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| (From top) Makoto Hasebe of Japan, Christian Poulsen of Denmark and Arthur Boka of Ivory Coast in action |
As with every FIFA World Cup, this time too there are quite a few Bongs playing for various countries. Kaka of Brazil is the most prominent but a chain email lists the innumerable bodyis with the Sen surname who are playing.
In the Denmark team Soren Sen (Thomas Sorensen, jersey No. 1) will keep goal while two of his distant cousins are his deputies, Ander Sen (Stephan Andersen, 16) and Christian Sen (Jesper Christiansen, 22). In defence, there are Jacob Sen (Lars Jacobsen, 6) and Simon Poul Sen (Simon Poulsen, 15). The midfield sees the presence of Christian Poul Sen (Christian Poulsen, 2). There are many more of them.
The Denmark attack has Lar Sen (Soren Larsen, 18) who scored five goals in five games during qualification. The team is coached by the rotund old man Ol Sen (Morten Olsen), who played with such distinction in 1986, albeit with a sore throat.
Other countries have their Bongs too. The first name that comes to mind is that of the Cameroon defender from the French club Valenciennes — Gaetan Bong (Jersey No. 12). Ghana has a descendant of Prince Dwarka Nath Tagore in their squad — striker Prince Tagoe (12). A scion of a sonar bene family is in the Ghana team defender Lee Addy (19). Ivory Coast has a Bong with an unfortunate surname in their squad — defender Arthur Boka (3), while another sonar bene or johuri is their number 6 — defender Steve, though he spells his surname with a ‘G’ and is listed as Steve Gohouri. Nigeria has appointed a Bong as captain striker Kanu (Nwankwo Kanu, 4). Another Bong in the Nigerian team will try to forget the bitterness and deliver — he is striker Kalu Uchhe (Kalu Uche, 12). Itumeleng Khune, despite the murderous surname, merely keeps balls out of the South African goal.
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| The banner saluting Jyoti Basu as a political pyramid. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee |
France has left out Louis Saha this year, but they do have two elderly Bongs in their squad, midfielder Malou Da (Florent Malouda, 15) and goalkeeper Mandan Da (Steve Mandanda, 16). Japan too has three elderly Bongs in their squad — defender Uchi Da (Atsuto Uchida, 6), midfielder Hon Da (Keisuke Honda, 18) and forward Tama Da (Keiji Tamada, 11). Another Bong in the Japanese squad is that great disciple of Goddess Kali — midfielder Ma Koto Hasebe (Makoto Hasebe, 17). Oka Da (Takeshi Okada), 53, is the Japanese coach.
That perennially lazy Bong is in the Spanish squad once again — he who never even hits a ball, defender Carlos Marche Na (Carlos Marchena, 4).
Pyramid Basu
Jyoti Basu has been called many names in his lifetime, some of them laudatory like “notun banglar rupokar” in text books recommended by Left Front government’s secondary education board (Bidhan Chandra Roy, who?). But in his death he has been given a sobriquet that grants him a solid immortality. Among the dozens of banners put up during Basu’s last journey on January 19, one has survived at the corner of the new underground parking lot in front of Writers’ Buildings. Put up by Mithun Friends Association, Howrah unit, it salutes Basu, describing him as a “Bharatiya rajnoitik (political) pyramid”. Only if his party could mummify its glory days.
Super lack
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| MALL WONDER: A small Ganesh Chandra Avenue store claims it’s a mall too! Picture by Bishwarup Dutta |
They stand proud inside malls and on important roads, promising to change your life with great food, exotic vegetables, cold cuts and wine. But when it comes to equipping their shelves with basic food, some of the prominent city supermarkets selling food fall short.
With guests expected for dinner, a woman made a dash for the nearest superstore off the EM Bypass. All she wanted was some fresh cream, mushrooms and baby corn. The superstore had none. “Try our bigger store at South City Mall,” said the helpful salesman. Its South City branch proved to be a maze of aisles, to reach which you had to be thoroughly frisked first. Stripped off her carry bags, she headed towards the food section and caught hold of a salesman.
Some fresh cream, mushrooms and baby corn? “We have none of what you need,” the salesman said with a broad smile. She headed to a local bazaar where she immediately got her stuff.
