Superfast South West Monsoon Hits Maharashtra!

The South West Monsoon always demonstrates a tinge of unpredictability. When something is in great demand and millions of people wait eagerly for it this kind of behavior is only natural—though most commonly seen in condescending human beings Mother Nature has started this practice of late maybe to put some sense into Her arrogant children or maybe due to the global climatic changes for which Her children are only responsible. Whatever, the South West Monsoon sometimes arrives late, sometimes it arrives early or on time and yet stays put for days in some place maybe to enjoy the local hospitality, sometimes it just keeps on playing hide and seek and sometimes it just gets lost keeping the met office totally in dark about its movements.

Yesterday we were elated over light showers in Mumbai and pre-monsoon showers in other parts of Maharashtra relishing the fact that the South West Monsoon that hit Kerala was just days away from Maharashtra and Mumbai.  The normal date for Mumbai is 10^thJune and this year it was expected to reach Mumbai by 15^th June as it arrived late in Kerala. Even till late last night we or the met office could not anticipate its next move.

All the news headlines suddenly broke today in all local channels of Mumbai that the South West Monsoon had hit Maharashtra. Like a superfast express train! It arrived late in Kerala and yet made up time reaching Goa 2 days in advance and then Maharashtra in double quick time. There were monsoon rains today in different parts of South and Central Maharashtra. This was incredible and personally I myself was trying to confirm and double confirm the news again and again! If it maintains the super speed it is likely to spread to other regions of Maharashtra quickly and arrive in Mumbai even before the traditional date of June 10. Well, all the good reasons to rejoice and enjoy more! Hope the Monsoon is not holding back any crucial link that may impede its further progress! The forecast is already there for a healthy and normal monsoon this year. 

Mumbai: Monsoon Prepares For Rain Launch!

This very look of the skies never fails to thrill you; makes you ecstatic. Particularly when you have been sweating out a month-long spell of humid energy-sapping heat with the air stilled and tree leaves forgetting how to sway. The full month of May this year has been one of unbearably persistent heat for Mumbaikars. This was not the case in the last two or so years when temperatures varied frequently with windy conditions keeping company consistently. No doubt, Mumbaikars collectively have a sigh of great relief. 

Today afternoon, clouds started to gather in the Mumbai skies and got darker towards the evening promising instant rains. A cool breeze continued all along bringing in a drastic change in the conditions. A drizzle started in most parts of the city in the evening and Mumbaikars welcomed it with all warmth and pleasure. That the drizzle failed to turn into a downpour and that traffic congestion always mysteriously or naturally associated with rains began immediately did not disappoint us. Because, we know that the Monsoon mood has just begun.

The spell of a searing dry heat with the mercury rising above 48 degree Celsius burned across the state of Maharashtra already under a raging drought for the month of May. In the last two or three days welcome pre-monsoon showers had brought tremendous relief for the people of different parts of the state, particularly for the distressed farmers.

The South West Monsoon, the mainstay of Indian farming, had already hit the southernmost Indian state of Kerala and is set to reach Maharashtra by 15^th of June.

With the monsoon mood created, Mumbai is likely to have light and pre-monsoon showers over the next few days in the run-up to the South West Monsoon Rain launch. Welcome and enjoy the rains coming your way soon!

IPL Spot Fixing: The Biggest BCCI Compromise!

The richest cricket Board of the world has finally made its dirty money work one more time for its vested interests ensuring the biggest compromise in the emergency working committee meeting in Chennai today that maintained the status quo despite all the odds. Every genuine cricket lover of the country and the right minded members within BCCI wanted the tainted Chief to resign on at least moral grounds after more than ten days of defiance, arrogance and greed. But the meeting today helped him only to step aside for allowing the so-called probe against the IPL Spot Fixing scandal go on ‘independently’. A new interim President was selected in the form of former BCCI Boss who also had had his share of controversies. The compromise displayed fully the pull and clout of various lobbies working for the interests of various political parties and members according to their political affiliations.

A kind of a revolt within the BCCI was palpable over the past few days with the Secretary and the Treasurer tendering their resignations on Friday followed by the resignation of the IPL Chairman cum Congress minister Rajeev Shukla late Saturday night. Arun Jaitley, the BJP leader and one key Vice President of the BCCI promised big happenings, but finally did nothing. His expertise has been seen in recent times in disrupting the Indian Parliament for days and months continuously on various ‘issues’ ranging from basically corruption in the UPA-2 Government. However, the great representative of common people apparently did not consider the issues of corruption in cricket and in BCCI as ‘issue’ enough, and his role in the compromise arrived today could be termed crucial. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of the resignations of the BCCI officials it was perceived that the pressure now was unbearable for Narayanswamy Srinivasan and that he would step down in the emergency meeting today. But he was allowed only to step aside.

The BCCI, in the grip of the worst crisis in its history and with the possibility of losing all credibility in the eyes of millions of cricket lovers, could have demanded Srinivasan’s resignation with renewed vigor or could have resigned en masse making his position ridiculous or could have discussed how to rope in fresh members in a bid to restore its credibility. However, the spineless members only allowed its defiant Boss to remain defiant disillusioning the cricket lovers completely. They cited ‘constitutional’ restrictions or bindings to justify their action. They also appealed to Sanjay Jagdale and Ajay Shirke to come back to the BCCI. Ajay Shirke, possibly the only BCCI member with some conscience left, refused to come back saying that despite his little knowledge about constitutional matters  the justification offered was not acceptable. The meeting was also left it ambiguous as to who was going to represent India at the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The BCCI handles national cricket, represents India at the ICC, controls the ICC with its money power and has politicians of all major political parties in its fold or lobbies. Therefore, there seems to be no one who could possibly control or scrap or change the BCCI. Suresh Kalmadicould pull it off similarly, but he was at least jailed for sometime and the International Olympic Committee at least had the power to ban the Indian Olympic Association. But what about this Board so full of corruption, with total lack of transparency and with no accountability or responsibility going on to handle national cricket that millions take pride in. 

Well, the millions of Indian cricket fans must take up this issue and decide the next course of action. They must do enough to take the issue to the Supreme Court of India and believe in the apex court to deliver the final and lasting justice. They also must realize the immensity of the cowardly silence still maintained by cricket legends and former greats of this country and adopt their stand on cricket at large clearly.