Lawyers Stumped
There is cricket fever in the air. But taking a break from watching the Indian XI, some from the legal fraternity in the city cheered their own brothers in gowns on a recent weekend. Only, they had replaced the black gowns with cricket gear for the Justice M C Chagla Trophy match at Mumbai Gymkhana. The clash was close. The senior lawyers’ team batted first and scored 154, with Pankaj Sawant hitting the only six of the day and winning the best batsman with 59 not out. The bar was set high. The team from the bench went to bat, undaunted. They wanted to reclaim the trophy after last year’s win by the lawyers. Justice Riyaz Chagla, the amiable grandson of Bombay high court’s first Indian Chief Justice M C Chagla, was out early. Justice Sarang Kotwal put the heat on the lawyers though. In a long partnership with Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Jamdar, he scored a scintillating 87 to become man of the match. Justice Kotwal was bowled out by Fredun Devitre, the senior counsel who took two wickets, including the Chief Justice’s, to become the best bowler. The Chief Justice’s XI went on to win when Justices Girish Kulkarni and Nitin Sambre, with two balls to spare in the T-20, scored the winning run with just four wickets down. The verdict: Judges wield the gavel and the willow just as well.
Memories of 1971
The IAF’s action at Balakot has rekindled memories of the 1971 conflict which led to the creation of Bangladesh. The 14-day war had triggered a groundswell of support for the Indian army. With no internet, social media or television, dailies and eveningers were the only source of information on the happenings on the eastern front. A sheet of darkness would often envelop the city after dusk as tubelights in every house and street lights would go off following a deafening siren. Even a flickering speck of light would invite loud protests from alert neighbours. Indira Gandhi’s famous speech on the Ramlila ground was heard in rapt attention by anxious Mumbaikars on their radio sets. Wayside paan shops and tea stalls would keep their rickety transistors on high volume to enable patrons to catch the latest AIR bulletin. Mumbaikars became well conversant with Bangladesh hotspots such as Sylhet, Mymensingh and Comilla. Lata Mangeshkar was roped in by Indira Gandhi for a concert in New Delhi where the nightingale sang ‘Joh samar mein ho gaye amar’, a heartwrenching number set to tune by Jaidev. Renowned filmmaker Sukh Dev captured on his camera the last moments of the birth of a new nation. The documentary was aptly titled ‘Nine Months To Freedom’.
Disaster Ready
At the recent inauguration of the City Institute of Disaster Management at Parel, which is a replica of the city’s existing 24x7 disaster management control room, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray fondly recounted his school days to emphasize the need to be prepared in case of any eventuality. “My school principal had created a task force, comprising students, to take action during any disaster. For instance, how we could help in controlling a fire. Disasters can occur any time and it is imperative that one knows how to act and not panic. A classic example would be that of IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman who remained calm and did not panic during his captivity in Pakistan. He only gave those answers which he was supposed to,” said Thackeray.
Posters Up
Some days ago, some posters emerged in Mumbai’s traditionally Marathi-speaking areas such as Dadar and Vile Parle. ‘Mumbai-la kaamgarancha shaap aahe,’ they said. Meaning, the curse of workers is upon the city. For a while, people wondered what the posters meant but then the so-called secret tumbled out: It was a reference to a Marathi play on the city’s mill workers and their plight that opened recently. Marathi theatre has been known for its many innovations but a ‘teaser’ on a controversial and emotionally charged subject was nevertheless a bit of a surprise.
THE CLEANLINESS MESSAGE: Wall art at Girgaum Chowpatty
There is cricket fever in the air. But taking a break from watching the Indian XI, some from the legal fraternity in the city cheered their own brothers in gowns on a recent weekend. Only, they had replaced the black gowns with cricket gear for the Justice M C Chagla Trophy match at Mumbai Gymkhana. The clash was close. The senior lawyers’ team batted first and scored 154, with Pankaj Sawant hitting the only six of the day and winning the best batsman with 59 not out. The bar was set high. The team from the bench went to bat, undaunted. They wanted to reclaim the trophy after last year’s win by the lawyers. Justice Riyaz Chagla, the amiable grandson of Bombay high court’s first Indian Chief Justice M C Chagla, was out early. Justice Sarang Kotwal put the heat on the lawyers though. In a long partnership with Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Jamdar, he scored a scintillating 87 to become man of the match. Justice Kotwal was bowled out by Fredun Devitre, the senior counsel who took two wickets, including the Chief Justice’s, to become the best bowler. The Chief Justice’s XI went on to win when Justices Girish Kulkarni and Nitin Sambre, with two balls to spare in the T-20, scored the winning run with just four wickets down. The verdict: Judges wield the gavel and the willow just as well.
Memories of 1971
The IAF’s action at Balakot has rekindled memories of the 1971 conflict which led to the creation of Bangladesh. The 14-day war had triggered a groundswell of support for the Indian army. With no internet, social media or television, dailies and eveningers were the only source of information on the happenings on the eastern front. A sheet of darkness would often envelop the city after dusk as tubelights in every house and street lights would go off following a deafening siren. Even a flickering speck of light would invite loud protests from alert neighbours. Indira Gandhi’s famous speech on the Ramlila ground was heard in rapt attention by anxious Mumbaikars on their radio sets. Wayside paan shops and tea stalls would keep their rickety transistors on high volume to enable patrons to catch the latest AIR bulletin. Mumbaikars became well conversant with Bangladesh hotspots such as Sylhet, Mymensingh and Comilla. Lata Mangeshkar was roped in by Indira Gandhi for a concert in New Delhi where the nightingale sang ‘Joh samar mein ho gaye amar’, a heartwrenching number set to tune by Jaidev. Renowned filmmaker Sukh Dev captured on his camera the last moments of the birth of a new nation. The documentary was aptly titled ‘Nine Months To Freedom’.
Disaster Ready
At the recent inauguration of the City Institute of Disaster Management at Parel, which is a replica of the city’s existing 24x7 disaster management control room, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray fondly recounted his school days to emphasize the need to be prepared in case of any eventuality. “My school principal had created a task force, comprising students, to take action during any disaster. For instance, how we could help in controlling a fire. Disasters can occur any time and it is imperative that one knows how to act and not panic. A classic example would be that of IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman who remained calm and did not panic during his captivity in Pakistan. He only gave those answers which he was supposed to,” said Thackeray.
Posters Up
Some days ago, some posters emerged in Mumbai’s traditionally Marathi-speaking areas such as Dadar and Vile Parle. ‘Mumbai-la kaamgarancha shaap aahe,’ they said. Meaning, the curse of workers is upon the city. For a while, people wondered what the posters meant but then the so-called secret tumbled out: It was a reference to a Marathi play on the city’s mill workers and their plight that opened recently. Marathi theatre has been known for its many innovations but a ‘teaser’ on a controversial and emotionally charged subject was nevertheless a bit of a surprise.
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| Wall art at Girgaum Chowpatty |
THE CLEANLINESS MESSAGE: Wall art at Girgaum Chowpatty
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