Chinmay Sutar's feat at Souvima !!

 

Remember buying Sportstar in 1988 that had on its Greame Hick – reading  :  -  Hick, Hick, Hick, Hick !! – decipher what ?

Sovima is an Angami Naga village   located in the Chümoukedima district (near Dimapur) in Nagaland, India; the name translates to mean "good and respectable guests".

The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese offensive into India in 1944 during the Second World War.  The battle is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".  The place of occurrence,  Nagaland in North East India borders Assom, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Burma.  The state is inhabited by 16 tribes, each tribe is unique in character with its own distinct customs, language and dress.  Nagaland is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and the Naga Self-Administered Zone of the Sagaing Region of Myanmar (Burma). Its capital city is Kohima and its largest city is the twin Chümoukedima–Dimapur.  In the 19th century, the British India forces began expanding their influence in Northeast India, including the Naga Hills. After India's independence in 1947, the question of the Naga Hills' political status emerged. Nagaland was a district in the State of Assam until 1957, known to others as "The Naga Hills".   

Mizoram  with Aizawl as its capital is a State that shares international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar - has domestic borders with the Indian states of Assam, Manipur, and Tripura. One of the two official languages and most widely spoken tongue is Mizo,[b] which serves as a lingua franca among various ethnic communities who speak a variety of other Tibeto-Burman or Indo-Aryan languages

No History or Geography post but one on Cricket as these two are playing in Ranji trophy match today and a History was created. Mizoram batting first has declared at 581/9 !!  ~  Chinmay Sutar has hit an unbeaten 400!! 

Chinmay Sutar, the 29-year-old Mizoram batter, has become the second India player to hit a quadruple century in a first-class innings. Playing in only his second first-class fixture, Sutar surpassed Prithvi Shaw's 379 to achieve the second-highest score in Ranji Trophy history, finishing on an unbeaten 400*, against Nagaland in a plate league fixture in Sovima.

Sutar, who was unbeaten on 392 at tea, reached 400 in the 155th over before Mizoram declared on 581 for 9. By then, he had put together an unbroken 190 for the tenth wicket with Lalrempunia Chhakchhuak. Sutar was within touching distance for the all-time record for the tournament's highest-ever individual score, held by BB Nimbalkar, who hit 443* for Maharashtra against Kathiawar in 1948-49. Their partnership is the third highest for the last-wicket in Ranji history, 43 short of the all-time record for the highest last-wicket stand in Ranji history - 233 runs

Sutar represented Mumbai earlier this year during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic 50-overs competition, following impressive returns in the local leagues. He featured for  MSC Maratha Royals  and made his  Ranji Trophy debut for Mizoram in last week's season opener, hitting 35 and 99 in their narrow three-wicket loss to Manipur.  

Nimbalkar’s name stand etched on Indian domestic cricket for his   443 not out for Maharashtra against Kathiawar in   1948-49. He never represented India in an official Test and played for the country only once - against the first Commonwealth team.   In Dec 1948,  Kathiawar were all out for 238 and Nimbalkar, who came in at No. 3, and KV Bhandarkar added 455 runs for the second wicket which stood as an Indian first-class record for 43 years. At 443, he was within striking distance of Don Bradman's then world record score of 452, made 19 years earlier when the Kathiawar captain, Thakore Sahib of Rajkot, decided to concede the match with the Maharashtra score 826 for 4. The match thus came to an abrupt end and Nimbalkar was deprived of a famous world record.

If you remember that first line -   Graeme Ashley Hick MBE is  a Zimbabwean-born former England cricketer who played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He was born in Rhodesia, and as a young man played international cricket for Zimbabwe. He played English county cricket for Worcestershire for his entire English domestic career, a period of well over twenty years. 

In May 1988,  at 21 years of age, against Somerset he set a County Championship record by scoring 405 runs in a single innings. Worcestershire were 132 for five at one stage with Botham walking for seven but Hick single-handedly saw them to victory with his 405 not out. In 555 minutes, he hit 11 sixes and 35 fours from 469 balls as Worcestershire declared on 628 for seven.

400 is big in any form of Cricket – remains to be seen whether Chinmay Sutar reaches bigger milestones and accomplishments in his career.

Regards – S Sampathkumar

19.10.2026

 

Sedan Scooter !!

 

When it rains … and when there is heavy rain warning – one must be prepared! 

A hatch-back two-wheeler.  Human ingenuity in an area where it rains heavily and regularly

உறுதுயர் அலமரல் ! Navarathri Golu - Cow-calf bonding !

 

Today is Aippaisi 1 – 7^th day of Navarathiri Uthsavam at Thiruvallikkeni.  உறுதுயர் அலமரல்  - என்றால் என்ன என்று தெரியுமா ?? Navrathiri is the time for ‘bommai golu’ at homes. At Thiruvallikkeni – display of dolls at Geethacharyan house, 7 South Mada Street, Triplicane, Chennai 600005 [by Dr Bhooma Venkatakrishnan] is famous for its beauty, traditional values and .. .. samprathayic concepts.

There is bonding between the mother and the new-born.  Almost every animal take special care  in nurturing their new borns,  yet, not every animal species develops the same kind of maternal attachment. Mammals generally provide milk and varying degrees of parental care, whereas many reptiles and other animals rely more on eggs, instinctive behaviour and the young's own survival abilities.

The bond between a cow and its calf is indeed remarkable. A mother cow may lick her newborn for a long time, call out when it is separated from her, recognise its calls, and become restless when she cannot find it. There is a biological explanation for this attachment, but there is also something deeply moving about the way it expresses itself. What makes the cow–calf relationship especially noticeable is the combination of maternal behaviour, vocal communication, nursing, and the way we humans observe and relate to cows.

Yes, there is scientific evidence that cows can recognise their own calves and calves can recognise their own mothers.  There has been a strong notion  that a cow can invariably identify her calf among hundreds, and that the calf will always run straight to its biological mother!

Mullaippattu is one of the Ten Idylls (பத்துப்பாட்டு) of Sangam literature.  Here is one from it.

சிறுதாம்பு தொடுத்த பசலைக் கன்றின்

உறுதுயர் அலமரல் நோக்கி ஆய்மகள்

நடுங்குசுவல் அசைத்த கையள் கைய

கொடுங்கோல் கோவலர் பின்நின்று உய்த்தர

இன்னே வருகுவர் தாயர் என்போள்.

 

A young calf, tied with a small rope, is suffering and restlessly yearning for its mother. Seeing its distress, a cowherd girl comforts it, assuring it that its mother will return shortly, following the cowherds who drive the cattle home.

The striking expression is “உறுதுயர் அலமரல்” — the calf's intense distress and restless agitation. Here the verse is not describing a dramatic reunion. The calf's distress at being away from its mother is enough to convey the attachment.  There is also a lovely human parallel: in the same passage, an older woman uses the reassuring words spoken to the calf as an auspicious sign to comfort a woman who is anxiously awaiting her absent beloved. 

ஆய்மகள் பச்சைக் கன்றுக்குட்டியைச் சிறிய தாம்புக் கயிற்றிலே தொடுத்து வைத்திருந்தாள். அது தாய்ப்பசுவை எண்ணித் தவித்துக்கொண்டிருந்தது. அந்தக் கன்றின் கழுத்தை அந்த ஆய்மகள் தன் கக்கத்திலே அணைத்துக்கொண்டு அதனைத் தேற்றும் சொற்களைப் பேசினாள். “கையில் வளைகோல் வைத்திருக்கும் கோவலர் பின்னிருந்து ஓட்டிக்கொண்டு வர உன் தாயர் (தாய்ப்பசு) இன்னே (இப்பொழுதே) வந்துவிடுவர்” என்றாள். [இந்த நல்ல சொற்கள் விரிச்சி கேட்டுக்கொண்டிருந்த பெண்களின் காதில் விழுந்தது. இதுவே அவர்கள் கேட்ட வரிச்சி]

பாடியவர்:- காவிரிப்பூம்பட்டினத்துப் பொன்வணிகனார் மகனார் நப்பூதனார்

பாடப்பட்டவன்:- தலையாலங்கானத்துச் செருவென்ற நெடுஞ்செழியன்

திணை:- முல்லைத்திணை

பாவகை:- அகவல்பா (ஆசிரியப்பா)

மொத்த அடிகள்:- 103

சங்கத் தமிழ் இலக்கியத்தில் பத்துப்பாட்டு என அழைக்கப்படும் தொகுதியின் ஒரு பகுதியே முல்லைப் பாட்டு. இத் தொகுதியுள் அடங்கியுள்ள நூல்களுள் மிகவும் சிறியது இதுவே. 103 அடிகளைக்கொண்ட ஆசிரியப்பா வகையில் இயற்றப்பட்டது.

At Geethacharyan house – this special painting on vitreous glassy  material  of ‘Calf drinking milk, while Cow showing deep affection and licking’ appears exceptionally grand and beautiful. Here is a close-up of the same and a photo of part of the grand bommai golu.

Regards – S Sampathkumar

18.10.2026

homage to - தேனிசைத்தென்றல் தேவா

 

வெள்ளி நிலா வானத்திலே வெளிச்சம் தரும் நேரத்திலே

துள்ளி வரும் காவேரிப்போல் நடந்து வந்தாள் பாதையிலே!

நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே நீ புகுந்து நேசத்துக்குள் என்னை வச்சு

கண்ணுக்குள்ளே உன்னை வச்சு காவல் காப்பேன் அத்த மகளே!

 

Heard this song !! 

In the entertainment industry, he would not only be remembered for so many hit songs – more so for his character, his outwardly friendliness, his smile and helping tendency – very sad to know that  Thenisai thenral Deva is no more!!!

ஓம் அருணாச்சலேஸ்வராய நம: போன்ற அற்புத பாடல்கள் இசையமைத்த, தமிழ், தெலுங்கு, மலையாளம், கன்னடம் என 25  வருடங்களுக்கு மேலாக முன்னணி இசையமைப்பாளராக திகழ்ந்த நல்ல மனிதர்  திரு தேவா மறைவு வருத்தத்தை அளிக்கிறது.  நெற்றி நிறைய விபூதிக் கீற்று, நடுவே   குங்குமம்,   சின்ன கீற்றுக்கண்கள், நெடிய நாசி, பட்டை மீசை, முகத்தில் எப்போதும் அணிந்திருக்கும் அழகான சிரிப்பு. இவர் தான் இசையமைப்பாளர் தேனிசைத்தென்றல் தேவா.

Deva  composed music for over 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, including iconic blockbusters like Annamalai, Baashha, Aasai, Kadhal Kottai, Vaalee, and Kushi. He also composed Rajinikanth's famous title-card theme music.  Though he is widely acclaimed  as the "Godfather of Gaana"   bringing Chennai's street-style gaana music into the mainstream of Tamil cinema, he has given many melodies worth hearing again and again. .

His son Srikanth Deva is also a music composer, as are his brothers, who have formed the duo Sabesh–Murali. Mr Deva died from a sudden cardiac arrest at Surya Hospital in Kodambakkam, Chennai on 17 October 2026 at the age of 75

Some of his evergreen hits would include the high energy - “Vanthenda Paalkaran” — Annamalai (1992; “Naan Autokaaran” — Baashha (1995); “Konja Naal Poru Thalaiva” — Aasai (1995); “Kavalai Padathey Sagothara” — Kadhal Kottai ; “Aval Varuvala” — Nerrukku Ner ; “Manam Virumbuthey” — Nerrukku Ner ; “Meenamma” — Arunachalam;   “Salomiya” — Once More (1997); “Megam Karukkuthu” — Ninaithen Vandhai  and more !!  

The song at the start is from Mattukkara Mannaru which was his first movie. This movie was released in 1986, starred Chandrasekar, Aswini, Arunthathi, directed by Thenral Thiyagarajan who also wrote lyrics for this song.  It was sung by legendary TM Soundararajan.

Deva Sir would ever remembered for his music, nice conduct, smiles, vibuthi in his forehead  and overt friendliness. I have heard many of his songs again and again – sad on his departure !

Here is a picture taken    with Mr Devanesan Chokkalingam, more popularly known as Deva, in 2023 at Hyderabad airport.  

Regards – S Sampathkumar