Dinanath Da: Chhuti Habe Na

Saal-ta 2004-05 habe… takhon chakri kori Wockhardt Hospital-e… Deshapriya Park-er kaache… sondhebelay office sheshe hente hente Rashbehari-r more obdhi aastam. Rashbehari More-e metro station-er lagoa duto boi-er dokan chhilo… magazine bikri korto. Du saptahe ekta India Today ba Outlook kinte baadho hotam… Baadho kaaron out of guilt… baaki Filmfare, Stardust, Anandolok dokandarer saamne daariye daariyei portam. Unio hoyto bhabten ki bolbo dekhte bhadro barir chhele!

Ekdin ekta boi najore porlo… ‘Narendrapur’: Ekti Iscool-er Brittanto. Cheye dekhlam… amader 1979 batch-er dada-ra boiti chhepechhen to celebrate 25 years of their passing out from the institution. Nere chere dekhlam anekei likhechhen… Swami Lokeshwarananda Ji Maharaj, Bishnu Da (Swami Asaktananda Ji Maharaj), Kalipada Da, Madan Da, Dinanath Da, Girban Da, Prashanta Giri Da, Narayan Da, Sharad Da, Shankar Da… promukho.

Sabar aage na jaani keno Dinanath Da-r lekhatay chokh deowar ichchhe holo. Jantam na nijer jiboner sreshtho certificate apekkha kore aachhe…

“Natok jara korto taader jonno chhilo aamar bishesh prosroy o pokkhopaat. Ekhon pathokder bolte badha nei, aami aamar saddho mato oder beshi number ditam, taader shasti (Jodi kakhono hoto) mokub-er jonno dharadhori kortam.

Ki sab obhinoy oder… Jishu, Chanakya, Chandragupta, Harshabardhan, Master Da, Nimai!”

Bhablam thik porlam toh… “Master Da”!

Aami sadharanoto beshi likhte boshi na kintu kakhono mone hoy kichhu manusher jonno lekhata joruri… nijer jibone kritaggota-ta sabar saamne prokash joruri. It’s not an obituary but it’s also to relish those moments once more.

Dinanath Da-r saathe prothom porichoy Class V-e… 1987. Bangla-e class teacher. Amra esechhi class-e bangla-r sab boi khaata niye… ek taak-e alpo chul, kaalo, dhuti Panjabi para bhadrolok elen. Bollen khaata kholo… uni board-e gaachh, hijibiji line, golakar, utpatang shapes aankte thaklen aar bollen khataay copy karo. Korlam. Bhablam… er saathe banglar ki samparko!

Dwitiyo din… same abostha… box aankchhen… aar taar bhetore chhai bhashmo design. Bhablam kon paagoler pallay porlam. Class-e kathao balen na beshi. Aar amader keu kichhu bolte gelei “jao… aaj tomar chhuti”. Bojho kando!

Tritoyo din-e giye magic-er mato ki ekta enke… ardhek muchhlen aar saathe saathe berolo “a” “aa” “I” “II” ebong ityadi. Sedin giye bujhlam je amader haather lekha porishkaar karar byabostha hochchhilo. Ami aaj-o oi tin-te diner jonno Dinanath-dar kaachhe kritaggo. Aaj-o garbo kore bolte paari amar theke bhalo bangla haather lekha khub beshi aami dekhini… aar etao guarantee diye bolte paari Dinanath-dar kaachhe class V-e jara porechhe taader prottek-e irrespective of their hand-writing quality maddhomik-e gota 5 number minimum beshi peyechhe prottek paper-e… irrespective of writing the paper in English or Bengali. He made us aware haater lekha makes a difference.

Aami bhaggobaan manushta-r kaachhe aashar besh kichhu sujog peyechhilam. Du-teen-te class-e dekhechhi as a Bangla teacher…

Ek baar class VI ba VII habe ba VIII IX o hote pare… monthly porikkhaar khaata dilen… deowar pare bollen… ke highest peyechho… ke ekta bolechhilo haat tulo, “33”… amader baaki der dike takiye bollen “taar maane O 82.5% bangla jaane”… Amay dekhe bollen “kato peyechhis?” Bollam “27”. Jabab elo, “Tui 67.5% bangla jaanis”. Amra sabai khanikta byabachyaka kheye edik odik dekhchhilam… Uni bollen “Eman ta kakhono ki hoy? Ami 81% bangla jaani aar tumi 60.79% bangla jaano? Hoy na… shekhar bichar number aar percentage diye hoy na.” Jara kam peyechhilo bole mon kharap korchhilo nimeshe dukkho udhao.

Chhoto bela theke ichchhe chhilo amio Amitabh Bachchan hobo… cinema-y nachbo, prem korbo, gaan gaaibo, dushtu lok thyangabo. Kono bhadro bangali ma baba o jug-e omon bhabna prosroy diten na. Amar baba ma-o denni. Narendrapur-e jakhon elam, it gave me the opportunity to act. Bachhor-e ekta natok mega scale-e hoto… aar bhabon-er cultural functiongulo toh chhiloi. Class V-e amra dekhlam prothom “Beer Mohonlal”… natok-er rehearsal bikele khelar samay habe bole gelam na. Rathin-ke Mohonlal-er choritre dekhe abar hoye gelam aar mone mone bollam “WoW”!

Parer baar sujog elo Class VI-e… ebaar Sagar Bhattacharya dhore niye gelo… se ek annorakam Dinanath-da ke dekhlam… Natok chhilo Gautam Buddha… amar chhoto role… duto scene… kono ek raj sabhar kormi… rehearsal holo… aami aar Atri Mitra roj stage-e uthi aar haashi… dialogue deowar samay kono bhabe samal diye utrono… Dinanath Da ek-du din dhorechhilen but then somehow we managed.

Natok-tar duto show hoyechhilo… Narendrapur-e aar dwitiyota Gol Park-e tatkaalin Rajyapal Mahashay-er saamne.

Er moddhe ekta cultural function-e amra VII English Medium theke ekta natak korte gechhilam junior section-e… aagei bolechhilam Amitabh Bachchan haowar adommo ichchhe… natok-ta chhilo Aaj Ka Arjun-er rupantar ba orakam kichhu ekta. Junior-ra eto aaowaj diyechhilo ebong dito jekhane sekhane sarbatro… bhabteo shuru korechhilam aar noy. (“Kure Kure” mone pore?”)

Parer naatok chhilo Ashok… aami chhilam Bindusar-er Pradhan montri… bayoshko… ebaar-o duto scene… Koustoov chhilo Bindusar. Amader emon make-up hoyechhilo… amar ma-baba amay chinte parenni ebong natok-er pare anekei jiggesh korechhilo, “ei toder toh dekhlam na”. Ashok-er saathe aamra Aantpur gechhilam. Giye chokh chhanabara… se toh bishaal maath… stage-o chhoto. Dinanath-da amader bollen, “chintar kichhui nei… jemon practice korechho sabai… thik setai korbe”. Hathath mone porlo, Narendrapur-e screening haowar pare je rehearsal gulo hoyechhilo taate Dinanath Da sabai-ke ektu loud hote bolten, dramatic hote bolten… sedin bujhechhilam natak aar jatra-r parthokko. Kintu jaate chaap na baare amader opor, ekbaar-o “amra jaatra korte jachchhi” bolenni. Aantpur-e “jatra”/natok-er sheshe grambashi aar abashik-der akuntho obhorthona peyechhilam.

Kintu takhon-o raastay haantleo shunte hoto “kure kure”!

Parer baar “Master Da”. Taar aage obdhi aamra je kata natok korechhi bidyalaya-r sangoskriti bibhag projojito segulo chhilo muloto oitihashik natok… sekhane “Master Da” anek beshi adhunik.

Rehearsal-er prothom din amader theke junior ekti chhele “Master Da” nirbachito holo. Amader ektu kharap-i legechhilo… aamra maane Koustuv, Rathin, Sagar, Aamar ebong amra so called “senior”der. Du tin din chhollo… natoke ekta dialogue chhilo je Surjo Sen roga chhilo… aar amader je bhrata Master Da-r choritre chhilen moteo roga chhilen na. Parer din aamra du-tin jon rehearsal-e gelam na. Parer din daak porlo… gelam duru duru buk-e… kono proshno korlen na… “Ja… Master-dar part-ta kar”. Khub beshi dekhaten na amay… bhablam kono bhabe na asar kaaron jaante pere rege aachhen ki? Du-ekdin par jiggesh korlam, “Dinanath-da, thik hochhe toh?” Bollen, “Porichalak ke… tumi na aami?” Aar katha baraini.

Manush-er majhe majhe mati-te pa pare na… amar-o porchhilo na. After all, ami Hero… natok-er Hero! Urchhilam!

Schooler 1^st floor-er hall ghar-e rehearsal cholchhe podium-er opor… keu ekta jore jore pa thukchhilo… pa thoka dekhe anekei dariye gechhilo… keu keu haanschhilo… Dinanath da shodhrachhilen oke. Choritro ta sainik-er chhilo bolei bodhoy ami foron ketechhilam, “natok korchhe na parade”. Pasher 3-4 jon khub jore heshe uthechhilo. Dinanath Da amader dike elen, bollen “tomader chhuti”! Amra kakuti minoti korlam… shunlen na… bollen “dariye sabar samay nashto koro na… tomader chhuti”.

Amra beriye gelam. Hero theke Zero hot ek-minit legechhilo. Baire dariye chhilam… rehearsal shuru hoye gelo. Sagar baire eshe khub khisti dilo. Rehearsal shesh holo… Dinanath Da dekheo dekhlen na… beriye gelen. Oi ekta ghatanatei bujhiye dilen Hero hoye kaaj nei… eta ekta dalogato poribesh… ekhane sabar ektai porichoy… “abhineta”...se jato chhoto aar jato baro role-i hok na keno.

Parer din eshe baire dariyechhilam… Dinanath Da dhokar samay dekhe heshe bollen “ja… shuru kar”.

Praan-e bal pelam… cholchhilo bhaloi… din 20 par Dinanath Da amar dosh khunje pelen.

Sanglaap-ta chhilo, “Shahor Kemon Dekhle?”

Ami bolchhilam, “shahor K E M O N dekhle”… Dinanath Da bollen, “jor-ta SHAHOR-er opor dite habe”. Ami aabar bollam, “shahor K E M O N dekhle”… Dinanath Da bollen, “S H A H O R kemon dekhle?” Ami ja bolchhilam taai bolte thaklam… amar saathe jaara stage-e chhilo nijer position chhere amake bojhate laaglo… “shahor K E M O N dekhle”… aar ami sei je je sei. Kaan-e register korchhilo na kono bhabei. Dinanath Da stage-e elen… sabai shore gelo… shudhu uni aar aami. amake gota 3-4 rakam bhabe kore dekhalen/shonalen, “shahor K E M O N dekhle”… “S H A H O R kemon dekhle?”… “shahor K E M O N   D E K H L E”… tarpar bollen… “ei teen-te chhele shahor ghure esechhe… tumi jaante chaichho shahorer poristhiti Kemon… shahore pulish aachhe kina… ityadi… ektu bhebe dekh… chalo shuru karo”. Uni neme gelen… sabai phire elo… and that was my “Patal Babu” moment… this was my learning of modulation of voice and stressing on a particular word.

Final rehearsal… stage haowar aager din. Penultimate scene. I had a monologue. Ebong aami bhule gechhilam. Just mone porchhilo na… aage pichhu baniye manage korbo setao mone porchhilo na. Sabai haay re haay re kore uthlo… I was blank. Dinanath Da swagokti-r moton bole uthlen, “kaal amar naatok aar aaj main part part bhule jachchhe!”

Parer din aar bhul hoyni… sabai uchhoshito chhilen… aar Dinanath Da je khushi hoyechhilen seta bujhlam jakhon bollen “bhul hoye gechhe ekta… natokta video kara uchit chhilo”… taai shuru holo abar rehearsal… aarek baar staged holo khali hall-e… shudhu video camerar jonno! Seta chhilo 1993. Odin-er par aar kakhono “kure kure marbo” shunte hoyni!

Aar ami certificate-ta pelam Rashbehari More-e daariye 2004-e.

Dinanath Da je kato bhalo likhten ta bichar karar khamota amar nei… shudhu anubhab kortam je apurbo likhechhen. Dinanath Da Sagar-er jonno role likhten. Master Da Surjo Sen-e kono comedy choritro thakar proyojon chhilo bole mone hoy na… kintu Dinanath Da Sagar aar Arko ke emon kore enechhilen je oder baad diye natok-ta bhaba mushkil.

Or naatok ek baar dekhar soubhaggo hoyechhilo… hathat ekta jowan chhele laafiye praay maajh stage obdhi chole elo. Chul daariwala oi jubok je aadot-e Dinanath Da seta bujhte samay legechhilo khannikhan… aar aaj-o bhabchhi atota lafalen ki kore!?!

Dinanath Da-r mato roshik manush khub kam chhilen. Je rashbodh or moddhe chhilo seta bojhao bodhoy ekta achievement… Gambhir mukhe katha-ta bole sabai ke confuse kore (je seriously bolchhen na yearki) heshe fela chhilo onar ekta art.

Senior Section-er extempore speech competition… 1993… Dinanath Da onnotamo bicharok.

Amar topic chhilo “Kaguje Bagh”… Ami bolechhilam “ei hall-ei anek baagh aachhen… mukhe ei korbo sei korbo… dour oi baam diker ghar ta obdhi… je mathay chul nei, se mathay tel diye ki labh!” Chhelera faatiye haat taali dilo, Shikkhokra chup chaap… shudhu Ajit Da gombhir Ashok Da-r kaane kichhu bollen”… Dinanath Da as usual expressionless chhilen.

Parer din class-e elen… boslen… “Kaal tahole aamra bagh dekhlam”.

Ektu aage Dinanath Da-r byapare katha hochhilo Amitava Da-r saathe… Amitava Da bollo, “Dinanath Da was truly an icon… Narendrapur-er bhalo shikkhok anek aachhen… Dinanath Da-r level ta anno chhilo… eto creative… eto kichhu shikhechhi… unbelievable”. Sotti… bhaggobaan aamra.

Dinanath Da, pronam neben… amader mon theke, kaaj-er theke aapnar “Chhuti” holo na… habeo na.

The Last Spartan

It was a morning… probably wasn’t even 7 days that we have just arrived at Senior Section being part of Class VII English Medium. The PT teacher (I can’t recall his name) was absent. Walks in a dark, short guy in white shirt, grey trousers and black chappals. Students of both the sections stood still in attention. It was supposed to be a PT Class. There ought to be some action… some physical exercise… or so we thought and I definitely believed in.

What happens instead is this man starts off with a lecture, “Na tomader Shram-e aniha… tomra shromik na… ami shromik, amar moddhe shromik-er rakto boichhe.” I was standing in the 3^rd row of the 1^st file of our section. I was wondering what’s going on… and he went on… “Spartacus… amar moddhe Spartan rakto boichhe…”. Spartacus was fresh in my memories… it was the final chapter of History in Class VI. Tell me what would you do if you were in my shoes? Nope… my Keds?

Exactly, Bingo!!! You are absolutely correct… you would have nodded and given a wry smile in agreement. Even I did the same. Nothing more… nothing less.

And then…? “Na, tumi emon korte paro na…” *THYAAAI THYAAAI THAAAI* “Tumi ebhabe Shromik-ke asamman korte paro na..” *THYAAAI THYAAAI THAAAI* “Na tomar toh kono dosh nei… kintu Ami Spartacus” *THYAAAI THYAAAI THAAAI*…  and so he spoke and then there was action and again he spoke…and again there was action and again he spoke… and again there was action… after 20 minutes and when PT was over, I kept wondering what was that!

I was introduced to Shri Arun Kr Das… and so were my classmates.

Next day he held my hand and hugged me tight.

I was travelling today with my colleagues in a place called Boisar (near Tarapore if that rings a bell) and visiting business partners… when I saw the post on FB by Aniruddha Hom Choudhury. I didn’t knew what to do… I wanted to write but couldn’t write anything. It was the final call of the day… I got out of the car and asked my colleagues to excuse me and go ahead. I stood there and cudn’t help tears flowing down behind the dark glasses.

It dawned that I belong to the age where individuals who have shaped you are blessing you for the final time.

I wouldn’t have been writing this piece had it not been another tagging from Sankhadip again on that post. I don’t believe in writing obituaries.

Arun Da earned the respect from everyone… not sure why he ever felt that he wasn’t respected… the students certainly did. Simple living, simple words… he is a simple man. And probably being simple is not easy. And I am sure he never made an effort to be so.

I can still see the man in white t-shirt and black shorts running around to tell me and Debanjan how to interchange the positions… while Debanjan can move in from the left wing to the centre, I move out to the left taking a defender along to create the space.

It was Class IX and it was the first game of the senior school football tournament against Class VIII. We were horrible. Somehow we managed to score a goal and we won. While we were coming out, he looked at Sumanta Mukherjee and me and gave a smile and looked away… and said, “Khela-ta khub bhalo hoyni… maane khub baaje holo khela-ta”.

I have not seen a man in my life as “সত” and “নির্ভেজাল”as Arun Da. I have not. He was from the old school thoughts. Those were the days when day and night cricket was catching up and one day I arrived at practice wearing all black… in fact 2 of us… me and Himanshu Shekhar. After the practice, he told me not wear black from the next day. He was a believer in simplicity and he had immense respect for the tradition. Probably, that was his way showing respect to the game in the purest form.

At cricket practice, he used to throw the ball so hard while giving you catching practice. My palms just shrunk as I write this sentence.

During the annual exhibitions, Games & Sports Department became my home from Class VII onwards. Arun Da simply used to ask, “Girbban, ebar ki? Dekhe nish ektu”.

1993… We were in Class X and Inter Mission Football Tournament was being organised. I was part of the first XI… and unfortunately, I had a bad knee. I was not practicing for days. I used to come to the ground with a bandaged knee and sit out. Arun Da was disappointed with me… I could feel that. He wasn’t talking with me too even after I started practicing. A day before the finals, he made all of us take penalty kicks in the practice. I was the only one who scored 10 on 10. Koustoov scored 9 of 10. Next day, the final was against RKM Midnapore. They went ahead by a goal in 1^st half. We pressed hard, tried hard… we had our chances and closest we came when my shot was headed out by their defender from goal-line. Minutes after that and with 10 odd minutes remaining and much to surprise of many, Arun Da substituted me. 3 minutes from the close of play, we were awarded a penalty but unfortunately we missed the same and thus we lost the game too.

Next day morning, we were all for PT in front of Saradananda Bhavan. The man comes along in white shirt and grey trousers… looking very disappointed and dejected. He spoke, “Kaal aamra bhalo kheleo here gelam… amar-o ekta bhul hoyechhilo… Girbban ke takhon tule na neowa uchit hoyni. O thakle penalty-ta maarte parto.” This man need not have said this in front of 120 guys. He didn’t have to. There wasn’t any guarantee that Girbban would have scored from the spot!!!

Arun Da, He never made another one like You. He never will again.

Dekha habe.

ISL: Why I want it to succeed?

I was born in a family that played football (from my childhood, it has been football for me, soccer came in pretty late)... so the love from the game was inborn... rather I was sucked in to it.

I was also born in a family that played football for Mohun Bagan... and I was born a Mohun Bagan supporter. Childhood implied Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal. Reading the newspapers, listening to the radio (TV was still a luxury), memorising the names of the players of BIG 3, discussing with my father after his office hours on what was going to happen and what will happen and why it happened what happened.

But childhood did not only imply Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal... childhood also implied and evoked interest in Indian football... I knew even India played football against other countries in the world and India competed well against them. I am talking about the 80s. In my late 30s now, I can distinctly remember, India used to play lot many Asian countries and with China, we were even-steven... we drew with them couple of times, lost sometimes and even won a few. I still clearly remember the goal Bhaskar Ganguly conceded in the Asian Games Quarter Final against Saudi Arabia in the final minutes of the game (TV came to our house for the 1982 Asiad). I can vividly recall there were quite a few occasions where we were better than the likes of Koreans. The SAF countries were runovers for us.

I can recall having gone to Eden Gardens to watch India play Yugoslavia in a Nehru Gold Cup match and I think India won as well.

I can recall the 1^st football match that was played at Yuba Bharati Krirangan and India lost by only a sole goal against Argentina (a back-volley by long-haired Gareca... I liked Gareca for his looks).

India played football.

Not sure... why and how we lost the plot and the game. May be we are the ones to blame. We did not nurture nor have the patience to build on.

What happened in meanwhile was 1983... and 1985... and 1987. India won the Prudential Cup, Benson & Hedges World Series Cup and hosted the Reliance World Cup. Cricket became a part of our excitement... we could see ourselves as world beaters and champions. We could see billboards up for the Srikkanths, Shastris, Kapils, Azhars but none for the Sudeeps, Sisirs, Krishanus and Sabirs.

Soon Bengal won a Ranji Trophy and we had a “Dada”.

And Football in Calcutta was no more the 1^st preference. And parents in Bengal saw an option in Cricket apart from IITs and JEEs.

The rich stopped playing football... it is a difficult game, it is a physical game. The poor wanted to become rich and turned to cricket (albeit it being a costly game) with a hope they could nurture it. The rest who loved the game, played the game and yet couldn’t afford the meals and the strength to match up with the physicality and the brute force of the 2^nd rung foreigners who came to play the game in India. And soon we had very few quality players from Bengal and from rest of India. So, all it turned to was... the better the foreign recruits, more is your chance of winning CFL, NFL and so on.

I don’t know if schools in Calcutta play football nowadays. I am sure they play cricket.

Long back when I used to meet Sahu Mewalal (an Olympian and the man who scored India's winning goal in the finals of Asian Games in 1951... in case you didn’t know), he used to tell me that for a footballer food is very important. You have to eat for you will have to have the strength and stamina to fight out for 90 minutes and more... and it is not about the 90 minutes because a lot goes in to making you ready for those 90 minutes. I have heard enough stories from someone who used to run from his home in Paikpara to Maidan every morning to attend practice and save the pocket money to ensure he had 10 bananas post practice.

The same was echoed by Sushil Bhattacharya (He was a footballer, went on to be an assistant to Bagha Shome and was the 1^st football coach of East Bengal) when he came to train us at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur. He said, “You guys are lucky... you have brains, so you are here at RKM and you guys eat well... so you can develop the brawn too. Football needs Brains and Strength in equal measure.”

I agree even more today.

The game needs money. The game needs the rich to come forward. ISL has got the rich come forward with the investment the game badly needs.

ISL is hope for the rural centres that play with stitched footballs in their para... the ISL can be an option for Calcutta to start kicking the round ball once more... the ISL can be the arena for future Vijayans of the country. In Mumbai, I have seen guys and girls from reputed schools play soccer with the best available kits every week by paying rent for a turf... and so I am also not surprised when I see the Ranbirs, the Abhisheks, the Dinos and the Sohails meeting up to play a game in Bandra regularly, on a Sunday afternoon in the most competitive spirit. Alongside, I also see the guys from not so well to do families kick the ball in the middle-class by lanes of Santa Cruz (Raju Gaikwad is a resident of this locality) and on the premises of the Vakola church. I feel happy to see them play and once in a while even I show them that I kick it as well when the ball comes out of play. ;-)

ISL is the hope for Indian football.

Concerns have been expressed on whether ISL will sustain beyond the first edition. People are worrying whether the “money-bags” would like to burn their coffers for few more years. My hunch tells me ISL will grow bigger over next 2 years. If the current ISL has lined up marquees of 32-35 plus, the next 2 years will see younger players coming over to play in India.

Why do I say so? Well for the 1^st time in my lifetime, the world is talking about Indian Football... people in Brazil, in Europe, in every part of the world has come to know about ISL... they are talking about Indian Football... Zico, Del Piero, Trezeguet, Pires and their kind have done a great service to our nation... and I say this even before the whistle has been blown and the ball rolled. This will only increase over time. Because for the world, India is still a market with 125 crores of population. We can afford to have 10 “world class” football teams with that kind of population.

You can question me, “population toh aageo chhilo, dada?” When was the last time did any of our players train with the best facilities of the European countries? When was the last time that we got to rub our shoulders with legends? When was the last time did we feel good about playing football? When was the last time would our parents have proudly announced to their world that their son visited Spain for playing football?

This is happening for the 1^st time in India... for football in India.

If we can have the likes of Zico, David James stay over with their assignments for next 3-4 years, we can surely expect a sea change in the football infrastructure that we have. The legends will surely protect their individual reputation and pride. We need to give them that space and believe in their vision for the game. As supporters, followers and lovers of the game, I hope we will be little more patient than what we are with our clubs. I hope we will have parents all over the country who will take their kids to watch the beautiful game at the stadiums. I hope we have a dreamer in each one of us... who can dream to see their kids play a world cup 10-12 years down the line. I am one. I would like to believe that India can once more win the Gold in Asian Games. ISL can just be that catalyst to revive the sport in India.

ISL is hope and challenge for Indian Football that needs to succeed. May the Best Team and Indian Football win.

PS: What happens to Mohun Bagan and East Bengal?

As a player will I not expect the facilities that I can have during ISL to be replicated in my club team? If I play well in ISL, will it not open up possibilities to play in clubs across the globe?

I just hope (and I am not very confident) that our club officials take this as an opportunity to learn from ISL and not close their eyes living in the paradise that we have the support of millions. To keep going, we need the support of our next generations and probably, they are more conversant about the Del Pieros and the Anelkas than about the Sanjus and Jejes. If they do not realise the same, time will come soon... when they will remain the king but without the kingdom... as they say, no one wants to stay on a sinking ship and everyone looks for greener pastures.

Compartment of Helplessness

Is she a brave heart? I don't know. For all the praises heaped on her, all I realise is how helpless she must have been... How helpless she must have felt. 

What wrong did she do? She went to watch Life of Pi just like many of us had. She boarded a bus just like many of us do. She was unfortunate... I have not been so. That's the only difference. 

I am no brave heart. She is no brave heart either. We are individuals who enjoyed being with are loved ones. we loved Richard Parker. We do not need brave hearts. We need stronger laws, strong will of law enforcing agencies. 

We reap what we sow. We have become so self-centred in our lives that we are happy being in our own compartments. We have become so insensitive that we do not bother to douse the fire in the next compartment because it doesn't affect us. We are selfish. I am selfish.

We are helpless because we haven't helped ourselves. We wanted to become doctors and engineers... And not that our parents wanted us to be social service providers but only and only because, we and our parents wanted to live a good life. We became MBAs because we wanted a good future for our family. How many of us wanted to become a policeman or a teacher? I remember how my parents and friends looked at me when I said I wanted to become a police... The looks said it all and I thought it must be very wrong to become one. 

I did not become one. 

What I have become is a helpless individual who checks his anger and turns the other way round even when he sees something which made his blood boil when he was.a child, when he was in his teens. Why did I change? Where did I go wrong? Why am I no more the angry guy I used to be? 

I chose the easy life. I chose to lead a comfortable life. I chose to live a life of luxury within my compartment. But you don't live an entire life within the 4 walls...you can't survive on your own. Prayers don't suffice well being of you and your family and friends.

But then God is the sole consolation for helpless guys like us. I pray to HIM to give courage to the guy who accompanied the lady to Life of Pi, who accompanied her in boarding the bus. He must be as helpless as I am feeling today.

Mohun Bagan is an Institution... or was!!!

I am a Mohun Bagan supporter by birth. There were no options, actually. I was born into a family who contributed in making Mohun Bagan, the institution it is… or was!


Mohun Bagan has been going through a dark phase… it has been years that we have not won a tournament of the highest order. Our officials signed the best of the foreign recruits… Odafa Okolie and Tolgay Ozbey. We hoped and believed that 2012-13 will be ours and ours only.

But, then we had a reality check very soon. We lost early in the Federation Cup and had a bad start to IFA League and the I League. As our officials are best at, the easiest solution was to get a new coach. We welcomed Karim Bencharifa with open arms hoping that his Midas touch will take us places. Well, football is a team game and within first 3 matches, it was very evident that the diagnosis was wrong… Karim Bencharifa is not the medicine for the problems plaguing Mohun Bagan.

But that didn’t stop me from being hopeful… I believed… and I truly believed that the current set of players can steady our ship and Yes, they can beat East Bengal on December 9th. It did not stop me from shouting and telling my colleagues, friends, juniors of the East Bengal brethren that “yes, you are looking good… you are playing well and yes, I won’t be surprised if you win the I League… but, stay assured, we are going to beat you on 9th”.

I was very hopeful and I readied myself, here in Mumbai, to watch Mohun Bagan take on East Bengal. I had switched on my TV set around the 25th minute of the game. It was the usual Indian fare on display. Tough fight to control the mid-field, miss-passes galore… but what was evident was no one wanted to give an inch of the control away.

Penn Orji made a great run for East Bengal on the right flank but we defended well. East Bengal was seemingly gaining possession when Biswajit Saha fouled Chidi outside the box. The referee shows a yellow card but not to Biswajit Saha but to Syed Rahim Nabi for showing dissent and arguing. Was it necessary, Nabi?

Minutes later, East Bengal gets awarded another free-kick and we are penalized with another yellow card. No, Stanley did not commit the foul… but because he (being part of the 2 member wall) moved well within 10 yards before the kick was being taken and the ball had hit him. Was this necessary, Stanley?

The referee asked the kick to be taken again and East Bengal went ahead through a brilliant header by Khabra. I was shocked but I knew we will make a comeback led by the able Odafa.

But then within minutes, it was clear that it’s not going to be that ways. Another foul and another protest… an angry one. And Odafa Okolie was red carded. With that lay dead the hopes of millions of Mohun Bagan fans. Was it necessary, Odafa?

We were down by a goal only. How often have we seen teams come back from behind and winning! We knew we were the weaker side based on the current form… but I am sure we had a strategy in place to beat East Bengal. There have been so many instances where the mighty have fallen. I was sure East Bengal’s record of unbeaten run will be defeated by us only.

3 cards were shown by the referee and none for committing a direct foul. All for indiscipline. Does this tell a story? Why didn’t the coach or officials warn our players that things are not going right? Why didn’t they ask the players to keep calm.

Was it a Red Card? Yes, it definitely was. You can’t just act with a referee like that. If you watch the video, it can be seen while Odafa runs across to the referee, the referee moves away but Odafa was hell bent on proving his point. Why Captain? Why? Playing in front of a lac in the stadium and lacs watching you on television, what were you trying to prove? Is that how an Icon / a role model should behave with a referee? Sorry, you disappointed big time. You let us down.

I find it surprising to read journalists and few ex-footballers and even the Mohun Bagan coach say that “though the Red Card decision was right but the referee could have warned him with the Yellow card only”. Why? Why should the referee do that? Just because, he happens to be Mohun Bagan’s goal machine. He can’t abuse the referee in front of a lac of spectators like that. What is the example that he is trying to create? What will the new generation learn… that referees can be abused? No.

Will Lionel Messi be allowed to go scotfree after doing something similar in a World Cup Final? Never.

It’s your action which added ghee to the inflammable ambience… it’s your action which caused bottles and a brick to be thrown to the ground… it’s your action which prompted someone amongst us to target the referee and hit the unlikely Rahim Nabi. What was even more shocking is that you were neither shocked nor surprised on being shown the Red Card. You were sure that is what you deserved.

What followed was total mayhem… the game stopped and began only after Nabi was carried away to hospital and replaced by Snehasish.

Half time… we go off the pitch and we never come back.

I am sure it’s not just me but millions of Mohun Bagan supporters have been mocked by our friends of East Bengal, “ki Dada, e-bhabe paliye gele?”

Had it been earlier, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club would have surely come back and fought with East Bengal even with 10 men. But then, this is McDowell Mohun Bagan. It’s not the same club, it’s not the same values and it’s not the same character.

I feel sad. I am sad. I am ashamed.

Why did we not play? There wasn’t enough security for the players? There was a complete breakdown of administration? There was a law & order problem? Why?

Whatever may have Uttam Babu written on the letter to AIFF with respect to “feeling threatened” and “absence of security” doesn’t suffice reason to not take field. Why did we start the game then after the Rahim Nabi was sent to hospital? We should have walked out right then. Why did we play for those final 2 minutes of the 1st half? Why? Did the situation change for worse in those 15 minutes of half time?

Sorry, this is not what my Mohun Bagan stands for!

It is a very wrong decision. A very dangerous precedent has been set. We can’t walk away from a game just because the match has been organized by the other team. For a minute, imagine Mohun Bagan leading East Bengal by 2-0… 10 minutes left in 2nd half and East Bengal supporters starts throwing external elements to the ground… East Bengal officials feel that there is a lack of security and walks off with their team.

Is this acceptable? Unfortunate… but that’s where we seem to be heading. And I can see the writing on the wall… this will be reciprocated by East Bengal supporters some day in very near future.

If I am representing Mohun Bagan, I ought to be different. If I am representing Mohun Bagan, it ought to reflect in my pride. If I am representing Mohun Bagan, my actions need to speak louder. If I am representing Mohun Bagan, my vision needs to be towards ensuring a bright future for the game of Football in India.

Unfortunate that our present day officials do not believe in that. The action reeks of attempt to shift the focus from the supporters who have stood by the club always from the non-performance over the last 2 years… in this melee, it is being swept aside that have made a poor team, we have incompetent players who shouldn’t be even donning the Green Maroon shirt. It’s unfortunate, that our players (and professionals are expected to give their best and manage their temperament) could not manage their tempers and lost the fight with East Bengal. The officials may continue saying had we played the game, we could have won but we were not in a position to play the game. The officials may keep reiterating “We will take the AIFF to FIFA if we are suspended”, fact remains Odafa remains at greater danger if the matter actually gets escalated to FIFA.

I have been let down by our Club officials. I have been let down by our Captain.

We made a mistake. December 9, 2012 is our day of mistake. Time to acknowledge and seek forgiveness from our forefathers, who built the pillars of Mohun Bagan Club, time to seek forgiveness from the beautiful game of Football, time to seek forgiveness from the lovers of the game.

Mohun Bagan is an institution and it deserves a lot more from the players, supporters and administrators.

Who am I?

My grand-father happened to be the Captain of Mohun Bagan from 1921-26… and those were the days when referees blatantly misused their power against Mohun Bagan. When he left the game in 1935, it was also in protest of referring, with IFA contemplating action against him but even then he never abused the referee.

The Man Who Never Died... My moments with YC

http://www.gomolo.com/jab-tak-hai-jaan-movie-review/44081/1892467

Read more reviews

• Jab Tak Hai ‘LOVE’, Yash Ji We Will Miss You….

• Savor Yash Chopra's last as a cherry on the cake!

Son Of Sardaar review

Basking in father’s glory ??

1920 - Evil Returns review

I wish we would have been born in 1920…

Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana review

Tasty but bit overcooked….

Related features

• Son of Sardaar v/s Jab Tak Hai Jaan -- Who will win at the box-office?

• Are the November 2 releases this year exciting enough?

As I walked in to Chandan Cinema at Juhu for the 1st Day 1st Show of Jab Tak Hain Jaan, it was me venturing to a single screen theatre after ages… I couldn’t recall when the last time I had been to a single screen theater. As the lights dimmed, well into the first few reels, amongst the hullabo of a day 1 crowd, a man gingerly walked in and sat next to me… white shirt and trouser along with the Dev Anand cap. Was disturbed by the late-comer walking across me for in front was Akira (Anushka) stripping to her bare essentials in the picturesque Ladakh. As I rudely gave him a stare, I felt I have seen him somewhere… Yesss… Yes… Yes. It’s… realizing that I recognized him, he put a finger across his lips and as if to tell me… “do not shout… please”.

At the interval, I told him, “I am not going to let you go without a byte”. And as soon as the 3hr 10 minute epic saga ended, I rounded him to the nearby CCD for a chat.

GP: Yash Ji, what are you doing here?

Yash Chopra: Just came around to see how the final product looks like.

GP: But did you not go to the premiere last night?

YC: Nahin baba, yesterday night we were having our own party… to celebrate our spirit. Don’t you see I have got Dev Saab’s cap… so that people don’t reckon me but then even then you recognized me.

GP: Who will not recognize you, Yashji… after all we are (GO)(MO)vie(LO)vers. But why did you choose Chandan, a single screen theater? You could have gone to any of the multiplexes and watched it.

YC: Single screen theaters give you the real feeling and moreover, they are charging exorbitant ticket prices at the multiplexes this Diwali… I wanted to protest this.

GP: So how did you find the final product? How did you like?

YC: Thoda lamba ho gaya yaar. Bit lengthy… I was getting restless. Don’t you think so?

GP: But, this was an epic saga of love… epic hain toh thoda lamba toh hoga hi.

YC: Thanks. Thanks a lot. You are correct. The scale is big… top ka hero heroine liya, we shot in Kashmir after so many years, saath mein A R Rahman & Gulzar. It had to be an epic movie. 

GP: Aur?

YC: First half thoda jama nahin. I had told Adi when we were scripting, that the script needs to be tight… but then ab aur post-mortem karke kya faayda.

GP: Yeah, you are very correct… the script looked flawed and without reasoning at times… Your hero moves out of London and suddenly becomes a bomb expert… and it seemed as if only Samar Anand (Shah Rukh Khan) knew how to diffuse bombs in Indian Army. Later, the hero out of nowhere goes and fixes bombs on a train in Britain was simply outlandish. 

YC: I told Adi repeatedly to be careful… par kya karein… bachche ab bade ho gaye hain. 

GP: But, aap toh Director ho?

YC: Sorry yaar… kabhi kabhie ho jaata hain. 

GP: Btw, it was good to see your kabhi kabhie couple (Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh Kapoor)… very interesting.

YC: Yeah, small roles but good to see them back.

GP: Par Sir… Yash Chopra romance mein infidelity ko certification? Heroines mother runs off with another man… gets married… settles down!

YC: Ab kya karein… zamana badal gaya hain… ab toh yeh ghar ghar ki baat hain… Adi ka hi script hain… hamare zamane ka Raja-Rani ki prem kahaani toh raha nahin. They know what is better for them. 

GP: Hmmm… Ladakh and Kashmir looks ethereal.

YC: Yeah, Anil Mehta (Cinematographer) has done a fabulous job. He has picturised Ladakh and Kashmir truly beautiful.

GP: Very true… you had a very strong support system… AR Rahman and Gulzar did create magic. The songs are good.

YC: Ab Rahman aur Gulzar ke baare mein kya bataaon… they are champions in their own rights.

GP: Yeah… you are right. Aur batao Sir… Katrina is a revelation.

YC: Yes, she performed very well. She looks very glamorous and pretty throughout the film. This must be her best performance ever.

GP: What about Anushka? Isn’t she getting type casted?

YC: She is young... she will improve with time.

GP: What about your Hero?

YC: Shah Rukh is like my son… He kept telling me to make films… phir wohi puranawala Shah Rukh… puranawala Raj… this is for him. He is the backbone of the film. He is just too good.

GP: Absolutely, SRK is the best part of Jab Tak Hain Jaan… he emotes so well. Just, he looks to have aged…

YC: Yeah, he looks aged in the 1st half… 2nd half, he is far better with the beard and the stubble… where he plays his age. Ab, he has been playing Raj for 20 years now.

GP: Right Yash Ji… so how does it feel? 

YC: I am happy… audience ne ceetee khub bajaayee. Happy for them.

GP: Ek shikayat hain aap se…

YC: Kya?

GP: Yash Chopra ka film aur heroine ek baar bhi saree nahi???

YC: Kya karoon beta… ab hamara zamana raha hi nahin… Adi ka script hain, Adi ka story hain… usme tha… lekin Bhagwan ka script kuchh alag ho gaya.

GP: Thanks, Yash Ji. But, why did you come late? Mujhe toh gussa aaya tha tab… saamne Anushka aur aap view obstruct kar rahein the…

YC: Sach mein zamana badal gaya hain… Kya karoon beta… maine bola tha Adi ko… Yash Chopra ke film mein heroine bikini mein… dekha nahin jaayega mujhse! 

GP: Thank You, Yash Ji. You know what I liked about your movie… the Hero is an idealist… the Heroine is an idealist… they are utopian… too good to be true… but then, somewhere between our hearts, we all want good things to be true.

YC: Thanks, beta.

GP: Yash Ji, felt nice talking with you. Rest in Peace.

About the Author: Girbban Paul

About me: Loves MasalaLocation: , India

Friends: 0Clubs: 1

My recent posts: Rush movie review, Student Of The Year movie review(view all posts)

Manna Da, Pronam Neben

It was yesterday morning and I was going through my FB, when I read that Manna Da is no more. Unfortunately, I misread it as Manna De. It was only while scrolling down, there was another post on Sailen Manna... and then I realised it was Manna Da.


To few he was Sailen Manna... for the rest he was Manna Da. He was Manna Da to my father... and when I discussed about him with my father, he was Manna Da only.

When did first see him? Maybe when I was 4-5 years of age and when the statue of my grand-pa was unveiled at the Maidan. My dad must have said to me, “Pronam karo” and I must have done the same. I remember he stood patiently with the smile on, when all our family members got themselves clicked with him.

A tall man with a smiling face... what strikes you when you meet him is his simplicity. I have always seen him in white shirts tucked out.

On every occasion that belonged to my grand-father, Manna Da was around... and he was one of the 1st to arrive at the venue. And whenever he arrived, the first thing he would do was to go to the ladies of the family wherever they were sitting, do a Namaskar and enquire about their wellbeing. This happened over the years on every 20th August at Maidan to celebrate Dadu’s birthday.

Chuni Goswami, Manna Da and Shyamal Sen at an event to celebrate Gostha Paul's 113th birthday

Manna Da, along with Chuni Goswami, P K Banerjee and K V Raghunatha Reddy, the then Governor of West Bengal, had unveiled the postage stamp and 1st day cover to celebrate the 102nd birthday of dadu.

Every time I heard him speak of dadu on his birthdays, I found him very respectful and he used to talk to the young boys present on the occasions on what they should look to emulate from Gostha Paul. Gostha Paul was “Gostha Babu” to Manna Da, the 1st and 2nd Padma Shris of football and the true “Gharer Chhele-s” of Mohun Bagan.

Even I had an interaction with Manna Da. I was working with Wockhardt Hospitals in Calcutta. On the occasion of World Health Day, we launched “Suraksha Bandhan”, an initiative wherein the young ones would take a pledge to secure healthcare for their grand-parents. The initiative was to be launched at the Raj Bhavan by Viren J Shah, the Governor. I was asked to get couple of celebrities for the event.

I called Manna Da and sought an appointment. I was asked to come down to his house at Park Circus. When I reached, his wife opened the door and made me sit in the drawing room. Soon, he walked in... in a white shirt and lungi. I told him about the event and invited him. He agreed and said that “we are shifting to our new home at Salt Lake and you need to pick me up from there”. I was more than happy. Then, I told him “ami Gostha Paul-er naati, Nirangsu’r chhele”. “Oh... tumi Nirangsu’r chhele, Gostho babu’r naati... khoob bhaalo... chinta koro na, ami asbo”.

He did come down and not in the vehicle that we had sent for him... that broke down midway. He suggested my colleague that we go in a cab rather than waiting for the vehicle to get running again and they came in the cab. He was very happy to be part of the event, he was very happy to meet the Hon’ble Governor. When he spoke, he remember his Olympic days, he talked about Asian Games and he reiterated time and again, he felt good to have been invited to Raj Bhavan. But somewhere I felt what he left unsaid was pain / hurt at being left out in the current day scheme of things.

The likes of Gostha Pauls and Umapati Kumars and Sailen Mannas would have never talked about what they did not get from the current day club officials... they could never talk about being sidelined by the club officials post their prime because somewhere they always felt they were happy to be part of the institution named Mohun Bagan... they never accounted for what they are getting but they believed they are what they are for the Club. They never expressed their sentiments for them, the club was their all. The club officials have always taken advantage of the same... the Gosthas and the Mannas are perfect photo-opportunity moments for them and the power hungry.

There have been years that on my grand-father’s birthday Mohun Bagan club were represented by the gardener of the club. The officials find it difficult to come down to his statue, which is at a stone-throw distance from the club. Did that make us (the family) happy? It was the gardener who used to tell my father and uncles, “Babu, tent-e aasben... chhobita aaj saajiyechhi”.

While there is a huge hue and cry and I see hundreds of Mohun Bagan supporters livid at Manna Da’s daughter for not allowing the hearse to come to Mohun Bagan ground, I am not surprised. My father stopped going to Mohun Bagan ground for a long time when the Mohun Bagan officials showed utter disrespect. I stopped going to the club.

If Gostha Paul has been neglected, I am sure even Sailen Manna has been. Some would say, “Club baro, Institution baro”... Unfortunately, for us, the children, “Baba” comes first.

So, when Anjan Mitra says, “Amra o-ke Mohun Bagan ratno diyechhi”, I would simply tell him, “Mr Mitra, Sailen Manna is a jewel in the crown of Mohun Bagan... Mohun Bagan ratno deoway Manna Da ratno honni”. What people forget is “Actions speak louder than words”.

Manna Da, bhalo thakben. Pronam neben.