Cooling-off
Cricket made a re-entry into US of A with its wham-bam format – the T-20s. The just concluded Major Cricket League in the USA gave Dilliwalahs a glimpse of one of its brightest cricketing talents, Unmukt Chand. Unmukt, the captain of the under-19 World Cup winning team, had dropped off the radar and he eventually gave up cricket in India. Not a surprising decision, considering the way Delhi District Cricket Association, DDCA, manages its affairs. Stalwarts such as Bishen Singh Bedi and Kirti Azad are now cooling-off after having raised their voices over the affairs of DDCA but to no avail. First they were up against a powerful minister of the BJP government at the centre and now they have to deal with his son (nepotism and cricket in India were two different things, no?).
Players giving up on their careers with the BCCI are now being asked to wait for a ‘cooling-off’ period before thsey can enrol themselves in cricketing leagues across the world. Dilliwalahs can’t fathom this at all. A former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court did not need a cooling-off period before he was presented with a Rajya Sabha seat. Wonder what secrets these ‘retired’ cricketers are privy to that get the son of the all-powerful Home Minister all worried. Apparently the secret behind bowling a flipper or a reverse swing deserves more cover-up than the intricacies of jurisprudence.
This ‘cooling-off’ debate took a completely different turn and slid into a discussion on probity thanks to the maiden speech of this former CJI in Rajya Sabha. That he questioned the jurisprudence of the basic structure of the constitution shook Dilliwalahs. Even an extra large drink in the evening didn’t drown that feeling of shock and disappointment. Long live Justice – long live India.
Delhi is being spruced up for the G20 Summit. One wonders how come even after nine years of Swachh Bharat Mission the capital still needs a special cleaning drive. Besides the washing and scrubbing drive to showcase a ‘new’ Delhi, orders were issued to remove street dogs from several locations in the city. However, pressure from Dilliwalahs forced the withdrawal of these orders. It is likely that the authorities also realised the enormity of the job at hand upon discovering that not all street dogs in Delhi are of the canine family!
StateOfDelhi Suggests: If you were to catch a train from Delhi’s Sarai Rohilla Railway Station and you do not factor in the labyrinth of little streets leading to the station – you are likely to miss the train. Surprisingly, this station was excluded from the list of 508 railway stations being revamped. Only Narela, Sabzi Mandi and Delhi Cantt stations from Delhi are on that list. This seems a bit weird to Dilliwalahs because if there is one station that badly needs a revamp, it is this 1872-established station. Well, it reflects the planners’ limited understanding of Delhi. Now, if you miss your train at Sarai Rohilla then just relax and take an e-rickshaw to head straight to Om Sweets on Desh Bandhu Gupta Road. The chana bhatura here will make you forget the misfortune of having to take a train from Sarai Rohilla. You could even do a reverse – venture our to sample the chana bhatura and then get on the adventure of discovering Sarai Rohilla Railway Station.
StateOfDelhi Stumbled Upon: A new section has been added to the StateOfDelhi blogs. As the heading suggests – this section will have stuff that this blogger stumbles upon. Disclaimer: If you draw contextual references of what’s reproduced here with all that’s happening around you – you are doing that at your own risk.
Re-reading Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell, this blogger stumbled upon this piece:
“The horrible thing about the Two Minute Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in… A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces with sledgehammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one’s will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic.”
Catching a train from Sarai Rohilla is a test of the forget skills of navigating through narrow “gallis”. Maybe Om Sweets can start an e rickshaw service to Sarai Rohilla for its customers. Have cholla catura and then catch the train.
Very interesting piece full of sarcasm served with delicious information….
Thanks Sanjay
Good one! I particularly liked your not so discreet reference…”…not all street dogs in Delhi are of the canine family” 🙂
Oh! I was worried that may get me into big trouble!!
Wonderfull write-up once again, can’t fathom why a cricket player, who is retired or redundant poses a risk to the Cricket establishment and the cooling off period thereof.
You remain consistent in your sarcasm over inconsistencies, l loved this piece.
After reading your blog it might be worth making a trip to Sarai Rohilla station and to have chana bhature at Om. Loved the sarcasm on the cooling off period and the street dogs.interesting piece
The piece from 1984 which you have mentioned here gives shiver down to my spinal chord as I recall the horror of 84 riot.
Swatch bharat is a continuous process which though was initiated by the government but with a vision that citizens will carry forward .
Dogs in the street….. too good.
Your blogs always make interesting reading, besides being informative. Sarai Rohilla station very few people visit & maybe the reason for it not to get a makeover.
Don’t know about the Sarai Rohilla station, but would love to accompany you to the Cholla Bhature destination, though maybe Omjees equally good?