This bond will live...FOREVER

"These young men share something special. These young men will be friends for life" - Harsha Bhogle



Tears of joy streamed down a billion faces just before midnight on April 2 as Dhoni sent the muddy white ball sailing over the long on fence to claim the top honours for his country. There were hugs all over the country, celebrations on every street and cheers of victory on every mouth. We all were busy shouting and congratulating friends and family, to an extent where cellphone networks were jammed for a brief period.



As it sunk in and we shifted our focus back to the TV screen, the Men in Blue were still soaking in the emotion. An emotional Yuvraj broke down on his skipper's shoulders, the ever energetic Bhajji and the pace spearhead Zak wrapped each other with the Tricolour and ran out together. Young Kohli and the instrumental Raina postponed their moment of self pride and patted each other for their contributions to the win. The industrious Gauti, when congratulated for his efforts said, "We did it for Sachin, We did it for the fans". Sachin Tendulkar went back 30 years in time and sprinted out on the field like a 5 year old, not just to embrace his Captain or the Coach, but to share his joy with every single member of the team, and the support staff.





These champions share more than just the fame, more than just the World Cup. They share the hours of sweating it out in practice sessions, the air of the dressing room. The soil on their team jerseys belongs to the same territory and the fire they breathed was ignited from the shared passion. They share the moment when they all stood there with the World Cup as Champion. The Cup will definitely travel to other countries in the future, but the glory which it brought to these men will be shared by them forever. The friends they made on the field and more importantly, off it, will be their Best Friends, forever.

Mahabs - a Live-ly Kitchen

Mamallapuram, doesn't sound like a very exotic destination for someone with culinary interest, does it? Well going by the first impression of this small town in Tamil Nadu, it certainly seemed like a place which would have a limited array of traditional South Indian food to offer, on a kelaa pattal of course.

My first glance at the menu card of the Santana Sea View Restaurant proved me wrong. There was more to offer than just Idli-Vada-Sambhar or Sea Food cooked in Chettinad style. In all shapes and sizes.

Our next stop was the Good Luck Café - a rooftop restaurant. Whether this café actually brought me good luck or not is yet to be seen, but it definitely had the most positive vibes. A calm ambience with a mixed tape playing on very low volume gelled brilliantly with the rhythm of the coastal waves. The USP of Café Good Luck, a raised platform with a few low lying tables and floor seating. A colourful riot of Tibetan Prayer Flags and paper lampshades adorned the thatched roof and amidst all this, right in the centre, was a Fish - a big, blue, psychedelic fish, flying in all directions!

A serene sunset is complimented by a range of teas offered by almost all cafes in Mahabs. From a glass of simple black tea to the complicated, but delicious Ginger Lemon Honey Tea, with small floating chunks of ginger, served with honey on the side goes well with toast, butter and jam.

Dinner can be a lavish affair in this town. Owing to their daily fresh catch, the restaurants serve an extensive range of seafood. A variety of Prawns and Calamari, along with fries, rice, mashed potatoes or boiled veggies on the side are a delight to the eyes, the olfactory senses and of course, one's taste buds. Their main attraction - Live Lobsters. Although the experience costs a bomb, it sure must be worth choosing a Lobster from their tank and served on a grilled platter over a colourful table top.

After the blitzkrieg through my stomach and a good night's sleep, breakfast is a choice of eggs, fresh juices or once again, chai.

This tiny fisherman's colony neither has a glamorous dining experience, nor an elaborate spread of meals. But it surely has an inviting aroma every time you pass by a café, and a lip smacking menu scribbled on the blackboards outdoors.