Cricket Bats (Bites)

Historical Fact:

Abhi (name changed to prevent embarrassment) was a 10 year old with keen interest in cricket. Come summer, he would get together with his friends from the colony and play cricket in the local ground. He owned a bat and he was a superstar. He loved his bat. He took good care of it and tweaked it from time to time.

Sporting Myth:

Oiling a cricket bat brings good stroke. After hearing this, Abhi broke out the oil bottle, put some pin holes on the bat (to soak the oil), and applied it on the bat. He put the bat away for the night to let the bat become a ‘super’ bat.

Biological Fact:

Ants, in the month of summer, collect lots of food for the coming seasons. They try to grab anything and everything and store it away for the coming months that might bring hardship in collecting food.

Fictional Trivia:

Prince Adam would draw his sword from his sheath on his back and become He-Man. He-Man was Abhi’s favorite comic character and he liked imitating him from time to time.

Opportunity of the day:

One day, Abhi started for his daily cricket game after a cup of tea and some biscuits. He was eager to show off his new well-oiled bat and ready to go. His friends would look up on him with a lot a admiration and he would bask in the glory. Against the run of play, Abhi did not reach the play ground that day.

What really happened:

The bat was dripping oil. A wonderful opportunity for the ants. Abhi stick his bat in his t-shirt, just like He-Man would. Halfway to the playground, the ants went into action. Abhi felt his back burning. He rushed back home, removed his t-shirt and made a hullabaloo in his house. The t-shirt flew off; his mom went to work at dusting off the remaining ants. Abhi started crying. His mom started cursing. His sisters started laughing.

How many calendars I have!!

As a global citizen living in a diverse nation, following a unique religion, I am required to deal with many different types of calendars. This has lead to me having at least three New Years.

As a Muslim, I follow the Hijri Calendar. It is a lunar calendar and it has the first month of Muharram. All events and festivals of Islam are tied to this calendar. Like Eid-ul-Fitr, which is the first day of the month Shawwal, is celebrated after completing the whole month of fasting, that is compulsory for every physically and mentally fit Muslim, in the month of Ramadhan. Another Eid is the Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice celebrated during the month of Dhul-Hijjah.

As a global citizen and a professional, I follow the Gregorian Calendar, about which I don't have to talk. It is the standard January to December calendar.

As a Telugu Bidda (child), I have a Telugu calendar which is also a Lunar Calendar and has its own months. Ugadi (ఉగాది) is the New Year for this Calendar. The calendar is called a Panchangam (పంచాంగం).

I wonder if I need all these calendars sometimes. But each and every community has its reasons to retain its calendars, it becomes the responsibility of an individual to determine what he wants to follow and what he can skip.