Didi... Zara Sambhalke!

Ms. Mamata Banerjee.

Hon' Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Well, its Refreshing. Better than Limca or Slice or Mazaa. Since birth, that had been either occupied by a JB or a BB. The initial of the Surname doesn't alter and it seems that it is not going to alter for the 15 years, atleast! (Yeah!!! to that!) The colour has changed and its much more greener.

Mamata Banerjee, the grass-root level leader, had ascended the pinnacle of glory, of being a team leader to a mass leader. For the last 4 days, since the last Friday, she had been...a real busy body and with the news media snoopind behind her for scoops, Mamataji runs here and there, confusing her troop. This is good... the leader of the mass is with the mass, but what concerns is factors and elements that might be harmful to her as well as people who are loving the change that Bengal hopes to see after a stall in 3 decades.

The way she negates the factor that she is a celebrity, is drawing lines on the foreheads of the IPS officers and the security personnel, similarly brings in the same lines when we, the common people who wanted her to be at the pinnacle, see her moving around unprotected.

"Assassination" is not an uncommon word. Ir happened to the President Lincoln, President Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto... it concerns us didi... it concerns us.

Please tie yourself within the security cocoon, a bit. We will all understand the reason. Good work need not be done alone... but be secured...for I don't believe the Red Eyes of Pseudomarxists in Bengal.

-- A Request.

Never seen Before...

... in my life.

Born in mid eighties, I have always seen the Writer's building painted Red. I had always knew a few terms associated with the phenomenon of democracy called election, and in West Bengal, it always brought in some words and colloquials, every time, every way!

1) Sattor-er Juug (The Times of '70s ~ 1970-80): Under Siddhartah Shankar Ray, Bengal faced a turmoil, which was capitalized by the faces from the mass, leaders of different idealogies who believed in "wealth for the common"; believed in Communism. (Late) Shri Jyoti Basu, led the mast aloof and supported by the mass, led with the band of brothers that included names like, Manohar Thirkey, Manindra Nath Bhattacharya, Dinesh Chandra Dakua, Chobban Ghazi, etc...stormed into the West bengal Legislature. They were here to stay...for the next 34 years!

2) Gum Khun (Mystery Murder).

3) Lal Durgo (Red Bastion) ~ The Purulia, Medinipur, Bankura, Birbhum and Bardhaman Districts. Famous for electing Communist leaders over the years...some from independence.

4) Poribartan (Change). Reality bites, that came into effect post 2008 Panchayat Elections.

Today, holding the leading guidelines of Mamata Banerjee, the Green army shall be entering the administrative dias of the Writer's Building, comprising of Congress and Trinamul Congress. She had lead on a lone fight, the one person whom I had seen constant for the past 20 years, since 1990s. She started as a normal member, a grass-root worker and now sits on the helm of the state, which had been red for the past 34 years. In 2006, the election result read: Left Front (CPIM, CPI, RSP, FB, RJD) had a count of 226, TMC+INC were mere 50. Today the result reads, INC+TMC: 226 LF: 63. There are 294 seats in 2011, Bengal assembly.

I am not here to find reasons; had enough talk on that in this blog as well on face book the whole day today!

I just want to thank Trinamool & INC for their victory. a change was needed, that is done. Now lets see, how it affects us. Let the changes brought about as per promised, place Bengal to the place of think tank yet again and let us be proud to feel again: WHAT BENGAL THINKS TODAY, INDIA THINKS TOMMORROW! (Gopalkrishna Gokhale, famous notion pre-independence, 1947)

Bengal....

..its never before seen green, in my life time!

Basking in the Floodlight

The new Eden Gardens, Kolkata was shining in a new armour. For a "veteran" at the grounds, having visited it 21 times since 1993, at an age of about 26 years, I am quite a potent judge to spot the Hocus Focus (BIG) that have been into place and also in place of!!!

In one go, I would say, I loved it!

All new Neelkamal seats are in place, with new and improved flood lights that made the glow irresistible to the eyes, if glared constantly at the pitch for long. The trademark electronic score board, the first in the country, apart from the floodlights, was replaced by a HUGE LCD screen, that did the job of the Score as well as Replays. But, along with that, replaced one, there was also another new incorporation over the J-Block.

The grass trim on the ground bore a Sun Shaped structure and because of the IPL going on, hosting KKR had its light illuminating the backside of the galleries. Looked nice and purple. Here are some snaps, which I would like to put in place.

Club House entrance and the B-Block, Eden Gardens; 30.04.2011

Entrance of Eden Garden's famous Club House; 30.04.2011

And here are some of the frantic moments spent at the grounds!