Act of Love - Lachi Calls Me

 I met Lachi or Venkatapathi Raju as the world knows him when we were still 14 year olds in an Under 15 camp. He was showing such promise even then that Baig sir identified him and perhaps asked if he could join the BCCI South Zone camp before he had played for the state. Lachi had to wait another year to play for the state by which time we were team mates at MCC and then later on started on state tours for the Under 19, Under 22, Under 25 and even Ranji Trophy where we made our debut in the same match against Andhra.

At HCA's felicitation of the Ranji Winners some years ago - me second from left and Lachi fifth from left

One tale Lachi tells everyone even today is how he would give me all his money for safekeeping (and those days we would carry some 300-400 bucks in our pockets). There was no money from the HCA or BCCI - just boarding and lodging. If I remember right we had to pay for our food also then, except on match days when they would give us food at the ground. So I would keep both his and mine safely, spend frugally till the last day. He would ask when he needed money - either for a movie or a beer - and I would give him only that much and not more. I would save mine up till the last day when I would go and buy cassettes for the latest western music. Once we came back home I would give him the balance money which would be enough for the auto ride home and maybe some more. Lachi thought I was some kind of a financial genius which I was not, but I was glad he trusted me enough with his money and I did what I could best. (Once in Tellicherry, the hotel boy stole our money from my suitcase - luckily since it happened to many of the players, the hotel management reimbursed the money!)

U19 Champions at Vizianagaram - Lachi with the Cup as always, me third from left standing

U22 Champions at Bangalore - Lachi kneeling centre, me third from left standing

Under 19 winners at Vizianagaram, U22 winners at Bangalore, U22 South Zone winners at Guwahati  and then one fateful Under 22 trip to Chennai that was only half done thanks to a cyclone that stopped out train at Naidupeta. The bridges either side of the station collapsed and we were stuck there for three-four days. The rain flooded the station and water rose up to the level of the compartment floor. We had to put all the luggage on the bottom berth to prevent them getting wet which meant we had to sleep two in one berth. So it was Lachi, skinny as always, and me, sleeping head to toe for all those days. We ran out of food, ran after air dropped food, helped some people, and made it back in one piece. And many more escapades like that - long journeys with friends, dhaba outings etc. 

Throwback to the 80s - when we were still dreaming

It was a big brother, younger brother relationship. Once in an Under 19 match one Tamil Nadu player heckled him with some words and he came and told me that he was bothering him - he probably expected me to do something. When that fielder stood at silly point to me next over I whacked one at his shins and that sent the fielder howling and made Lachi dance with glee. He would always joke about our native villages which are close by - Alamuru and Polamuru. And when we bowled he would whisper East and West are always the best - referring to East Godavari and West Godavari. When we were studying in the Engineering college he would drop by at the hostel often with Chakkar, and people would think they were students of our college too. He climbed up poles to tie Choudary's banners when he stood for elections. In later years, he was my Chief Guest for the book launch of 'The Men Within' and 'This Way is Easier Dad'. Oh, and so many more stories,

Lachi went on to play for India while I was dropped during that Ranji winning season and went my engineering route. We kept in touch here and there and never lost touch really. The one day I always touch base with him is on his birthday and we share a couple of minutes - did that for over 40 years. Nothing much - just a happy birthday and he says thank you and we say we'll catch up and we move on. Wasn't sure if I was just being sentimental or if it was making any difference. 

And on his last birthday, for some reason I remembered but forgot to call him as I got caught up in stuff. At 4 pm he called me and asked 'How come you forgot my birthday?' It was such a cute moment. I told him I remembered but forgot to call and we laughed about it. 

I catch myself getting a little cynical about these rituals these days because sometimes I don't know if I am going on about these things when they perhaps don't mean much to others. I was losing steam there and was letting go. But after Lachi's call I realised it does make a difference - a tiny one perhaps - but certainly a difference to people who matter.

So Lachi, Happy Birthday again!

   

Koilkonda Fort - An Inspired Visit

Was reading Serish Nanisetty's book on Hyderabad (Golconda/Bagnagar/Hyderabad) and found an interesting detail - that in the Koilkonda fort of the 14th century, some 20 oddd kms from Mahbubnagar, there is an inscription of loyalty or proof from the people of Koilkonda pledging their undying support to Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, the fourth Qutb Shah Sultan who escaped to Hampi or the Vijayanagara kingdom to avoid an ugly confrontation with his brother Jamshed (who had already killed his father, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, for the throne and blinded one other brother). 

The stile with the inscription

Having spent his time in Vijayanagara learning Telugu (and also marrying a Telugu lady) Ibrahim heard that Lady Luck was smiling in his direction and that Jamshed was unwell and returned to claim his stake to the throne.

Vinod, tree and the stile

On the way back, on the border of the Golconda kingdom at Koilkonda he stopped and spoke to the people who promised that they would be by his side. 

Entering the fort

Impressive and well hidden entrance

Ibrahim apparently asked them how they can trust them and they decided that this untrusting chap needed something in writing so they pledged their allegiance in stone - 'written in stone'.The people were led by two leaders Sayyed Ali Miyan and Pir Miyan and the inscription addresses them as their leaders.

One of those things to shoot arrows or pour boiling oil

As per the book the inscription says - 

'We shall not break the promise made to Pir Miyan as well as Sayyed Ali Miyan. If anyone of us does, it will be a low act. It will be like the sin of killing cows and Brahmins in Varanasi. If someone violates the trust, then, his moustache  is equal to the pubic hair of a woman. If they still violate it, they will be considered to have given their wives to low class people. And if they still violate it, they will be considered to have given their wives to asses.

If a Muslim violates the trust of Ibrahim, then he will incur the sin of killing pigs at Mecca and having killed Hussain,'

Main entrance

Anyway this particular inscription lies there outside the fort and somehow (like how Namita Devidayal's book 'The Music Room' inspired me to visit Kolhapur and the Mahalakshni temple) I asked Vinod who frequents Mahbubmnagar on official business (like collecting his pensions papers now that he's retired). He said he had an upcoming visit and I asked him if I could join. So off we went.

Another gate - at right angles

Near the Ashoorkhana

The Mahbubnagar  area is full if hillocks and Koilkonda is one such. A cement road leads you off to the fort, its a tiny town, and the road leads almost to the steps. You see little of the fort but as you climb the steps, smooth granite that's slippery, you come to a clearing and the famous inscription is very much there. 

The Ashoorkhana

Then we looked at the gate which was strategically placed at an angle and had some amount of influence from Golconda certainly and another gate, this one small and at right angles so any slightly bigger bunch of people or animals would have to play that game of bending themselves into difficult contortions to get in - Twister.

Picnickers

We walked up a bit, saw an Ashoorkhana, some water bodies and came back. Did not dare go all the way up in the heat. Apparently it had seven gates, many bastions, a watch tower and overlooks the Koil Sagar lake on the other side.

Some people were sitting under a tree and picnicking. I love how they do that. Why don't we do it anymore?    

Anjali - Couple of Articles for DU Beat

 Here are a couple of articles Anjali wrote for DU Beat recently - one co-authored.

Anjali - A Prefect!

This is an old blog, a few years ago...

...

I could see from the smile on her face when she got off the school van that something had happened. Then she shyly pointed to the badge on her shirt. 'Prefect' it said. I made a song and dance about it but she was like - no big deal, almost everyone in 6th and 7th are Prefects.


So what?

After a short and uncomfortable stint as class monitor in class IV and then classs VI where the unruly Lloyd and his pals ended all further dreams of monitoring the class, I never was in for leadership positions until I led college, University and club side. So I have great respect for Prefects.

Thought for the Day - Perfection is the enemy of Self-Esteem

We are never perfect, so we will never be enough.

When we are never enough in our eyes, our self-esteem falls.

The idea is to know that we are always striving for something greater, something closer to perfection and in that, we are perfect as we are.

Keep self-esteem high!

Anjali - Miranda House Wins Second Prize

So the Miranda House Western Music Society of which A is now a member, won the second prize at the St Stephen's music festival. Here's a video of their Acapella group in action. 

Thought for the Day - Dealing With Our Pain

Quite clearly we are the ones who are creating pain for ourselves - by giving others too much importance and control over us with their words and actions. Can we ignore them and move on, happily? Yes we can. But we choose to suffer, bound by their words and actions. 

So, we are the ones who are are creating the pain so we are the ones who can rid ourselves of our pain as well. When there's pain, look within. And drop it. 

Find something more interesting to do. Nobody's watching you suffer and nobody's interested either.