Every year starting April 16th, there is a ban on fishing in the Tamilnadu Coast from Thiruvallur to Kanyakumari Districts. Since scientists found fish breeding to be active in the eastern coastal belt during April and May, fishing by mechanised boats from Thiruvallur to Kanyakumari districts is prohibited between April 15 and May 29. The ban excludes fishing by country boats and catamarans.
I never thought I’d get into this. The IPL frenzie, I mean. Too much of pompous marketing hype, and a proof of what would happen if cricket was more than cricket and added bollywood and cheerleaders to the mix - thats what I thought. I had initially gotten some tickets from a friend, and had passed it on to some friends who showed more interest than me in the game. But when a couple of tickets were offered by a close family friend with the best seats in the stadium, it was a bit tempting to say yes, than to put it down and Yes I said.
This is the first time I am watching a live cricket match in the Chennai stadium and I am no sports reporter. So I hope the readers of this blog will be lenient should this fall short of an actual coverage.
The game was to start at 4pm today, but the ticket said that folks would be expected there a good two hours beforehand. Knowing how our folks have no sense of time these days - or are just enjoying an extra hour or so lazing on a saturday - we decided to play the first mover advantage and head to the stadium early. We reached there at around 2:45. The sun was still out. It was fairly hot, but a couple of folks - Mirchi Suchi, Benny Dayal etc were trying to keep a few people occupied and entertained with their live music.
At around, 3:30, the teams started coming in, and were going about their routine of stretches and excercises, and ten minutes before the game, the coin was tossed and Kolkata won it, preferring to bat.
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Is Chennai going the Singapore way? Naaah.. I don’t think so. It certainly doesn’t seem so from this penalty chart that the government has released!! While on the topic, I wonder what happened to the ‘other’ cleanup plans we have seen in the past? Remember the City cleanup proposal by Neel Metal Fanalca? or the port cleanup activity? or the river cleanup plan? or the innovative coastal cleanup competition? Anyway.. let’s not do a postmortem, and be as hopeful as before and believe that there is always a miracle waiting to happen that would solve all our country’s problems….
Dubai is a little behind us. Singapore, Malaysia.. pfft, quite. Are you asking about what this is about? Land prices my friend, land prices.
While at a friendly get-together yesterday evening, it seemed like all the conversations revolved around the changing landscape of Chennai. I whispered under my breathe to a friend that it seems real-estate is the hot topic for the day, to which he made a public announcement that its always a topic, because either we bought it and are hoping the prices will remain this way (or better yet keep rising), or we cant afford and we are just jealous. I am wondering if there is truth to it - there might be. (more…)
Writing legend Stella Bruce left us on Saturday. One more master of the pen, who produced classics such as ‘Adhu oru Nilakkaalam’ and ‘Panangaattu Annachi’ lost to us forever.
Rest in Peace.
Dinamani, the tamil newspaper, from the Express Group carried a report on The Chennai Photowalk.
I recently caught a re-run of Evam’s Art. Its their first production, and supposedly their favorite. The story is pretty simple. Three friends, Mark, Sarge and Ivan, are there. Sarge blows an obnoxious sum of money on a piece of modern art. Like most commonfolk, Mark cannot appreciate the painting, and has issues with Sarge blowing money on it. In the middle of the conflict is Ivan who is getting married soon. The play is about how these three have their relationship defined by this painting.
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New Indian Express in its City Express supplement dated 23/01/2008 carried a report on the Chennai Photowalk
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The Azaadi Express (a mobile exhibition covering India’s history from 1857 to present day) is here. Today, the central station was crowded with a different kind of population. A whole lot of people without baggage, one their way from office, long queues of school children. The Azaadi Express exhibition seems to be drawing crowds. The exhibition includes original vintage photographs, pictures, exhibits etc from India’s history. The idea has been conceived by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to mark the 150th anniversary of the ‘First War of Independence’.
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In a few days now, (ulp!) I’ll be among close to 40,000 people running for charity as part of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. And from the Chennai part of it at least, I won’t be alone. The team, consisting staff, residents and friends like Khushboo, Rohini, Revathy, Vivek Oberoi (you may have seen the hoardings) are all running to raise funds.
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