Cawnpore Siege, Hilsa fish .... Test match and more !!

British who came as traders, colonized most parts of the World, butchered people but when they were attacked – History wrote it as ‘treacherous’ !! 

Cawnpore was a major crossing point on the River Ganges, and an important junction, where the Grand Trunk Road and the road from Jhansi to Lucknow crossed. In June 1857, during the Great Freedom uprising  (1857-1859), the Bengal Army sepoys stationed there rebelled, looted the treasury and laid siege to Major-General Sir Hugh Wheeler's garrison. The siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The besieged East India Company forces and civilians in Cawnpore (now Kanpur) were brutally attacked by the  forces under Nana Sahib.

 

Moving away, here are couple of pictures of Fish taken at Kalyani pushkarini, the sacred pond of Sri Cheluva Narayana Swami at Melukote, Thirunarayanapuram, Mandya, near Mysore.  Photos taken while they were swimming in the water !  - and we always have a Q – do fishes sleep ! ? !

 

Sleep is an universal behavior, but how a living creature sleeps and for how long varies greatly from one species to the next. Fish sleep behavior has been difficult for scientists to study, particularly because fish lack eyelids. Fish don’t yawn, stretch, and close their eyes for a well-needed nap. Fish sleeping behavior is far more subtle, and in the past, scientists couldn’t be certain about what they were observing. 

Kanpur's Green Park Stadium, one of India's oldest Test venues, might have hosted its last international match, but it witnessed a flurry of records during the India vs Bangladesh second Test. After Rohit Sharma's men took to the field, they registered the fastest team scores of 50, 150, 200, and 250, demonstrating how to take control of a Test match, even one that saw over two days of play lost due to rain and poor drainage at the stadium. Less than 175  overs -  it took for India to get the result they wanted as they clinched the series by 2-0. 

If yesterday’s onslaught and declaration was a stunner, it clearly was a big push towards victory in a game that was robbed by rain and only 35 overs had been bowled in first 3 days !  - yet the match was over sooner.  India smashed the target of 95 with the young superstar Yashaswi Jaiswal scoring 50 in each innings. 

 

Less of Cricket and something more on Fish !  -   Hilsa is Bangladesh’s national fish. Locally known as ilish, it is cherished as the queen among fish and forms part of the culinary identity of both Bangladesh and the bordering Indian state of West Bengal. 

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina used the fish – which is found in the Bay of Bengal and in rivers – as a tool of diplomacy to foster ties with its western neighbour, India. Once Govt changed, Bangladesh’s interim government’s decision to briefly ban exports of the fish to India in September caused a culinary crisis of sorts ahead of the festival of Durga Puja in India. Hilsa fish cooked in mustard sauce is a popular delicacy during the festival. Some experts viewed the move as a diplomatic rebuke for New Delhi’s backing of Hasina, who has taken shelter in India after her removal in late August. Dhaka insisted the ban aimed to reduce the cost of the freshwater fish domestically amid a leaner harvest this year. It, however, reversed its order within two weeks. 

Fishermen this year say they are also struggling to catch adequate amounts of hilsa due to rough sea conditions. The exports add to the scarcity, with the fish unaffordable to most Bangladeshis due to its high cost. In 2024, the price of a 1.5kg hilsa fish reached about $15 (1,800 Bangladeshi taka) in local markets. At 550,000 to 600,000 tonnes a year, hilsa contributes about 12 percent of Bangladesh’s total fish production, supporting approximately 500,000 fishers directly and two million people in related industries. 

Hasina first used the fish as a diplomatic tool when she came to power in 1996. She gifted hilsa to then-West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu ahead of a landmark agreement on sharing water, a major bilateral issue between the neighbours. In 2016, the former Bangladeshi prime minister sent a consignment of hilsa to Mamata Banerjee, who heads the government of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh. 

Today at Kanpur, Indian superstar batter Virat Kohli conjured a special moment post the Kanpur Test as he presented Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan with an autographed bat in regard to his terrific career.   Kohli was showing respect towards Shakib’s huge contribution to the game-the respect between two legends.    

Shakib Al Hasan had  indicated that this could well be his last Test, at least for the longest format of the game, as he might be left out for Bangladesh’s home Test matches following this. So, there was something of emotional value to that situation. After the post-match ceremony, where India basked in the glory of winning the series, Virat Kohli was seen discussing a very heart-to-heart matter with Shakib. The moment was further sweetened when Kohli gifted him a signed bat-a memorable gesture of respect and admiration. 

 

If this does turn out to be Shakib Al Hasan’s final Test, his legacy is firmly cemented in cricket history. Amassing 4609 runs and taking 246 wickets in 71 Test matches, Shakib stands as one of Bangladesh’s greatest cricketers.  The veteran cricketer recently announced his retirement and expressed a desire to play his last Test against South Africa at his preferred venue, the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made it clear that his participation depends on ensuring his safety. Shakib, who was previously a member of the Awami League government, was implicated in a murder case during a period of political unrest in Bangladesh and FIR filed against him. His silence during the student protests that led to the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government has upset some of his supporters back home.  Bangladesh Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud responded to Shakib Al Hasan's request for security clearance to play his final Test match. Mahmud stated that Shakib would receive the same level of security as any other member of the Bangladesh cricket team. However, he emphasised that the government cannot protect Shakib from public anger stemming from his political past. Mahmud clarified that the government is responsible for ensuring the security of cricketer Shakib, but they cannot shield him from potential public outrage directed at the 'politician' Shakib.

 
In Bangladesh – the political turmoil is yet to settle !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
1.10.2024