City of Joy pads up for Sachin's 199th Test

State cricket body plans 199-kg rose shower, photo exhibition, tableau procession; Taj Bengal concocts special menu

When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives,” BBC Sports had said about India’s cricketing genius, Sachin Tendulkar.

Something similar is going to happen here, as the city is set to dive into a week-long festivity to celebrate the Little Master’s penultimate Test at the Eden Gardens, which many consider the Mecca of cricket.

Tendulkar, who recently announced his decision to retire from international Test cricket after his 200th match, will play the 199th match in Kolkata starting Wednesday.  

The celebration will start from Sunday. According to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) members, it would begin with a tableau of Tendulkar’s memorable cricketing moments hitting the streets.

“We will take the tableau across the city. A special song on Sachin in Hindi and Bengali will play in the background,” said Biswarup Dey, the CAB treasurer.

Transport Minister Madan Mitra is expected to flag off the tableau at the Eden Gardens.

There is more. An exhibition on the cricketer’s photographs, Sachin masks at the stadium during the match and a gold coin embossed with Sachin’s picture for the toss promise to make the event special.

The exhibition on Monday is expected to be unveiled by Sourav Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar. Besides, billboards with quotes of Sachin would be put up in the city.

To top it all, 199 kg of rose petals would be showered on Sachin on the final day. “We have arranged three aircraft for this purpose. Jagmohan Dalmiya (CAB president) wanted to make it special and what better way than this?” said a member of the CAB.  

Players such as Vivian Richards and Shane Warne are likely to join the celebration.

Taj Bengal, where the team will be staying, has lined up a special menu. From snacks and sandwiches to pizzas and risotto, various dinning options have been given a cricket flavour: Leg glance, behind the stump,  pull drive, square cut, hook, late cut and so on.

Kolkatans, who have a sweet tooth, are set  to give Sachin a sweet send-off. The century-old sweet shop, Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick, is planning to give a five-pound sandesh to India’s greatest cricketer.    

But what is disheartening for many Sachin fans is that the authorities have put only 5,000 tickets on sale via online for the historic event and many Sachin devotees were left disappointed without any ticket. Majority of the tickets for Tendulkar’s 199th Test are in the form of passes reserved for CAB members and affiliated to associations and clubs.