Chennai - 600020 !

It's been more than a year since I've moved into my present flat. Which means one year of no cricket (while at home)... or any sport for that matter. I can't forget those days in my previous flat where we guys used to play cricket for something like 5 hours a day during holidays ! It used to be great fun !
From braving the hot sun to beedi smoking drivers who constantly tried everything to stop us from playing, it was fun all the way !
I can still remember my 8th standard holidays (that is about 6 yrs ago !) when it looked as if the whole of guys (girls also !) from all over Gandhi nagar, Adyar had descended upon our heavenly flat... All for just playing the game !
The players used to range from big annas (guys who were in or out of college at that time) to small, young kids (who were accepted in some team for namesake lest they start crying... yeah you got it - oppukkuchappaani !).
The game did not spare even some of the drivers and a few uncles who lived in the neighbourhood ! Most of the time the game ended up in a fight... or the ball used to get lost... but who cared ? All we wanted was to have fun... And we got the most of it !








The following is a compilation of a set of new vocabulary, known only to people who have played gully cricket in Madras... I'm sure this is really a treat for all you guys :)



* Mattai - Etymology Tamil - The piece of wood to be used as the cricket bat. Need not confirm to geometrical trivialities.

* Gaaji - Etymology Unkown - The indian reference for an 'inning'. It is a well known fact that captains of street cricket teams always prefer to bat first irrespective of conditions.

* Double Gaaji - Etymology Unkown - An excpetional scenario wherein a batsman can bat twice if there are a shortage of players in the side.

* Osi Gaaji - Etymology Unkown - A scenario where some stranger wants to bat for a couple of balls just for fun and then carry on with his work.

* Over Gaaji - Etymology Unkown - The act of a selfish batsman who purposely retains strike by taking a single of the last ball of the over to enjoy more "Gaaji"ing.

* Last Man Gaaji - Etymology partly english- A scenario where the last man who is not out with all wickets down gets to play "Gaaji" with no runner. It must be noted that, the fielding team can effect run outs on both the stumps when there is Last Man Gaaji.

* Current - Etymology English - The unique and distinctive way of getting a batsman run out. When a batsman attempts a dangerous run, he could be run out by any of the fielders who just need to land their feet on the stone at the bowlers end.

* Adetail - Etymology English - The most funny reference to a batsman being 'Retired Hurt'. [Derived from: At the Tail]

* Return Declare - Etymology Unkown - Same as 'Adetail'. But sometimes used, when a batsman crosses a stipulated number of runs say 20 or bats for stipulated number of balls so that others can get a share of "gaaji"ing.

* Bongu - Etymology Tamil - The slang word used if a team unfairly cheats the other team while playing.

* Full Cover - Etymology English - A situation where in a batsmen is taking a half stump guard thereby covering the complete stumps from the view of the bowler. Since street cricket typically do not have a LBW, it is very difficult to get a batsman out, if he covers the stump fully.

* One pitch catch - Etymology English - A rule where a batsman gets out when a fielder catches it even after the ball pitches once. Typically street cricket batsmen do not go for lofted shots fearing to get out.

* One pitch one hand - Etymology English - A slight modification of the above rule where a fielder can use both hands if catching the ball full toss, but has to use only one hand, if the catch is "one-pitch". Typically used to increase the chances of batsmans survival.

* Sundu - Etymology Tamil- A great forefather of the now popular "super-sub" rule, this rule can be used if a Sothai (poor or bad) batsman's innings has to be played by a good batsman.

* La Ball - Etymology English - Last ball of an over.

* Full fast - Etymology English - Since street cricket pitches are a few yards long, a ball which is thrown with full pace and energy is considered a no ball as it will be impossible to handle such pace with short distance.

* Thuchees - Etymology Unknown- When batsman/any fielder gets distracted from the game due to highly technical reasons like a vehicle crossing the road when a ball is bowled (with the pitch perpendicular to the road).

* Waiteees - Etymology Unknown- Same as 'Thuchees.'

* Common Fielding - Etymology English- Due to lack of number of fielders, it is possible that people from batting team who are not actually doing batting have to field or do wicket keeping or for that matter even umpiring.

* Ball Right - Etymology English- When a umpire/batsman declares a wide ball, bowler uses this term to say that the ball was not a wide. Typically happens because umpires are from the batting teams.

* Dokku - Etymology Unknown- A derogatory term for a defensive shot. Typically a batsman is discouraged from playing such shots because of the constraints of less number of overs and because everyone in the team needs to have a fair amount of gaaji.

* Baby Over - Etymology English- When a bowler has no hopes of completing his over with lots of wides and no balls he is substituted by a better bowler and the over is called a Baby over, Baby because the first bowler was very amateur.

* Chain Over - Etymology English- When a bowler bowls two continuous overs. Typically happens when captains fail to calculate correctly the number of overs in the absence of electronic score cards.

* Uruturadhu - Etymology Tamil- When the bowler is unable to extract any meaningful bounce from the pitch. Sometimes used as a defensive tactic towards the deck.

* Thadavuradhu - Etymology Tamil- When a batsman is not able to make any contact with the ball using his bat.

* Suthuradhu - Etymology Tamil- Same as slogging in cricket towards the deck.

* Avishot - Etymology English- Appeal to Umpire for out(run out, catch, etc).

* One Side Runs - Etymology English- When teams decide before hand that there are runs only on one side of the wicket due to lack of sufficient number of fielders.

* Granted - Etymology English- When a batsman hits a reasonable distance from which fetching the ball back is slightly difficult due to technical difficulties already mentioned (like vehicle crossing a road, presence of a thorny bush etc), teams agree that a fixed number of runs are GRANTED.

* Trials - Etymology English- This is the first ball bowled in the match and it is called trials. It is used to gauge the pace and bounce of the pitch and the ball by both batsman and the bowler.

Note: The batsman is not supposed to hit this ball, else the fielding will demand him to go and fetch the ball. It's a kind of tactic by the fileding team to not allow the batsman to free his arms.

* All-reals..first ball - Etymology English- This indicates the start of the match. Usually the batsman prefer to play "dokku".

* hit the bats after each ball (no term used) - This is the usual practice followed by the batsmen in the middle. The batsman and the runner need to hit their bats. This gives little time to take breath and also signal for a quick single in the next ball. The best part is even if they dont want to discuss anything, they still need to hit the bats. If they miss or doesn't do it properly, they have to come back and make sure that they hit properly. Nice practice.


I heard that a movie called Chennai -28 had been released sometime ago featuring on gully cricket. I am yet to see that one.

Maybe we could identify ourselves with the characters in the movie.

Or maybe not.

Who cares ?

Whatever, gully cricket rocks !

Personifications of Brilliance

It was not the first time that I switched on my comp. just to listen to the enchanting piece of RTP beginning with Charukesi raga played by the violin duo. So intoxicating the RTP is, switching between different ragas is like sifting through different moods. I was in seventh heaven. I just could not describe it in words. All I could say was that it was just simply brilliant !

Virtuosity, perfect layam and novel innovations soaked in the grammar of Carnatic music on the violin bring to mind the duo Ganesh and Kumaresh, who have been riding high on the concert podium from a very early age. Coming from a musical family, Ganesh and Kumaresh, ace violinists from India, took to music very young in their lives. They started performing from when they were 7 and 5 respectively and in the last thirty years they have carved out their own expressions of music.

Trained by their father, Shri Rajagopalan, an excellent artiste in his own right, Ganesh and Kumaresh completed their hundredth stage appearance before the younger brother was ten years of age ! By the time they reached their teens they were rubbing shoulders with veterans in musical field !

In 1983, Sri M.G. Ramachandran, the great leader of Tamil Nadu, had an occasion to hear a television concert of the gifted brothers. He was so moved by their talent and accomplishment that he sent them a personal note of appreaciation. He wrote, "I was wonderstruck with your talent. My hearty greetings to both of you. I am sure you will reach greater heights in your career." He subsequently made them State Artistes of Tamil Nadu.

They have also made impressive forays into world music teaming up with luminaries like Zakir Hussain,Vikku Vinayakaram, Sivamani., George Brooks, Steve Thornton etc. Their fusion music is one of the most creative one.

Recently, at the launch of Carnatic chills, one of their fusion albums, AR Rahman who happened to be chief guest for the show commented on their brilliant playing. This is what Rahman spoke: "Past two months, I have been traveling to like 4 countries. All of them asked me, why do I live in Chennai? Well I have been thinking.... Well, my house is there, my studio is there....for another reason, we have Ganesh & Kumaresh there ! I was sitting there & listening to their Sahana, it was absolutely amazing !"

The brothers have also played for many hit songs in Tami, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. Some of them are Ennavale adi Ennavale from Kadhalan, Pakkathey Pakkathey from Gentleman, Muthu - Theme Music, again the bruha by Ganesh, background score when Tabu and Ajith meet in Kandukondein Kandukondein, Anbe sugama from Parthale paravasam (this is the one I like the most !)... the list goes on !

I like their unique and flawless way of presenting the songs at a catchy pace. The simplicity and elegant way of presenting their songs is catchy and appealing ! All in all, I can say that their style, presentation, coordination, dedication and their thirst for innovation is unmatched and I am one of their craziest fans. :-)