Colvin Special- How I met Vijay Shahi in Eden Garden

I think it was 1964, I was completing Mech Engineering in Sindri, and I had gone to Calcutta to watch a Test Match. Last Test Match I had seen was in Lucknow ,1952-53, India Vs. Pakistan. Dattu Phatkar, GS Ramchand, Fazal Mahmood, Mahmood Hussain et all.

Pataudi was the Captain here in Eden Gardens, Calcutta.

It was impossible to get tickets. Using IT Department contacts and managed to get one. Later I learnt for a space of 30,000, they sold tickets for 70 thousand. I went early, was not easy to reach anywhere, underground train finally solved the problem 4 decades later, and all roads lead to Eden Garden. I found my gate and seat no, the width of the seat was 6 inches, I somehow managed to sit. When other people came there was no space. Fights ensued. I noted that if you get up, there will be sound like “POP” but you will not be able to find your seat no again. So I did not get up till evening.

Reached in time next day as usual. I went up but found there was hue and cry everywhere with people running helter skelter. The fielders came to the ground and batsmen followed, and just when bowling was to start, people ran into the field followed by more and the players started running out. Someone started digging the pitch. People started running in the entire stadium, people crying bhago bhago. In my area also violence started and with people running all directions, coming back and running again. I could not make up my mind was standing confused, when some nice anarchist came and told me to run away. In Lucknowi style I asked him to please also tell me the direction to run. He said first go there, you will find a staircase, when you come out run towards the big lawn and go towards burning cars, vehicles. I followed instructions, reached a huge maidan, very familiar to visitors and started walking towards the New Market. Many vehicles were on fire on the main road but out of curiosity, was walking and observing. I did not know then that violence was going to be the hall mark of my career and nothing ever worried me. I saw a stainless steel thing falling in front of me, it stared emitting smoke, I knew then it was a tear gas shell. I was curious and watched it with interest, but better sense prevailed and while looking back at it I started moving back ward till I bumped into some one.

 That someone was my old friend, Colvinian, Vijay Shahi. Sports, Seven Tiles, Gend Tadi were our common passion. He had become tall, was short and shy like me earlier. What a meeting it was, chaos all around and we were talking about the years that we missed. He was in BHU. After a long time we remembered where we were. He said he has to go and meet his friends and we parted. I later visited him in his hostel in BHU. We talked endlessly till a classmate of his came to ask if I am a hold-all. It is a code name for new people for ragging purposes. He told them that I am senior to all there and am in the final year. But we had to soon part. I had to report to my Nanihal!

Please help me contact him, or Kamal Shahi, his younger brother!

School days are when the iron is hot, anything engraved lasts forever. And do not forget, I am a steel plant man!