MS Dhoni decided to call it a day from International Cricket!

     Pic Credits: 99 Graphics Facebook page

Let's just, keep aside those heavy statistics of match-winning and those innumerable moments that he made us proud!

Today, let's just talk about the kind of human being he is! The kind of aura he possessed that reflected through the kind of relationships he kept on and off-field!

One of the most celebrated duos of Indian Cricket is undoubtedly weaved between Yuvaraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. They are arguably the best batsman duo on-field and were best friends off-field too those days. They understood each other better than anyone else and this understanding let the scoreboard moving for India when the openers failed. The duo that won numerous matches just by holding on to each other, those moments of them hugging each other with huge smiles and teary eyes after all the big win just flash before my eyes even today. Stories of their bond resonated from the videos of both having each other's back in dressing rooms, parties, and press conferences! Later something happened and suddenly everything turned upside down! There was clear visibility of changing equations between the two, and I still feel it disheartening to see them 'act like' nothing has happened yet we all know everything has changed! Post their hard twist, both become more reserved, more quiet, and a little more sad every day! 

Like I have read it somewhere "When a friendship ends it's not you who is losing me or me who is losing you, It is us losing us"

And I feel it every time they talk about each other! Hope everything will be back in place one day, and I will be able to see the much happier, much prettier, and the best version of Yuvi-Mahi! ❤️

   Pic credit: Yuvaraj Singh Twitter handle 

Moving on to the second one whom I personally felt, kept a very special bond with Mahi is the present Indian Skipper Virat Kohli. This bond is more of a kind of guide or elder brother more than a friend! Kohli always speaks high about Dhoni whenever he talks about him, he openly admits how he looked up to him being one of the most brilliant cricketing brains of the nation and a successful captain! Unlike others, every insta post Kohli shares about Dhoni clearly reflects the respect he has for him. He often talks about the amount of trust and faith he has on Dhoni that while batting together he won't mind running between the wickets with a blindfold if Dhoni asks him to do so! And this trust can be seen whenever they came up together, like going for a two instead of one if Dhoni urges to do so. The way both communicate with just smiles and nodes on the field is a treat to watch. Kohli says Dhoni is the one person from the team who understands him and helped him pushing his limits during the early days of his career, which he is forever thankful to him. 

Kohli always keeps stressing the line "He will forever be my Captain" as a token of respect and admiration. 

 Pic Credit: Suresh Raina Instagram handle

The third and most important person, I would choose is Suresh Raina. 

Minutes after MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket, Raina joined him. 

"We had already made up our minds to retire on Saturday. Dhoni's jersey number is 7 and mine is 3 - put it together and it makes 73. And on August  15, India completed 73 years of Independence, so there couldn't have been a better day. After announcing our retirement, we hugged and cried a lot." these were Raina's words after retirement.

   Pic Credit: Chennai Super Kings Instagram handle

The whole cricketing world was left in shock and tears, yet I just wish everybody deserves a friend who backs them up like Suresh Raina backs up MS Dhoni. He just defined a new dimension for friendship. There will always be a lot of people who promise to be there for you but a few who actually prove it through their deeds. I would say, Dhoni-Raina is friendship goals! This southpaw never failed to be there for Dhoni ever since they met. From being bachelor friends to married ones and finally to be father's, they did it all together. Whether it is the pics of Gracia and Ziva enjoying each other's company or Priyanka and Sakshi cheering for them on galleries, they set a once in a blue moon kind of friendship goal!

I wish everybody deserves a Raina in their lives actually, the world needs more of Raina's to be a happier place! To celebrate his friend's success than himself, to back you up in every twist and turns of life, to lend a hand in testing times, and at last to sustain.

    Pic Credits: Google

They say "Indian cricket enjoyed one of its most successful phases when MS Dhoni was the captain of the side" but I would rather choose to say MS Dhoni enjoyed the best of friendships when he played for the Indian side ❤️ ✨

#Cheerachi

For more details Visit:

MS Dhoni announces retirement from International Cricket - Cricket News - Sportstar - Sportstar (thehindu.com)

MS Dhoni retires from all international cricket (icc-cricket.com)

Suresh Raina reveals reason behind him and MS Dhoni choosing 15 August to announce retirement - Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Suresh Raina announces retirement - Sportstar (thehindu.com)

Kerala: An inhumane state full of Humanity!

 Pic Credits: Facebook

You could call this a clear breach of COVID protocol, 

You could say that we are the dumbest group of people,

You could say that literacy doesn't mean intelligence,

You could...

But we would still choose to do it a thousand times over and again,

For us, 7th August 2020 is the darkest day in ages! But still, it is the greatest reminder that why Kerala is called "God's Own Country".

Amidst this corona and heavy rain, people who rushed for the rescue operation earlier today in the landslide affected areas of Rajamala, Idukki, and later to the plane crash scenes in Karipur, Malappuram is a symbol that nothing comes between Keralites and their humanity in the time of atrocities like this!

Those people, I wish to call them heroes, they could have chosen to remain in their own homes, watch the live telecast of the disasters on TV screens thinking "why would they put their lives in risk for people whom they don't even know", and sigh for what has happened!

But they didn't...

They choose to fight back, as we have always had! 

They rushed to the disaster scenes quickly and in large numbers, they made work unimaginably easier for the NDRF, Fire Force, and police officials, because they know that it was their duty to do so.

Just a reminder that this is the same Malappuram which you guys accused 2 months back for being inhumane! 

The people who ditched our State for "feeding" crackers to a pregnant elephant even when that was an accident, couldn't even imagine the risk these people have taken today! So refrain from preaching humanity to us in future.

In Rajamala, they could have lost their lives during rescue operations, as the area is prone to another landslide anytime!

In Kondotty, the place being a containment zone, there is a high-risk for COVID 19 social spread!

From the long queues for blood donation in hospitals that started from the time of disaster and extended to early morning in Malappuram to the people who wholeheartedly came forward to give food in the late hours to the passengers of the planes which were diverted to land in Kannur International Airport post the plane crash in Karipur, they are the actual face of Kerala.

Because for us, humanity comes first, even before religion, even before our own life and comforts!

Proud to be one among these people, proud to have born and brought up here amidst them, proud to get inflicted upon these moral values of humanity before anything else! 💖

For the ones who are praising us today, please don't take the pain, we don't need support from people who praise us for time being and ditch us when something unfortunate happens! Keep your appreciation to yourself! Kerala really doesn't care!

Do you know what Kerala is going through these days?

• Corona

• Landslides

• Heavy Rain

• Flood

• A major plane crash

Still, we are fighting! United! 

You may think that we will perish due to this stupidity, one day maybe, but till that day we will stay united and shall perish United! 💖

Yes, we do eat beef!

Yes, we are more secular than you will ever be!

Yes, we are communists and congressmen but will never support BJP!

Yes, we do exist!

PS: Sorry if I have ever been arrogant, but this is just a frustrated Keralite fighting against the hypocritic society!

#Cheerachi

For more details visit:

Air India Express praises people of Malappuram who rushed to help Kozhikode air crash victims- The New Indian Express

Kozhikode air tragedy: Air India Express thanks Mallapuram residents for kindness, humanity (livemint.com)

View: Kerala plane crash response shows how locals play key role in disaster management - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

4 August 2020

Dear "don't know who",

Was thinking about the irony of life, how life differs from place to place or even from point to point!

Gone through the videos on Lebanese blast that took place just an hour before. A large blast that hit the port city of Lebanese capital, Beirut is reported to have caused widespread damage and injury. What a perfect news to end your day with? Sigh!!

Then again, in other news, India all set to lay the foundation stone for the much celebrated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya tomorrow!

Like, seriously??

Even during the time of such a pandemic, where at many places people are dying due to lack of medication and treatment facilities, it is a shame that the government still don't feel the need for building a hospital over a Mandir?

Not to mention the Kashmir Curfew that will complete 365 days tomorrow!

It hurts!

Two different places, two different stories to wrap up 4th August!

#Cheerachi

3 August 2020

Dear "don't know who",

It's Rakshabandhan tody! 

For the first time in my life, I send a Rakhi to my brother, even though he is far away from me, I want him to know that I love him and miss him so much!

But each time I see something related to Sushant, the posts of his sister's, it stings!

I couldn't handle the pain!

Being a sister myself, imagining the pain of losing your only brother is a horrible thing in itself!

Then how can I?

Then again, he was the only lil brother of four sisters! I mean, Good loooooord!!!

What are they supposed to do now?

The pleasure of tying Rakhi that they enjoyed for the last 34 years has just been snatched away from them! Not just for today, but for the rest of their lives! I feel sad that all the prayers that they did for him all these years couldn't keep him safe! 

That sounds scary! Really really Scarryyyy! 

Di's may you have all the power in the world to cope with this loss!

Let that sink in! Sushant...you are loved!💖✨🦋

#Cheerachi

               

                         

Pic Credits: Twitter Pages @divinemitz, @shwetasinghkirti and @withoutthemind

For more details visit:

Bollywood stars join social media campaign demanding CBI probe into Sushant's case (thehimalayantimes.com)

What Harry and Hermione taught me!

I have been a Potterhead for a long time now...

Not because the imaginary world and magic fascinates me, but because of the way it teaches us the value of relationships be it that of friendship, love or even enmity, it says about them all!

Harry and Hermione being my treasured lesson!

----------------------------------------------------------

They taught me that a girl and boy can be together their whole life and still remain friends...

They taught me whatever the hell happens if you hold on to your friends, then you could have all the power to change the world!

They taught me even though how weird and hopeless you are to the rest of the world, you will always have your best friend's  back...

They taught me to trust each other and have faith in each other even while doing the dumbest of things...

They taught me how best friends stand up for each other in  demanding times...

They taught me if you are the "better than the best" kind of friends, how  you understand each other even without saying a word...

They taught me to cope up with mood swings of your bestfriend and forgive each time they do something wrong out of a bad mood...

They taught me that it is possible to find a home in someone away from your real home...

Hermione taught me to choose your friendship over love when he needed her the most...

Every time when Harry hides something Hermione comes up with a "What is it Harry?"

Every time he takes a step to go all alone she comes up with a "I'll go with you"

Harry taught me how a boy can make his friend smile even when she is going through hell...

How a boy understand the slightest change in her behaviour when she is sad...

How he will go miles to keep her safe and fight for what she deserves...

At last they taught me how much every Hermione needs a Harry to be complete and vice versa!😍

Can't deny the fact that it is a wonderful feeling to know that you have someone who will stand by your side through all the ups and downs, through all those stupid decisions you have took so far and will take in the years to come, through all the smiles you will ever have and all those tears you will ever endure!

After all Friendship is its own brand of a powerful magic!✨

#Cheerachi

Dilwalon Ki Dilli!

The very first day I set my foot on this soil, I knew this that something was different about the air that goes around here, the wind that blows and even the busy people who seems to be robotic in their movements. I never appreciated a metro city life and my encounter with Delhi made my fear for busy and systematic life much bigger.  But there was something that still held me close to this land.

Pic Credits: Dheera Sasidharan (@itscheerachi)

When I started my post-graduation college life in Punjab, Delhi was the first and most picky choice for a weekend relaxation! Delhi was just 6 hrs away from Bathinda, given that we had direct ‘Punjab Mail’ train service from Bathinda to Delhi and Vice versa for easy and cashless transportation (let me admit my sin, actually we never took tickets for this train journey). It was like making plans and packing our bags at the very last moment, calling a rikshaw and reaching the station when the train was just minutes away from leaving it, rushing towards the platform and chasing the train just like another Shahrukh Khan movie scene. 6 hrs of travelling, you can’t actually call it travelling, each journey from Bathinda to Delhi via Punjab mail that too in a General Compartment was never less than an adventure, sometimes we have to stand for hours without getting a seat, can’t close our eyes due to the fear of thieves and not to mention those devilish eyes falling upon us because we were girls! 

But once we reach Delhi, it is another level of refreshment in itself. You will totally forget the amount of pain you took to travel all the way; I must say Delhi worth it all!

The city seems to tell you a lot of stories; stories of love, sorrows, battles, protests, and moreover struggles. The most attractive thing about Delhi is that the city never sleeps, with all its streets that often come to life after sunsets. Wandering along those streets is the most exciting thing I have ever done. Those constant calling and screaming by street vendors, the hectic crowd in which you will float away like a leaf over a river, the smell of food and cloths mixed with joy, the flashy lights that snatch away your sleep; in shot the markets of Delhi are pure bundle of happiness if you aren’t a fan of brands, privacy and posh life! Can’t argue that those pictures we seen on the outskirts of the city are the best or even anywhere near pleasant, but they are arguably the real India!

                                         Pic Credits: Dheera Sasidharan (@itscheerachi)

I could never explain why this land feels so special, being just another planned city, the National Capital of India. Maybe it is that excitement I had as a child, that one day I will visit this city, with all its monuments which stands high reflecting the brilliance of Mughal Architecture. The same monuments which I have only studied and seen in books and television. To roam around in the same gardens in front of those forts and palaces where someday back in history some Emperor may have roamed, to feel those forts which would have seen a number of battles back then, to imagine being one of those soldiers who died protecting this land, to feel life in past tense!

Pic Credits: Dheera Sasidharan (@itscheerachi)

The streets and metros of Delhi isn’t different from those of Kochi, Chennai, and Kolkata, but the feel it gives is undoubtfully different from others.

In short, Delhi excites me for no accurate reason but still a thousand reasons at the same time.

#Cheerachi

Birthday Love Captain!

This day is the much awaited day of my life since years...! 

I must say even more exciting than my own birthday!

July 7! 

This day some 39 years ago God would have been really happy that he planned to make something really special. Like once in a blue moon kind of thing! And yes, he made it! He made MS Dhoni! ✨

People says that their life will always be remembered like before and after MSD, but for me, when I look back...there is nothing before MSD! Life seems to kickstart from 2005 I guess🥴 From the day of his first international century! That 148 runs knock was indeed the first and most beautiful gift he has ever given me, because from that day back in April 2005 I started believing in a one man army! It still makes me awestruck when I look back, all these years how I managed to trust a single man to win every match he played in a game of 11 players! 🤷

Still wonder how I used to believe that if Dhoni is in the crease then there is always a chance to win! 

Always...even if I know it's too late! 

For most people they love him for what he was and what he has become! But for me, I love him for what he made me!

Being a girl, it was for him that I raised my voice for the first time against boys😝 

Remembering those childhood days when I would quarrel with every single human on earth if they say something bad about Dhoni! 

(My 8th classmates😂 I am sorry for all those trouble) 

It was for him that after 12th I made up my mind to took up Journalism as a career!

(You may find this insane, but it's true)

I aspired to be a sports journalist just to get a glimpse of him! Not like every other fan out there, I wanted to spend some quality time with him, to sit with him and talk about his life, his career and possibly everything under the sky!

That's when I realized if only I become a sports journalist someday I would be lucky enough to interview him✨

Without any second thoughts I choose this life that I am living today😊 all because of this man!

It was through him when he brought the World Cup to India after 28 years, that I realized dreams do come true when you have the power to chase them!

It was him, who taught me to get up and stand every time life knocks me down! Just like he lead CSK to win 2018 IPL title after a ban of two years! 

The one thing that I always wanted to learn from him but failed miserably is to keep calm during testing times...I still look up to him and hope I will learn that skill one day! ✨

In short, this man was the biggest inspiration of my life for past 15 years and will continue to be so for the rest of my life! 

People says "Inspirations can come from anywhere" and I agree that to the core...

Because for me Inspiration is that imaginary line that you set for yourself, that nobody else but only you could see!

And this man helped me pushing my limits!

Remembering Sushant Singh Rajput, the man who gave his 100 percent to give life to Dhoni on Big Screens💖 I will forever be indebted to you! You will be in my heart till my last day and beyond that! Thank you Sushant! 

Here is wishing a lifetime of love and happiness to the man who continue to inspire me in ways unimaginable 💗

Happy Birthday MSD💖✨

#Cheerachi

Those Sparkling Eyes...

Even after being born in the southern most part of the country, Kerala! I have always been fond of Bollywood...it will not be an exaggeration if I say I have watched Hindi movies more than Malayalam ones! I did that, and it made me happy!

Been a fan of #SRK since childhood, even before I could remember!

More than films I used to be a cricket fan back then, #MSD being my favorite ever!

The day when I came to know his biopic is gonna hit the big screens, I can say I was the most excited fan ever!

Then when I saw the posters and trailers I got to know that Sushant Singh Rajput is playing that role! I recollected my memory of seeing him in Kai Po Che some 2-3 years back and also in Pavitra Rishta even before that!

I hoped if he could do justice with the character, but still I doubted that!

But once when I saw the movie for the first time, (obviously I have seen it a hundred more times since then) I was left spellbound 😍

I couldn't see Sushant anywhere in that movie, I could only see Dhoni 😍

I was surprised with the work he has done...that where possibly could that charming, energetic and always smiling fellow hide behind the boots of this calm, composed and serious man! It was amazing...❤️

Later I saw this stunning man in PK and Chhichhore before he took his last breath!

I felt cheated when I heard the news of his suicide some one week after I saw the movie Chhichhore 🥺 I was left in shock and tears!

As I was an emotional fool, it hit me hard!

I couldn't talk to people for two days, eat or sleep properly, with his news kept coming on my facebook, twitter and insta newsfeeds I was even terrified to open any of them! I try to shut myself from the world for a while, I kept weeping over time and again whenever I saw something related to him, When my friends tried to console me all I could wish was if he could have got a single friend who cared for him, a single friend who could console him the way they do to me!

The whole world started to feel like a big lie to me,

I stopped believing in happy faces,

I had severe trust issues,

I could no longer believe in the sole idea of happiness,

It turned out that films are fake, all of them are!

Because the guy who taught me to fight against suicide, just ended his life on a knot!

I wish people could have been a bit more caring, a bit more sensitive and above all a bit less fake😞

Sometimes I feel that he left so early because within this short span of time he achieved everything that he could possibly can or ever dreamt of!

May be, even after getting all those he found himself sad! He must have felt that he failed himself, he couldn't find the happiness he always logged for! And may be that's when he took his own life!

Then again, he didn't thought it necessary to pen down a "Suicide Note" , May be he doesn't wanted to blame people, he doesn't wanted to be discussed and investigated further, he doesn't wanted to...🙂

Gem of a Person he was!

The last thing I could remember thinking of him is his innocent smile🦋 

#Cheerachi

Being Emotional is Okay!

Being sensitive or emotionally weak is never easy!

Whenever something horrible happens, you feel left alone. People always tell you to get over it, to not to be obsessive of your emotions, even not to create fuss over little things at times. But only you know deep inside how it feels, no matter how many times you try to keep that thought away and be happy, eventually it will come back to you haunting. Life feels miserable at some point with nobody to actually understand what is happening deep inside you. I am so sensitive that even phrases like "committed suicide" and "slaughtered like animals" frightens me, like how can someone "commit" suicide ? Suicide is not a crime!

What does "Slaughtered" like animals means? How can someone slaughter animals? Don't they breathe? Or is that their lives doesn't matter?

You see, I have this overflow of emotions at night. Some little thing that is buried deep inside my heart that even I don’t understand and I guess it has to do something with the nights especially! They come and hit me so harder in the nights and literally snatch away my sleep. And all I can do is nothing but “CRY”.

But being an emotional fool has its own advantages and disadvantages. Being emotional is a sign that you empathize for people, you care for others, it is a reminder to yourself that you are a good person, far good for these people to even understand.

Over all these years the most important thing that I  learned for myself is that deliberately avoiding the things and memories that makes me sad will never help me get past it. I prefer to stay in places that frightens me because life will move on but memories wont change, the past wont change, what I have been through wont change, only thing that changes will be the time. But for me, I prefer to stay back at that point where I was shattered, broken down to pieces...

Stay there for as long as that I feel like now it doesn't make any difference even if I choose to stand there or move on! 

I always try to get attached to those memories to the extent where it becomes a part of myself and no longer holds the power to hurt me. Since every time something weird happens, for example someone dies who matter a lot to me, a part of me will always cherish them rather than trying to get rid of their memories. A part of my heart will always try to keep them alive within me. I know this sounds stupid, but this actually worked for me.

Life begins there...at that point when you no longer care what others say!

So stand still, raise your head, fight your emotions!

If you fail... Stand Again, try, try and try until you succeed!

I know it is the hardest of fights that one will ever have,

to fight with yourself...

to fight with your emotions...

But I do this every day, every minute, every second of my life! I choose it for myself!

Now, Being Emotional is Okay!

#Cheerachi

    Pic Credit: Vishakh Kunjumon (@auteur_ayna) 

The Stone Bench: A winter story from CUPB

 When the whole campus is shivering with cold, when the days becomes short and night never ends,  when each and every student is seen in woolen attire; that's when we realise that the winter is already at the doorstep. When everybody get back to their rooms as early as possible there are still some creatures who stand unchanged by the blood freezing winter. Yes, you guessed it right. The stone benches that lay at the nook and corner of the Campus!

Those benches that once used to be the platforms for charming friendships, blossoming young relationships, numerous fights and endless talks lay still, motionless and alone during these cold nights. The students used to sit here for hours chit chatting with each other regardless of day and night, even till 9.30 when the girls has to enter their hostels and the campus become lifeless. There was a time when no space was left to sit and people wait for others to get up so that they can aquire those places.But now, since the winter have arrived nobody is seen sitting on them merely after 6 in the evening. It is a symbol that how well people abandon things once they are done with it or how well they move on leaving behind those memories that they are uncomfortable with.

Under this cold starry nights, these benches lay frozen between the trees just like the way a corpse lie surrounded by a group of people who would probably forget it once it is buried.

#Cheerachi

     Pic Credits: Dheera Sasidharan (@itscheerachi)

J & K Bifurcation: An Archived Opinion

To all those people cheering loud for the new integrated India...

To the ones who are celebrating the 73rd so called Independence day of the country...

I just want to ask you something...

Have you ever had a Kashmiri roommate? Have you ever seen them crying for their Homeland?

Have you ever felt within yourself the sense of helplessness of not being able to talk to your own parents for weeks?

Do you have any idea how it actually feels to get  treated as  second citizens in one's own "Integrated Country"!

If not, then you...you are the person I want to sat down for a discussion!

It's been more than 70 years since Kashmir has been added to the territory of Independent India! Or else I must say It has been 7 decades since we are using their geographical land for defense and tourism.

Then again...even after 73 years of staying United if the Kashmiri people aren't able to recognize themselves as one among as then it is shame on us! It is shame on our government! Our government has failed to give them that sense of belonging. Keeping aside those written privileges that they have been enjoying since then, every Indian will admit that the way Kashmiris are treated in India is no less than a foreigner.

Before getting offended, just get your facts clear...a Kashmiri resident is not even eligible to buy a sim card using his/ her identity from any other states in India excluding Jammu and Kashmir. Wow... Incredible India! Right? Is this the way a country treats it's citizen's? And that too one which claims to be a  democratic country?

Keeping the prominent Political leaders and bureaucrats in house arrest, cutting all the communication facilities, establishing curfew for time undetermined and assigning an average of 7 soldiers per common man is the so called liberal way of integrating a nation? The decision of their lifetime has been taken and is implemented on them forcefully.

What does integration in it's true sense means?

Call me an emotional fool but I must say Kashmir is not about it's land...it is about the people. Human Resource is the greatest and most productive form of resource any developing country can ever have. Unless and until the people in J&K don't agree with the very idea of 'Integrated India' , this country can never be considered United.

A bill that is opposed by half of the population of a country has been unanimously passed by the ruling party in the parliament, that itself shows the basic concept of democracy has failed in this country. I am not here to talk about the Pros and cones of this decision, but I must say that the way it is been implemented is the worst one any democratic country can follow.

#Cheerachi

    Pic Credits: Dheera Sasidharan (@itscheerachi)