Carrom Association

The title is a bit of a tongue twister, no?
The Carrom Association is a non profit organisation setup to promote the game of carrom internationally. We organise events, promotions, clubs and find ways for players to meet each other.
If you would like to get involved in helping to promote carrom, in any way, please feel free to contact us.

And it’s good to know there are others out there who are doing the same.
I heard there is a competition in Dortmund, Germany in July this year.
I will try to find out more about it and keep you posted.
And if any one can tell us anything more about it, please contact us.
Thanks.

Sanjay Murthy

The following video is of White Slam by Sanjay Murthy in the singles finals of TV Asia Cup 2006 in the singles finals of TV Asia Cup 2006. They make it look so easy as if anyone can play. They complete the final in less than two minutes.
It takes me longer than that to set the board up!
Well, as I have said before, anyone can play carrom. That is the beauty of the game.
But to play like these guys takes time, talent, patience and practice.
I wonder how many years they have been playing?
If I manage to pocket my pieces, it’s more a matter of luck than good judgement.
I would be interested to know if there have been any faster finals.
OK everyone this is the question.
Who has won a carrom final in less than two minutes?
When was the fastest final?
When was the longest?
We’d also be grateful for any info on Sanjay Murthy.
White Slam by Sanjay Murthy

This weekend I am going to cook some Indian dishes and invite some Spanish friends for dinner.
I want to give them a game of carrom and see if I can convert them.
Carrom is popular in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Holland.
However the Spanish carrom scene seems to be like the UK one.
Virtually non-existent.
Wish me luck.

Tonight while looking for items about carom I typed Indian games into Google.
Over 18 million sites came up.
However No. 1 is India games, computer games and suchlike.
No. 4 was street games of India,
There were several other Indian sites on the first page.
However not one had anything carromy.
I was quite surprised.
I’ll let you know if I find anything further on.

A sport or a game?
According to Webster’s dictionary a game is “a contest with rules to determine a winner.”
One of the definitions of sport is “an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition.”
Both of these definitions fit carrom.
What do you think?
A sport or a game?
Does it make any difference?
Opinions please.

A few days ago I appealed for information about this lady.

Her name is S. Apporwa and she is from Hyderabad. That’s all the info I have but I will update this post when I find out anything else.
Once more thanks to Harpreet who supplied the name and place.
What would I do without him?

In the previous post I got my dates mixed up. The competition I told you about actually took place in 2002.
Many thanks to Harpreet for pointining it out to me and for providing the following information.

Seniors - no age limit from zero day till death
Juniors - under 18
Youth - Under 21
Sub Juniors - under 14
Cadets - under 12
Veterans - i.e above 45 of age.
Have a look at his web page.
He does a lot of hard work promoting Carrom and should be congratulated for taking the time to help a beginner.
Thanks again, Harpreet.

The second Punjab state carrom championship which was held last month have the usual mens’ competition, and one for women.
However they also had sections for junior boys and junior girls, and sub junior boys and sub junior girls.
I noted also they had a team of veteran men but no veteran women.
How old was the youngest player? How old was the oldest player?
Don’t they have veteran women in Punjab, or are they too polite and insist even the oldest crone is known simply as a woman?
If so, that is where I’ll retire to, soon. I don’t feel like an old woman yet, but my mother looks back at me every morning from my mirror. I am nowhere to be seen.

I don’t have any photos of current Carrom champions so here is a photo of a previous winner.
I don’t know who she is or where and when the event took place.
I am going to start a gallery of champions so any information on this lady greatly appreciated.

Magnificent Mumbai

There was a Carrom competition a few weeks ago at Shivaji Park Gymkhana Hall, Mumbai 28.
I would appreciate any information regarding the winners. Some photos would be welcome, too.
Can any one help, please?
Were any of my readers there?
Where is Shivaji Park Gymkhana Hall?
Near the sea? I’d love to know.
It’s been 25 years since I was last in Mumbai.
Then it was known as Bombay, but I prefer Mumbai
Friends tell me it has changed not only in name.
I hope it is all for the best.
However the last time I was on a train in India, I was shocked and disappointed that the Chai wallah was selling tea in plastic cups, and not the little clay pots, which were lovely to look at, gave the tea a certain not unpleasant taste and would quickly turn back to clay when thrown out the window.
Apart from which I have a lot of admiration for the potters in India who with a round wooden wheel and a stick to turn it to optimum speed, turn out the pots by the score and make it look so simple.
I also was served a teabag, at Delhi airport last time iI was there. UGH.
Teabags and plastic I can get anywhere in the UK and now unfortunately most of Europe, If I want that kind of stuff. I don’t.
I try to eat out at small family businesses or wait until I get home.
I don’t like going to fast food places where I have to stand in a queue, pay over the odds for air and ice.
Eating with my hands doesn’t bother me. The noise doesn’t bother me.
However I am expected to clean up my table when I am finished. It reminds me of school dinners.
They are not “restaurants.” They are fast food factories.
I’ve heard there are several chains of fast food factories in Mumbai now. Surely they can’t be busy?
I remember the food on roadside stalls, the train station, the beach. I tried them all. I was never seriously ill, and the couple of times I was sick was because I ate too much. It was so delicious that I would have seconds, and thirds.
I’d rather have a lassi than a fizzy drink. An aloo chat instead of a burger. Apart from the taste. Just look at what is happening in the good old USA and UK too.
Overweight kids, fat kids, obese kids. Children with heart and hip problems while they are still in primry school.
So remember, Mum’s the word, and say Bai/Bye to burgerland. Don’t buy burgers