Take a bow, Roger

The first time I saw him in a competitive match was against my all time favorite player, Pete Sampras. A 19 year old kid, hair in a neat pony tail, wooden bead jewellery around his neck, taking on the might of Sampras at Wimbledon! Poor kid, what chance does he stand against the 7 time Wimbledon champion. Federer had other plans; he finished off the match in 5 sets.

Gradually, the looks changed, the style of play changed, and the kid grew into a Legend. 103 Singles Titles, including 20 Grand Slams, and an Olympic Gold (in Doubles), in an era when two other players also racked up 20+ Grand Slams each, nothing short of amazing.

Roger Federer played his last competitive match on 23rd Sept 2022, in the Laver Cup, a men's tennis tournament between Team Europe and Team World. When the fans around the world argue and are split on who the GOAT is, the sport itself brings the best players together. Federer teamed up with his greatest rival, Rafa in his final match, Djokovic and Murray cheering for them from the sidelines. They were not playing against each other, they were playing for each other; what a sight!. 

It was not a fairy tale ending though, Fedal was just a point away from victory, but they eventually lost the match. There were moments of magic from all the 4 players on the court; I have not watched someone hit the tennis ball as elegantly and with the finesse like Federer, even after all these years and on the cusp of retirement.

And yeah, he is definitely human: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf0Q0S2tXNE

Sir, you have been a delight to watch; thanks for all the great moments over the past 24 years.

You will be missed!

The GOAT Debate

Novak Djokovic won his second French Open title beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in arguably one of the two best matches of his 18+ years' career. The other match was his semifinals victory against 13 time French Open champion Rafael Nadal. That took Djokovic to 19 Grand Slams, just one short of Nadal and Federer, with a chance to emulate Rod Laver as the only man to win all four Grand Slams in a calendar year. That, brings up the GOAT debate for the umpteenth time!

My personal favourite is Rafael Nadal, for multiple reasons, but that does not hold me back from appreciating how well Federer and Djokovic have been playing over the past two decades. The awesome trio has been dominating the men's circuit so much (60 titles between them of the 73 Grand Slams played since Federer won his first in 2003) that we should really feel pity for the best of the rest.  In any other era, they might have won more Grand Slams than they have in the Rafa - Fed - Djoko era. These three have in fact thrived from the company of the other two to reach such incredible levels. Rafa with his defense, Federer with his near perfect shots and Djokovic being the mentality monster, have treated us abundantly with exemplar tennis.

Does that mean these three are the greatest players of all time, or, the one who ends up having the most Grand Slams would be declared the GOAT. Well, I don't know, but, in my opinion, there is no point in arguing who/which is the greatest player/athelete/team of all time, in any sport.

I see the GOAT debate as an unwanted distraction from enjoying sports at its best. I feel lucky to have been able to witness most of the 60 Grand Slam title matches played by Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. I started following lawn tennis when Sampras and Agassi were at their peak, again a great rivalry. I feel lucky to have seen Serena Williams play second fiddle to her big sister, Venus, and eventually take over the mantle of power hitter in women's tennis. Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters gave them good company.

There have been a number of memorable games that have inspired me. 

It's a privilege to have witnessed a mediocre Liverpool team coming back from 0-3 down to clinch the Champions League overcoming a star studded AC Milan, the match rightly called the Miracle of Istanbul.

So was Ronaldinho's Barcelona humiliating a Real Madrid team comprising Zidane, Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Ronaldo at the Bernabeu; even the home fans gave the Brazilian a standing ovation. Messi and Christiano Ronaldo were mere upcoming talents during this season!

It was sad and at the same time an honour to see Manchester United knocking Liverpool off their perch (18 titles) under the tutelage of the most successful coach in the Premier League era, Sir Alex Ferguson. 

I watched in awe as Shaq and Kobe won 3 Champioships in a row for the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green (what a line up!) the only team coming close (within a minute) to the Three-peat since.

Every sport manages to come up with great rivalries and match ups across eras, Lin Dan - Lee Chong Wei, Steffy Graf - Monica Seles, Schumacher - Raikkonen, Tiger Woods - Phil Mickelson; the list is endless.

Sports fans across the world are split into many factions when it comes to their favourite players or the GOAT discussion. There is nothing wrong in having personal favourites as long as it does not breed hatred towards other players and fan groups. Sadly, most fan clubs promote hatred rather than respect and sportsmanship which is what each sport teaches.

Let your love for the game be your inspiration to follow a sport rather than your liking for an icon!

Thiruvananthapuram...

Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) - the capital city of the so-called God's own country. The abode of political kingpins and goondas; the movie capital of Kerala; a city where people are mean, arrogant, rude, stingy, frowning and speak an odd dialect of Malayalam, people from other parts of the state berate - this was the Trivandrum I knew (or heard of) until I visited this place for the second time.

My first visit was as a 12 year old boy (in 1996). I (along with my practice mates at school) got an invitation to play in the Trivandrum District Lawn Tennis tournament held at Trivandrum Tennis Club (TTC). I have only vague memories from that trip: it was my first ever train journey, we stayed at Aristo junction (cannot recollect the name of the lodge), used to commute by bus to Kowdiar where TTC is, knew that Kizhakkekotta (East Fort) was somewhere near (and we had to take the bus to Kizhakkekotta from TTC to reach the lodge), saw the movie "Independence Day" at Sreekumar/Sreevisakh (not sure in which of these theaters), heard lots of stories beyond my imagination in those 3-4 days and that I missed my home...

My second stint (cannot call it a visit) was as a 21 (soon to be 22) year old man ready to join one of the best companies in Technopark; luck by chance :). The boy had grown up to be a responsible employee, but my perception of Trivandrum remained the same. My initial days there did nothing to change that notion.

It was difficult to get to terms with the extremely slow paced life in Kazhakuttom, the village in Trivandrum where Technopark is. Good hotels were rare and Bakeries were yet to make an entry to this part of the world. For someone coming from the bright and bubbly Cochin, Trivandrum offered nothing exciting; unless you were ready to explore the capital city of the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom.

Life in Trivandrum kicked off quite well for me. The 2006 FIFA World Cup finals between France and Italy cheered me up on the night my parents dropped me in Trivandrum. The next day I joined RM as a Trainee. Technopark was a completely different experience; well maintained buildings, beautifully landscaped gardens, finely dressed and well mannered professionals all around; overall, a very healthy atmosphere.

Gradually, I started liking this place; the good friends I made in and out of RM (especially in Technopark Club), my home-mates at Gowreesam (our own rented house), the people around Technopark, all contributing to the cause. For the first 2 years, I never missed a chance to go home, by bus, train or whatever means it be. There were just one or two weekends that I stayed back to experience Trivandrum!!

Life moved on, the trainee became a senior member in the team, some old faces left, some new came in, made more friends and I started spending more time in Trivandrum. With each passing day, my love for this city grew. Maybe it is a coincidence, my love for history also grew during these 11 years I spent in this city full of traditions and history. Travancore was one of the most prosperous princely states in British India. This place has made me what I am for I have spent the most precious phase of my life, my youth, here.

The evenings at Shangumugham, the Old Coffee House, the Valiathura Pier, Bheema Palli, a stroll in the Museum compound, the curios in the Napier Museum, visits to the Zoo, Kuthiramalika, the sweet streets at Kizhakkekotta, the streets of Pazhavangadi, the Padmanabhaswamy temple (the most prominent location in the whole city where I could never step in to), the Aazhimala beach, the high ranges of Ponmudi, the peculiar food joints, early morning rides to Technopark, all make Trivandrum a sentiment.

When you have friends who you would call family, it becomes even tougher to part ways with a place you love. Trivandrum has given me much more than I can give back; friends to keep for life, memories that last a lifetime, and a family to hold tight until I last.

I love Trivandrum and I miss those days... 

Across the land of coconuts in 5 days - in Pictures

Chinese Fishing nets set against the setting Sun at Fort Kochi

Old Harbour Hotel at Fort Kochi

The clock tower (erected in AD. 1760) in Jew Street (Mattanchery)

Punnathoor kotta (also known as Anakotta) at Guruvayor

Dried up Bharathappuzha (Nila) under the Kuttipuram Bridge

The river (Nila) bank where the Mamankam festival used to be held every 12th year at Tirunnavaya

Nilapaduthara                                        

Marunnara and Manikkinar

Changamballi Kalari

Bakel Fort (Kasargod)

Muzhappilangad Beach (Muzhappilangad, Kannur)

Thalassery Fort, Thalassery

Overbury’s folly, Kannur

Alathur, Palakkad

Estate bungalow in Nelliampathy

Off-Road drive at Nelliampathy

Papanashini at Thiruvillamala

Varikkassery mana at Manissery (more than 200 years old)

And you call me coloured...??

Written by an African child and nominated by The United Nations as the Best Poem of 2006.

And you calling me colored??

When I born, I black.
When I grow up, I black.
When I go in sun, I black.
When I scared, I black.
When I sick, I black.
And when I die, I still black.

And you white people.
When you born, you pink.
When you grow up, you white.
When you go in sun, you red.
When you cold, you blue.
When you scared, you yellow.
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey…

And you calling me colored??

Jana-gana-mana

I have been singing/hearing the Indian National Anthem for the past 25 years, but never understood a word of it. I should say, I never bothered to learn what the hymn meant.

To all those who have been as ignorant as me:

Jana-gaṇa-mana adhināyaka jaya he
Bhārata bhāgya vidhātā
Pañjāba Sindh Gujarāṭa Marāṭhā
Drāviḍa Utkala Baṅga
Vindhya Himāchala Yamunā Gaṅgā
Ucchala jaladhi taraṅga
Tava śubha nāme jāge
Tava śubha āśiṣa māge
Gāhe tava jaya gāthā
Jana gaṇa maṅgala dāyaka jaya he
Bhārata bhāgya vidhāta
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he
Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he


English Translation:

Oh! the ruler of the minds of people, Victory be to You,
Dispenser of the destiny of India!
Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Dravid (South India), Orissa, and Bengal,
The Vindhya, the Himalayas, the Yamuna, the Ganges,
and the oceans with foaming waves all around,
Wake up listening to Your auspicious name, Ask for Your auspicious blessings,
And sing to Your glorious victory.
Oh! You who impart well being to the people!
Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!
Victory to You!

The New Beiginning...The Change...The Journey...The Frustration...The Freedom...The Pain...The Nostalgia

Well finally I was lucky enough to secure an engineering seat (having to pay higher fees than many others) in a college known to none at that moment at a place as remote as i could ever imagine and far far away from home and family. Hold on...Did I have a choice?? hehe... I did not coz i had excelled in my studies and the entrance examinations with numbers easier counted from the back. I was releaved on not having to repeat the entrance for a year (more coz of the laziness) and did not think on having to be away from family and home...

I remember my first visit to college right after the councelling. The approach road to the college was not completed. There was only one building that too half constructed painted all white... well a sense of insecurity crept into me having in mind the concept of engineering college having huge campuses vast buildings...busy roads... But my dad was convinced speaking to the people there...going through the brochures...and i would say he was SPOT ON as i can rightly say now...
The second visit was for the admission. Now that was a busy day and the roads and building had changed a lot in a few weeks time...That quick change brought some sort of a confidence in me...The first person i met that day was Ignatius sir and wow a true gentleman who knew my grandfather and that was pleasing to hear...The admission procedure was smooth...except for the lunch...i still remember the SANJOS school bus taking us to pala town to a hopeless hotel....yeack...after we were back Principal gave a speech...Met Binoy sir...Met Varun MP and his mom and came to know that he was from Kannur My native place. Uday's mom had come with his brother since the Mr GYM had gone for the NDA session. I did notice one thing that day...The 'B' of the "J3BARKTDONNN...whatever" gang which was later formed was chatting with an "extremely fair" blue eyed" girl...now that was catchy to me and it turned out to be an episode in our college life...That evening i had to book the admission for the temporarily set up hostel at the wonderful place the near the lake in the town...The warden introduced himself and yea he was a priest and very very jovial...
The third visit was on the first day in college with all my stuff including the quilt and suitcases...
The function went on fine...My parents left and to be honest i really felt bad and was feeling sad...We just had the formal function and I got to the hostel in the evening "home away from home" and that was when i realised that this really was "The New Beginning".
Mind you all Ajith Chandran was my room mate (the funniest guy in our college) for the initial days...and it was tough to cope up with his jokes and bullying :) you can never win an argument against him...

That was The New Beginning...And luckily it was for the good...

Guest blogger: Rahul Gopinath