blackout'. Yes, we lived in that part of independent India where we had to switch off the lights of our home in the evening. We  grew up in the midst of Bandhs and Curfews which were normal and never surprised anyone.

Our schools were closed indefinitely, hurting the young brains and making them fearful of each day. Our school however resorted to taking some classes outside school premises. We went to school in civil dresses, had combined classes with juniors and seniors. We did not have a class routine and lessons were taught on an adhoc basis. We kept learning amidst fear. Yes, we lived that life where we went to school in disguise. We waited for our parents to return home safe, after their work and not  a day passed when tension left us. Disruption of Durga Puja celebrations, hurling petrol bombs, deserted streets were the norm of the day.

So began another displacement, non-tribals in large numbers either vacated the tribal dominated areas or left the state for good. Some sold their homes  and properties to move to mainland India. Localities were cleansed of non-tribal population. Another kind on an exodus is what had happened unknown to the world at large.  This was neither the beginning nor the end of it...


https://do-re-mi-do-re-mi.blogspot.com/2019/06/summer-of-2018.html

Another chapter ends...memories that remain!

Its been little more than a week now and the feeling of loss is unexpressive...not many tears and a feeling of void and loss, and mostly numb...

A life gone, a cousin gone...leaving behind unanswered questions. It's like the leaves of a tree falling one by one, only this time the leaf was not old and withered!

So many memories come to the mind...of visits with Ma, of cricket matches and discussions and spending time playing games of marbles...memories of video games and often being told if I visited them to play these games.

Birthdays were incomplete without you all, all these wiped away by tides of time...

Aunts gone, Ma gone and now him! What remains? Barely a year after I wrote a tribute to 'Apple Pishi', her nephew and my cousin joined her too!

April 18th was his birthday and he left us all on April 26th. I didn't call him but left a message and meant to call him in some spare time. But that spare time never came!

His love for animals, cats and dogs are my very early memories of him. Every visit home would mean a visit to theirs the next or the following day. And of stories and tales from different worlds. Next time, it will be so blank and void...



Until we meet again Kuttu dada, you will stay forever in our heart!

This ‘Alpona’ done by you will remind us of your creativity. Wish there would be more ! This one, at the entrance will remain for as long as the colours don't fade.