Soulful Love - Kanna Kanmaniye / Deewana Deewana

AR Rahman has this uncanny ability of coming up with gems from time to time. Many a time, it might be just a minor bit portion from out of the blue but he times it so well that it resoundingly goes out of the park.

This particular composition Kanne Kalaimane or Deewana Deewana has a small verse sung by Isai Puyal himself whose strains are so addictive that I couldn't but resist trying it out.

It is basically a swara portion sung as a sargam which comes interlaced within the interlude that adds a pristine touch to the composition. The alternative use of the Dhaivatams leading to a 3 phrase chromatics is truly the signature special of this tune. 

The way it flows and branches to the main melody is simply sublime. It feels so tailormade and created exclusively for ARR to sing this composition and he has done full justice to this scorcher of a song.

Grilled Vegetarian - The Greenhouse Barbecue

There is nothing new when it comes to the concept of barbeque. It has been a tried & tested model and been in existence for almost 2 decades in the food circle of Chennai. Even to this day, the restaurants serving those grilled stuff over those charcoal boxes have found favour especially for office lunches/dinners or even family gatherings.

However what strikes out in The Greenhouse Barbeque is that they have catered it into an all vegetarian enclosure and it looks like they've been pretty successful going by the looks of things. Must say they have pulled it off really well. Traditionally these kind of barbeque restaurants are more associated with non vegetarian grills making the hardcore vegetarian population a little apprehensive especially the older generation sit in because of the over powering smell of meat hovering over despite plenty of options available on the green side of things as well. So there have always been reluctant starters to this brand of food by a certain section. This has now been addressed with an exclusive herbivorous spread.

Seeing the crowds throng in, it's pretty clear that they have been successful with this foray. It's always difficult to get a table here and they operate in different hourly shifts during both lunch and dinner. Apart from the plethora of starter options which is brought to the table, they have host of other items as part of the buffet spread including few live counters as well. They keep changing the menu also on a weekly basis by exploring with various variety.

For the vegetarian lovers, this is a welcome change from the renowned South Indian names and the exclusive multicuisine options as it options grilled food in addition to a buffet like setting with plenty to gorge over. The food as such is nothing to complain about. Choices in panneer, potato, mushroom, gobi, corn etc almost always hits the mark and even the fruity grills like pineapple, watermelon add a divergent flavour.

Other than all the barbecue bonanza, our last visit had live counters for dosa, pasta, chaat and even one for sushi and it was delectable to gorge over them. The sushi was not the run off the mill stuff - they had options of cream cheese, avacado and shitake mushrooms. The chaat had all the usual names with bombay sandwich added to the mix. Pasta varieties were plenty in number and so too was the case with dosas. The salad & dessert options were also quite a lot in number and you also get to have those roll based stone creations of ice cream. Even on the soup front we had 2 choices in the form of a Pineapple shorba and a potato leek variant.

The service is relatively quick and one good thing is they don't take off the grilled sticks till we finish our entire meal as opposed to removing them off before going for the main course. The pricing seems to be a little bit on the higher side setting you back by a well over 1000 bucks per individual. It tends to be a tad extra expensive during the weekends.

All in all, they've really attracted crowds in a big way in their short stint and been successful in creating an alternative choice exclusively for the vegetarian food loving afficianado. If you like to have a really elaborate lunch or dinner traversing through multiple options in the mix, definitely one can say that The Greenhouse Barbeque will not only satisfy but also satiate to your tummy and hearts content.

Markets in April - Recovery & Retracement Levels

After the much maligned market performance in March, there was a swift recovery seen across the bourses in the month of April. However there is still a direction lacking whether market intends to go on the top side and break the all time highs or meander back towards the lowest point in early April and go down even further. 

April however didn't start off on the right footing. After one felt that the March lows of 22,283.85 would not be shaved off and be held strongly came a sharp fall on the Thursday of April 2nd 2026 when the Nifty slit through all the support levels and slipped to a new low of 22,182.55. Miraculously after falling almost 500 points from previous day (April 1st) closing of 22,679.40, the market suddenly much against all odds moved at a steroid pace to ace up 600 points on the same session to reach a day's high of 22,782.30 before finally settling in at 22,713.10 and end the day in the green. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Bank Nifty also as it broke even the barrier of 50,000 to hit an intraday low of 49,954.85 before making a rapid sharp upward detour to close in the green. The Bank Nifty had almost shed 12,000 points from its recent high of 61,764.85 leading to tank almost 20% before the recovery started rolling in.

The fall on that day was expected due to soaring geo political tensions but the recovery on the same day was pretty sensational. Another day in April which saw high momentum was on Wednesday April 8th when the markets shot up almost 900 points intraday to touch the landmark of 24,000 on the back of potential news flow relating to the end of the war. The first 5 sessions of Nifty all ended up in the green in April which was a welcome relief considering the immense slaughter which the markets underwent in March. The highest point reached in April was 24,601.70 leading to a rise of over 2400 points from the low made of 22,182.55. The last week in April saw some profit taking largely on account of impending tensions again starting to invigorate in relation to the war leading to higher crude oil prices and also the currency again shaving off it's gains. 

The Nifty finally ended it's mark on the 30th April at 23,997.55. Coincidentally on the 8th of April when the markets hit a euphoria due to news trickling in on account of the war supposedly ending, the close was at 23,997.35. There were over 15 sessions after that and the Nifty closed absolutely ditto flat with no change whatsoever to end the month at 23,997.55.

Thus, to summarise the month of April we can say that the start of the month was very positive but it tapered off as the month proceeded and toned down without really indicating a direction. There are still renewed hopes of a revival with the Strait of Hormuz expected to be opened anytime ultimately resulting in the war officially coming to an end. However alternative statements being carried out are also causing fear with crude oil once again surging well past the $100 per barrel towards end of April and even almost hitting close to $120 at one stage. Thus market still seems directionless without not knowing which side to navigate.

With markets closing out April correctly at the ball park of 24,000 it's kind of right in the middle point from the all time high of 26,373.20 and recent April low of 22,182.55. Markets have to fall around 1800 points or 7 and half percentage to breach the low point. For gaining ground to reach the all time high touched on January 2026, markets have to climb up about 2400 points or approximately 10% from the current mark of 24,000.

Lets look at the upsides to watch out for and downsides to safeguard for the Nifty

Nifty All Time High: 26,373.20

April Low (2nd April 2026): 22,182.55

Difference in Points: 4190.65

Levels on Upside:
23.6% Retracement: 23,181.55 (22,182.55 + 4190.65*23.6%)
38.2% Retracement: 23,783.35 (22,182.55 + 4190.65*38.2%)
50.0% Retracement: 24,277.85 (22,182.55 + 4190.65*50.0%)
61.8% Retracement: 24,772.35 (22,182.55 + 4190.65*61.8%) 
78.6% Retracement: 25,476.40 (22,182.55 + 4190.65*78.6%)
100.0% Retracement (Current All Time High): 26,373.20 (22,182.55+4190.65*100.0%)

Based upon April high registered of 24,601.70, Nifty already surpassed the 23.6%, 38.2% and 50.0% retracement levels and was well on course towards 24,800 levels which is the 61.8% retracement levels but however a sharp pull back towards the latter end of the trading month brought down Nifty just sub under 24,000 levels.

Levels on Downside:
- Current Low on April 2nd 2026: 22,182.55
- Psychological Barrier mark: 22,000.00
- Tariff Day Low Apr 7th 2025: (Previous 52 week low): 21,743.65
- General Election Results Day Low on Jun 4th 2024: 21,281.45
- Lowest point of year 2024 (24th Jan 2024 during Adani Saga): 21,137.20
- Bear Market Territory 20% downside from top: 21,098.60
- Close on the heels is next psychological figure of: 21,000.00

As of end April, Nifty is well above the low which it registered at the beginning of the month. However caution needs to be exercised since if the war crisis continues to elongate, it will result in excessive oil prices perhaps even breaking record all time highs. The Indian currency also has again gotten weaker again getting back to 95 levels and not too far from reaching the 3 figure mark. The foreign institutional sell flows also need to be curbed. If all of these continue to compound in the negative zone, it may just open up the flood gates for the markets to crate heavy holes on the downside. Last year the low was hit on April 2025 and this year so far the low has been hit in April 2026. We have to wait and watch the direction markets take and how things will eventually pan out.

The Bloom of Love - Ennavale Adi Ennavale

The formative years of AR Rahman in tinselville were really special. The tunes were laced with melody in copious and soaked with soul in abundance. The sounds were rich and those intricate bits which were seeped as layers in between many of his compositions were simply exemplary. The Gamakas which come out in fulminance all of a sudden adds a subtle touch to the brilliance

One such number which always has a soft corner within me is the love dripping composition Ennavale Adi Ennavale from the movie Kadhalan. It was the first ever song composed by Unni Krishnan which also incidentally rewarded him with a national award. It was ARRs second film for director Shankar after the rip roaring success of Gentleman and the master composer delivered another yet scorching album of the finest finery. The soundtrack was infused with songs based on different genres with all of them receiving a thunderous thumbs up from the audience. This album signaled the ushering of AR Rahman making him truly arrive and catapulted him further as a name to firmly reckon with.

Tried a small stab at this song beginning from the lilting charanam part and traversing it back to the opening portion. This song evokes so many vintage memories from over 3 decades aback and will always remain an evergreen favorite capturing the essence of love blooming in all its austerity.

Pathos conquering Chakravagam - Nee Paathi & Ee Nadu Vidiponi

The ragam Chakravagam evokes feelings of Pathos like no other. When used in its pristine format, it can simply make you melt and burn from the inside with emotions getting the better of you. The poignancy captures the pain in its truest sense.

I've picked up 2 Maestro Compositions in this Raga that have incited strange kinds of feelings that are hard to describe in words viz one from Kollywood and the other from Tollywood hinterland.

Nee Paathi Naan Paathi from Keladi Kanmani pricks your heart in such a way soaked with pathos oozing in from all corners. 'Eenadu Vidiponi' is a divine composition from the Telugu movie 'Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Dance Recording Troupe'. I recall being simply mesmerized when I happened to listen to it for the very first time many years back. It's pretty sad that this song probably never got the recognition that it truly deserves and remains an under the cover gem.

These two numbers exemplify the masterclass exposition in handling this raga by Maestro bringing out the flavours, taste and juice in all its esteemed essence. It's a wholesome package and the subtle nuances give it the requisite finer touches elevating the compositions to another level. This Raga incidentally is categorised as part of the Agni Chakra and how apt as it simply burns you with raw emotions fulminating in glowing fashion.

Markets in March - Mayhem, Madness and Meltdown

The markets all over the globe have been bleeding heavily but it's been complete decimation in the Indian bourses. Ever since the news of the war, the markets have been falling relentlessly with no respite whatsoever. This is a bit disappointing considering that except Indian market, all other major markets did see a rise on the upside up until the news of the war. The market here had touched a gold standard mark of 26,277.35 in September 2024 and been meandering around the same levels for all of 2025 and taking 14 months to finally reclaim that mark only towards end of 2025 to be precise on 27th Nov 2025. 

Before coming to the denting impact of March 2026, briefly reprising the summary of events playing up until the news of the notorious war breaking out in order to map levels to see how much the central Nifty index has been put on brakes. After the high created on Sep 27th 2024 which was the figure of 26,277.35, the Nifty nosedived all the way to 21,743.65 on the 7th of April 2025 on the back of the hullabaloo caused by the news of tariff. That translated in a drop of over 4500 points (4533.70 exactly) shedding over 17% in the process.

However the index bounced back pretty sharply from there on to quickly gain lost ground though however getting back the All Time High value was still quite a task and it managed to finally get there around 8 months from that hollow point to take out the earlier high in end of 2025. Nifty registered a high of 26,325.80 on the 1st of December 2025 which was not even 50 points higher than previous high in Sep 2024 and kept chirping around the same levels without usurping for the whole of Dec 2025.

Finally during the first week of the month in 2026, Nifty finally scaled all time high again and reached a pivotal mark of 26,373.20 on 5th Jan 2026. This seemed like auspicious times were ahead especially with the central index hitting new high right at the beginning of the year. This high though incidentally wasn't even 100 points away from the highs made over 15 months back in Sep 2024 (26,277.35).

Normally when new highs are made after a prolonged time, you would normally see a euphoria effect giving it the pedal in gathering and gaining momentum to rise up much further. But sadly in the case of Nifty it didn't happen. After the sacrosanct point hit on 5th of Jan 2026, index was just lurking around this corner and in fact drifted down to hit a low of 24,571.75 on Budget Day Feb 1st 2026. This was a fall of 1800 points but however the markets protected that level and ensured it doesn't hit rock bottom any further. However the levels of 26,000 continued to elude and the markets closed the month of February 2026 on 25,178.65 which was off the highs by roughly 1200 points.

March witnessed a monumental rout with the news of the war being out on the last weekend of February. Right on the first session in March, the index slipped below 25,000 levels just barely protecting the Budget Day lows of 24,571. It didn't take long as just on the next session, that hold was tumbled and and in just couple of more sessions the mark of 24,000 was eviscerated. The madness didn't just stop at the 23,000 levels as by mid of March, Nifty even slipped below that to hit the 22,000 range. From touching a low of 22,930.35 on 19th March, it rebounded again beyond 23,000 again only to be sold into heavily breaking even the 22,500 barrier to register a new low of 22,471.25 on the 23rd of March 2026. There was a small internal bounce immediately with Nifty capturing almost 1000 points very soon to touch a high of 23,465.35 on 25th March but a disastrous Friday of 27th March yielded Nifty to again fall below the 23000 mark to levels of 22,800 though slightly higher than the lowest levels of 22,471.25. And then finally on the last session of the month on 30th March, that level was sliced nonchalantly like a knife on butter falling much below to register an intraday low of 22,283.85 before finally closing proceedings of this wretched month at 22,331.40.

March has been a month laden with madness a plenty. From starting the month above 25,000 levels (25,178.65), it has hit a low of 22,283.85 shedding almost 3000 points off the table. Considering the recent all time high of 26,373.20 on 5th Jan 2026, the fall has now mounted to over 4000 points (4089.35 points). There were many significant down days in this month with single sessions chopping off well in excess of over 300 points which didn't even seem like a misnomer and felt like a regular occurrence. The huge gap downs almost regularly was really daunting. Listing briefly the tormenting days in March which saw the Nifty bleed mercilessly. 10 of the 19 sessions in March 2026 saw a bludgeon in extravagance of 300 points in a single day's trade.

- Monday 2nd March - 312.95 points
- Wednesday 4th March - 385.20 points
- Friday 6th March - 315.45 points
- Monday 9th March - 422.40 points
- Wednesday 11th March - 394.75 points
- Friday 13th March - 488.05 points
- Thursday 19th March - 775.65 points
- Monday 23rd March - 601.85 points
- Friday 27th March - 486.85 points
- Monday 30th March - 488.20 points

Thus, from the above it's easily decodable that 10 of the sessions has yielded cuts in excess of 300 points on a single day and it's only been intensifying further along the way. It's been such a brutal month tainted with shocks aplenty almost on an everyday basis. You will seldom see such violent moves on an everyday basis but that was literally the scene all through March. In the 19 sessions at play in the month of March, there was a movement of 1% or more on almost every single session which was truly unprecedented. There were however 2 back to back sessions of the index also registering plus 400 points each on both 24th and 25th March on account of war tension slightly easing but it was short lived as the Friday on 27th after the holiday on Thursday saw a dramatic down side. On the whole it's been a very painful month for the markets and to accentuate matters further the series of gap downs being completely destructive affecting traders at large and also seeing holes on the investor portfolio.

There are 3 major reasons plaguing Nifty at the moment. One factor being the Indian currency being one of the worst performing currencies shedding oodles of value against the dollar, second being the imminent increase of crude prices due to the ongoing war crisis which has witnessed a sharp uptick in the crude commodity. India being a huge net importer of Crude is deeply under the pump due to this. Thirdly and most importantly from a market stand point is the excessive outflow of funds by Foreign Institutional Investors. They have been selling relentlessly with March seeing a selling figure in excess of a Lakh of crores which is one of the highest ever outgo in the history of Indian stock markets. All these 3 are worrying signs and of course the underlying war situation and company earnings also will have a bearing. But to stem the rot, these 3 factors need some easing out if the markets have to inch up higher.

Dollar - Reached highest ever peak of $95+ in March

Crude - Brent touched a high of $120 and is the highest ever since 2022

FII Selling - Touched monumental high of over 1 Lakh crores. Highest single month selling in history of over one lakh twenty thousand crores that translates to an average outgo of +6000 crores per session

Let's take a look at some of the levels to watch out which Nifty needs to protect and hold on to march forward. The All Time High is 26,373.20. The lowest point hit in March is 22,283.85. The next support is only at the psychological figure of 22,000. If that slips then levels of 21,743.65 will come into play which is the 52 week low of Nifty that it hit in April 2025 on the back of the tariff news. Next protection will be the mark of 21,281.45 which was where Nifty headed on the day of the result of the Lok Sabha elections on 4th June 2024. Following this would be the lowest point of 2024 which was 21137.20 hit in early part of 2024 and closely on heels is the mark of around 21100 (21098) meaning Nifty would have shed 20% off it's recent highs and finally the ballpark number of 21000. If by chance Nifty slips below 21000, huge panic would be ignited as it will be trailing at a 3 year low giving the bonkers to all investors and mutual fund holders that use the SIP platform to invest. Sharing a summarised view of the levels below.

All Time Highs - 26373.20

March Low - 22,283.85

Levels on Downside:
- Psychological Barrier of 22,000.00
- Tariff Day Low Apr 7th 2025 - 21,743.65
- Election Results Day Low Jun 4th 2024 - 21,281.45
- Lowest point of 2024 - 21,137.20
- Bear Market Territory 20% downside - 21,098.60
- Finally closing on is figure of 21,000

Nifty needs to act smart and make sure it protects the 22,000 levels which is the immediate hurdle. There is a high likelihood of getting there if the war tension doesn't recede. Let's hope the bottom is near and Nifty gets back on track. Getting back past glory levels is certainly going to take time considering the inherent implications but at least for the immediate set up Nifty should ensure as to not keeping on breaking lows on an everyday basis. What will eventually happen will only be decided by the outcome of the markets. For now it's wait and watch.

March 2026 will go down as one of the worst months ever in the history of Indian stock market. It's easily the most burning as exactly 6 years prior in March 2020 was when the impact of Covid hit the world at large with stocks all over the globe falling like nine pins gashing leaks across from all directions. A lot of events in March 2026 happened to be eerily similar as even some of the heavy down days matched with exact dates as of March 2020 which was pretty spooky to say the least. March 2026 has been a month of mayhem, madness and meltdown akin to the larger fiasco that took place in March 2020. Let's hope the situation only gets better from here on in and will see how the Nifty shapes up going forward.

Jai Sri Ram!

Lord Rama is believed to have descended on earth by being born to King Dasharath and Queen Kausalya eons of years ago around the afternoon time at Abhijit Muhurtha in the luni solar month of Chaitra during the waxing phase of Moon in Shukla Paksha Navami Tithi aligned with Punarvasu Nakshatra transiting in the skies. It was a birth embellished with brightness and radiance all round with 5 of the Navagrahas being exalted viz Sun in Aries, Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Libra, Mars in Capricorn and Venus in Pisces. And to accentuate, the Moon is stationed in it's own sign of Cancer along with the rising ascendant sign. The incarnation of Rama is said to have occurred directly from the Sun God and the Lord is the seventh avatar of Maha Vishnu.

Rama's attributes signify valour, virtue, duty, dedication, commitment, faith, sacrifice, righteousness and a host of other dignified and distinguished traits. He symbolises the perfect example of how a human being should lead a life thus attaining the apt title of 'Maryada Purushottama'. He is revered as a super hero for his steadfast discipline and strongly oriented principles. He is a God of ideals bestowing kindness and benevolence to mankind.

On this special birth anniversary when the entire nation celebrates his divine personification, a small labour of love from my side in attempting to play a few lines from some of his lilting bhajans extolling effusiveness of his enshrined embodiment. There is an extra inkling and special liking towards Lord Rama hymns as I usually find them to be divine, pious and aurally pleasing. Also to add, personally blessed to have the privilege of sharing the Lord's birth Nakshatra of Punarpoosam/Punarvasu/Punartham. The strived pieces include:

- Raghupathi Raghava

- Ramachandraya Janaka

- Sri Ramachandra Kripala

- Shuddha Brahma Paratpara Ram

- Sri Rama Rama Ramethi (Vishnu Sahasranamam)

Let generations to come continue to celebrate Lord Rama with fervour and fanfare till the end of eternity. May his grace and generosity be prevalent to everyone and wishing for peace to prevail and emerge at the forefront for the world at large. Genuflections to our Great God on his extra special Birthday. Jai Sri Ram!

India's Perfect 3 in 3 - Life comes a full circle

This was India's 3rd straight big tournament ICC World title having conquered the T20 World Cup in 2024 followed by the Champions Trophy in 2025 and now the T20 World Cup of 2026. With this victory, India also becomes the first team to successfully defend their title and it also emerged third time triumphant in the T20 World Cup having won the inaugural edition in 2007 and then the 9th version in 2024 and now the current 10th time its been staged in 2026. Incidentally the only 2 common links across these 3 victorious campaigns happen to be Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel who both played crucial roles in enabling India win these 3 world titles across the last 3 years.

India also happen to be the first country to have won the T20 World Cup thrice. One coincidence running across as an underlying theme is that India's victories in the T20 World Cup on all 3 occasions came about while batting first. The only final which India lost was in 2014 in which they were also inserted into bat by eventual champions Sri Lanka. In 10 editions of the T20 World Cup being conducted, this also happens to be the first time the home nation is capturing the trophy. Another noteworthy coincidence is that India have now won 2 Limited Overs World Cups at home with the ODI World Cup triumph in 2011 and this T20 World Cup victory 15 years later in 2026. In both these editions, they only lost one game and both times the opponent was South Africa. Another strange coincidence not directly involving India but a reign of luck favouring them is that every time Zimbabwe have defeated Australia in a World Cup game, the victors in that particular World Cup were to be India. This has also happened 3 times now first with Zimbabwe's victory over Australia in the Prudential ODI World Cup of 1983 and after that in the inaugural T20 World Cup of 2007 held in South Africa and now recently in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Also India avenged revenge against their rivals New Zealand in the final, a team who they have always lost in T20 World Cups prior to this losing all their 3 encounters previously viz in 2007, 2016 and 2021.

The records don't end there. India's coach Gautam Gambhir became the first cricketer ever to win the T20 World Cup both as a player and coach. He was part of the initial success way back in 2007 & now led the side as coach to succeed in 2026. In fact Gautam Gambhir is the only Indian cricketer to have been part of 3 Indian World Cup victories in a capacity of either a player or a coach being a member of the victorious T20 World Cup squad of 2007 followed by the ODI World Cup conquest in 2011 and now as coach of the successful 2026 T20 World Cup winning side. Gambhir also incidentally happened to be the highest run scorer for India in both the 2007 T20 World Cup final as well as the 2011 ODI World Cup final.

India also finally got 3rd time lucky at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In fact since 2023, their only 2 defeats in ICC world events happened to come by at this stadium with India heartbreakingly going down in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 vs Australia at this very ground. The other defeat was at this tournament when they were literally given a pounding by South Africa who pounced their way to a commanding victory which almost put India's chances of qualifying to the next stage in jeopardy. Ending the curse of Ahmedabad at the biggest stage of a final was indeed sweet redemption especially considering the ill fated hoodoo circumambulating around this particular pitch across the last couple of years. Another superstition looming which India arrested was winning a World Cup final on a Sunday. All of India's prior World Cup victories be it the ODI World Cup final of 1983 & 2011 and 2024 T20 World Cup final was won on a Saturday. The T20 World Cup final of 2007 was held on a Monday due to Heritage Day in South Africa. All of India's World Cup final losses be it the ODI World Cup (2003 & 2023) and T20 World Cup (2014) were both on a Sunday.

The Solar month of Maasi which is when the Sun orbits in the sign of Aquarius that runs around the period from approx mid February to mid March has also been very lucky when it comes to Indian cricket. In fact India has claimed major titles during the March leg on the 10th, 9th and 8th respectively across multiple years. Thus Maasi month or Kumbha Masam as it's called especially the time interval that falls in the month of March has been extremely lucky for India from a cricketing parlance.
10th March 1985 - India win the one and only World Championship of Cricket. This was a championship held by Australia to commemorate 150th anniversary of European settlement in the State of  Victoria and comprised of the then 7 test playing nations and was one of the first world cricket events to be played in coloured clothing much before the advent of the first World Cup in coloured shades which saw its ingress only in 1992.
9th March 2025 - India claimed the Champions Trophy and in the process also became the only side to claim this title for the 3rd time.
8th March 2026 - India won the T20 World Cup 2026 becoming the first team not only to win at home but also the first side to successfully defend their trophy and also the first country to win the T20 World Cup for the 3rd time.

All of the above sounds absolutely rosy and seems like India is an invincible and unstoppable force when it comes to white ball cricket. But that was not the case for over a decade with India coming up short many a time towards the final hurdle despite putting up commendable performances. After the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, India went through a wretched run devoid of major ICC World trophies till they finally arrested the slide by claiming the T20 World Cup in jaw dropping humdinger fashion in 2024. After that there's not been looking back with the team going from strength to strength adding 3 titles to the kitty back to back. This golden run now especially seems all the more welcoming even though some may brush this off as being a regular occurrence but the barren run prior to that was extremely painful to say the least. India have finally found the mojo of the winning mentality by knowing how to cross the final hurdle. This particular T20 dominance was superbly spectacular considering that it was at home when the team was under tremendous pressure to deliver and defend their title. And boy oh boy they did it in swashbuckling fashion. Let's hope this streak keeps going in the ascendancy and the team is able to win more laurels in the days and years to come.

Summary of India's 3 in 3 Victories

Continuous 3 Year World Title Championships
2024 T20 World Cup - 29th June 2024
2025 Champions Trophy - 9th March 2025
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

India's 3 T20 World Cup Triumphs
2007 T20 World Cup - 24th September 2007
2024 T20 World Cup - 29th June 2024
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

India's March Month Glories
1985 World Championship - 10th March 1985
2025 Champions Trophy - 9th March 2025
2026 T20 World Cup - 8th March 2026

10 year revenge served sweet amidst emerging coincidental patterns

This was the 6th time that India was hosting a Cricket World Cup - ODIs (1987, 1996, 2011, 2023) and T20's (2016, 2026) combined and 5 times prior to this one they have reached at least the semifinals every single occasion. It seemed like this hallowed home record which was on the line may finally slip up this time as they were facing a rampant West Indian line up who infamously took them out in the semifinals of the 2016 T20 World Cup.

Coming to this match, there were eerie similarities to what happened in 2016. India played West Indies at Mumbai on March 31st 2016 for a place in the final and came a cropper despite putting up a size able total in excess of 190. A similar story looked like unfolding this time on March 1st 2026 especially on account of abysmal fielding by India allowing the Windies to notch up a score similar to the total put up by India in 2016. India did lose important wickets at regular intervals while chasing but Sanju Samson played the innings of his life keeping his calm & composure guiding India to a famous win and avenging revenge from 10 years back.

Just to summarise these 2 matches involving India & West Indies which were held 10 years apart, first one in 2016 and now in 2026. Both the matches were held in the month of March. The first one being on the last date of March - 31st March 2016 and the current one on the first date of March - 1st March 2026. Last time it was a semifinal played at Wankhede, Mumbai with the winner booking a place in the final at Eden Gardens Kolkata. This time it was the reverse. It was not a semifinal but a virtual quarter final knockout clash being played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with the winner booking a place in the semifinals at Wankhede, Mumbai. Also interestingly both times, the team chasing won the match and on both occasions the team batting first set up a total in excess of 190 but fell short of the 200 mark. Both matches can also be known for their fielding mishaps and all the 4 totals set up and chased by West Indies and India across the 2 matches all fall in the range of 190's.

The date March 1st is also remembered to have a knock etched in gold as Sachin Tendulkar produced a thunderous 98 on this very date vs Pakistan in the ODI World Cup of 2003. Sanju Samson's fabulous 97 on 1st March 2026 can certainly draw parallels with respect to the class and brilliance of that sterling knock by the great Sachin Tendulkar. Both these knocks would be in the reckoning to go down in the annals as two of the greatest 90's ever scored in limited overs cricket with both coming on the same date though 23 years apart.

This win by India allowed the host nation to get to a semifinal placement once again for the 6th time running in an ICC Limited Overs World Cup. The cricketing patterns continue to get interesting as India will be meeting England for the 3rd straight time in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup having played them in 2022, 2024 and now once again in 2026. It is 1-1 a piece and it's certainly going to be a juicy mouth watering clash. Ironically the winner of this clash from the last 2 instances also went on to capture the coveted T20 World Cup.

Also for the uninitiated and especially the old timers, India and England will be clashing in a World Cup Semifinal in Mumbai after almost 4 decades as they incidentally contested in the 1987 ODI WC semifinal at Wankhede which was also the first ever World Cup hosted by India termed as the Reliance World Cup back in the day. That game didn't go to India's plan thanks largely to Graham Gooch sweeping aside India on the way to a famous win. This is a chance to avenge revenge for the acrimony of 1987. Fingers crossed and if India does get through that they have another score to settle at Ahmedabad, a ground famous to have given Indian crickets biggest teary eyed heartbreaking moment in it's rich cricketing history.

Still a long way to go but at this time savouring this epic win against the West Indies thanks predominantly to CSK recruit Sanju Samson whose blitz earned a place for India in the semifinals for the 6th consecutive time in World Cups at home. Adipoli Chetta! Hoping the magic continues for India over the next 2 games. May the divine be with Bharat Mata.

10 Must Visit Shaivite & Vaishnava Temples in Mylapore

Mylapore symbolises predominance of emotions and feelings but foremost among them are it's revered places of worship in the form of Temples. Most chattels connected to Mylapore have evolved over a period of time but it's the temples that have stood the test of time and right royally gives Mylapore the epithet as the evergreen temple town of Madras.

Having lived around this neck of the woods for over 3 decades, I was ruminating about certain temples that have a vast history running into centuries or in some cases even beyond 1000s of years that truly distinguishes Mylapore on the map in account of it's rustic remnants undergoing changes and still being extant since times immemorial

There have been a number of temples cropping up in recent times but still "Old is Always Gold" and hence the thought of recommending 10 traditional hardcore temples that everyone should visit when they come across this side of the woods. It does contain the tried and tested ones but the list also contains some historic landmarks unknown to even people who have lived around this side largely due to lack of awareness and the fact that some of these are virtually in oblivion.

Without further ado, sharing the roster of temples which every temple loving aficionado should ensure to experience. Categorising this list of 10 by bifurcating it further as 7 Shaivite & 3 Vaishnavite temples.

Shaivite Temples:
1) Kabaleeshwarar Temple
2) Velleeswarar Temple
3) Theerthapaleeswarar Temple
4) Karaneeshwarar Temple
5) Malleeswarar Temple
6) Virupaksheeshwarar Temple
7) Vaaleeswarar Temple

Vaishnavite Temples
8) Srinivasa Perumal Temple
9) Adi Kesava Perumal Temple
10) Madhava Perumal Temple

The 7 Shiva temples have off late got pretty popular in recent times having earned the tag as the Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore. They are not entirely in Mylapore though and few of them sprawl & spread across Triplicane too but they all came under the ambit of erstwhile Mylapore from eons ago. There is even an order of visiting these 7 temples starting with Karaneeshwarar Temple, then Theerthapaleeswarar followed by Velleeswarar with next up being Virupaksheeshwarar, after that Vaaleeswarar with Malleeswarar closely on the heels and then ending finally with Kabaleeshwarar. Truth be told however, cutting to present day, the only temple of this 7 which is extremely well known and frequently thronged happens to be Kabaleeshwarar Temple. It truly represents the signature of Mylapore and also Chennai as a towering iconic cultural landmark. One's journey to Chennai and Mylapore especially would feel like a void when not visiting Kabaleeshwarar. Gulping across those jocular sweet & sour delicacies spawning on all directions across it's precincts is definitely an added plus. Have also observed that when foreigners come on work visits to Chennai, one of the first spots listed out to be shown to them happens to be Kabaleeshwarar Temple with the other being taking them around the side of Mahabalipuram and showing it's rich cultural heritage.

Sharing a brief capsule on these 10 revered temples along with information on its presiding deities and certain rare and unique features

Kabaleeshwarar Temple:
Kabaleeshwarar Kovil can be considered the defacto and default choice when it comes to temples in Mylapore or even probably the whole of the city of Chennai. Easily the standout and Ozymandias of all temples. Seeped in magnificence and breathtaking splendour, it is a sight to behold with its tall 120 feet Gopuram (gateway tower) overseeing the historic Mylapore tank. You would see the wordings inscribed "Kylai is Mylai and Mylai is Kylai" meaning a visit to Kabaleeshwarar is equivalent to visiting Kailash. It possesses separate Sannidhis for a number of deities. It is mentioned that Lord Rama visited this temple and prayed at the Singara Velan shrine before taking the direction towards Lanka. A unique feature is that it has a separate worship space for saint poet Sri Arunagiri Nathar who is believed to have composed devotional songs in veneration of Lord Murugan at this very place. There is also a shrine for Angam Poompavai, a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva who is famous for being resurrected from Ashes by Saint Thirugnana Sambandar. Sage Kashyapa is said to have worshipped at this temple. The energy and vibration exuded from this temple is simply surreal and has to be experienced to be believed. Parvathy Devi is said to have worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock here. Kabaleeshwarar means "Lord of the Head" with Kabala translating to Head. There is an interesting legend of Lord Shiva plucking off one of the heads of Lord Brahma on account of the latter failing to show the desired respect. Subsequently Lord Brahma is believed to have come here and installed the Shiva Linga to please Shiva and gain back the respect. Inside the Kabali sanctorum, one can view idols of all the 63 Nayanmars with their birth information. It is considered one among 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams which have been spoken of in the holy Tevaram hymns rendered by Tamil Shaivite saints. It is one of the most frequented also one of the largest Shiva Temples. It is the 7th and last to be visited when following the order necessitated while visiting the Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore.
Shiva Name - Kabaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Karpagambal
Saptharishi Worship - Kashyap

Velleeshwarar Temple:
Just by the side of Kabaleeshwarar Kovil in close proximity lies the iconic Velleeshwarar Temple. This temple is especially connected to solving eye related issues and there is a decorated history associated with Lord Shukracharya gaining back his eye sight. Legend goes that Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana requesting King Mahabali for three feet of Land. Lord Shukra suspecting foul play tried to stop this from happening and in the process got pricked on one of his eyes losing his eyesight. Lord Shukra subsequently meditated with intense devotion and got restored his eyesight. Thus the name of the Shiva in this temple is known as Sri Velleeshwarar, the Lord of Shukracharya. "Velli" also translates as Friday which is the day ruled by Navagraha Shukra. There is also a separate enclosure for Lord Sarabeshwarar, the powerful and fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva depicted with a Lion's face coupled with bird wings having 8 legs who is said to have manifested to tame Lord Narasimha's anger. Nearby the sanctum of Velleeshwara Shiva Linga is the shrine for Shiva's consort Kamakshi Ambal. Sage Angirasa is said to have worshipped at this temple. This temple is the 3rd to be visited in order of the 7 famous Shiva temples.
Shiva Name - Velleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Kamakshi
Saptharishi Worship - Angirasa

Theerthapaleeshwarar Temple:
Theerthapaleeswarar Kovil happens to be the 2nd of the 7 age old historic Saptha Sthana Shiva temples of Mylapore. In todays times it gets classified as located in the vicinity of Triplicane. The Shiva Linga here is said to be consecrated by Sage Agasthya. Legend has it that Sage Agasthya witnessed the wedding of Shiva & Parvathi from Podhigai Malai. On the way home, the Sage fell sick and sat near a Vanni tree to recover from his ailment. Shiva came in his dream and asked to consecrate a Shivaling with sea water at this place and perform Abhishek. Sage performed the same and being happy with his devotion, Lord Shiva cured him from his ailment. The main deities of this temple are Sri Theertha Paleeswarar and Sri Tripurasundari Ambal. It is known to cure from any kind of ailment. The Ganapathi in this temple is known as Pass Granting Ganapathi and hence students are known to worship him for securing good results and passing examinations. Apart from the connection with Sage Agasthya, revered Sage Atri is also said to have worshipped at this temple.
Shiva Name - Theerthapaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Tirupurasundari
Saptharishi Worship - Atri

Karaneeshwarar Temple:
The age old ancient Karaneeshwarar Temple is believed to be well over 2000 years old and remnants point out to it being in existence since the 12th century. Karaneeshwara translates to "The Lord who is the cause". Since Shiva is said to be the reason for everything in the universe, he is known to be called so. It's also considered to be the 1st of the 7 predominant Shaivite temples to be visited in Mylai. Sage Vasishta is said to have worshipped at this temple. The Shiva name is Sri Karaneeswara and Ambal name is Porkodi or Swarnalalithambikai. One unique feature about the Shiva Linga here is that it is unlike the usual shape and is in a square form.
Shiva Name - Karaneeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Porkodi or Swarnalalithambikai
Saptharishi Worship - Vasishta

Maleeshwarar Temple:
This happens to be the 6th of the 7 age old Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore. This has a flowery story associated to it as "Malli" means flower and more specifically Jasmine. The Lord got it's name as Malleeswarar as the space was surrounded by Jasmine flowers. The main presiding deities of this temple are Sri Malleeswarar and Sri Maragadhambal. Like the way a flower blossoms, this temple is known to grant Shiva's fragrance towards the utmost devoted and warding off evil thoughts. Offering jasmine garlands is said to help remove marriage hurdles. Legend goes as Prarthan, the king of Ayodhya in deep tapas conducting a yagna for Shiva. Indira tried to disturb the proceedings but was unable to. Shiva impressed by the intensity of the Tapas appeared before him and that bore the formation of this temple. Sage Bhrigu is said to have personally worshipped here. It hosts a number of deities and there is also a Sannidhi here for Anjaneya and Aiyappa. There are also the 4 revered Tamil Saivite Saints known as Nalvar placed together and also a Navagraha Sthala with a separate Saturn shrine.
Shiva Name - Maleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Maragadhambal
Saptharishi Worship - Bhrigu

Virupaksheeshwarar Temple
This is the 4th out of the 7 decorated Saptha Sthana Shiva temples in Mylapore. It is also one of the oldest temples in living memory having seen its construction as early as the 7th century. The Shiva Linga here is of a giant size and it is believed that Rishi Kutsa worshipped at this temple. Sundaramurthy Nayanar is said to have seen the Rudra Thandavam dance of Lord Nataraja here. Virupaksheeshwarar means one with three eyes. Lord Shiva is said to possess a divine third eye and is said to fulfil devotees wishes just through his vision. There is a tank surrounding the temple and those with ailments are said to be cured by the holy water from this tank called Sivagangai. The Lord's Name is Virupaksheeshwarar and Goddess name is Visalakshi. You have Bhairava and Surya Bhagwan side by side inside the main temple enclosure. Surya's son Shani also has a separate enclosure.
Shiva Name - Virupaksheeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Visalakshi
Saptharishi Worship - Kutsa

Vaaleeshwarar Temple
This is the 5th of the 7 Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples in Mylapore. Vaali, the king of monkeys and brother of Sugriva is said to have worshipped Shiva at this temple to gain strength and hence the name came about as Vaaleeswarar (Vaali praying to Ishwar). It's expanded as Varam Tharum Valeeswarar meaning "Blessings Fulfilling Ishwar". This temple is believed to have been visited by Sage Gowthama. The Shiva name is Vaaleeswarar and Ambal's name is Periyanayagi. This temple though supposedly over 1000s of years old is well renovated and possesses shrines for a number of deities. A separate Sannidhi is provided for Sage Agasthya. Another rare insight was the presence of separate chambers for Moon (Chandra) at the left and Sun (Surya) at the right guarding the temple enclosure. Apart from Sun & Moon, there is a solo Sannidhi for Navagraha Saturn (Shani) as well.
Shiva Name - Vaaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Periyanayaki
Saptharishi Worship - Gautama

Srinivasa Perumal Temple
This was originally and even now referred to as the Vedantha Desikar Temple. Initially it was believed to have only housed the idols of Acharya and Lakshmi Hayagriva. The main deities namely Srinivasa Perumal and Alarmel Mangai Thayar got inducted only about a century back. It has become very popular since then with year round Utsavams being conducted. There is a very beautiful Sannidhi for Poetess Andal and you would also see shrines of various other deities. Wall paintings depict the life history of Acharya Vedantha Desikar.
Vishnu Name - Srinivasa Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Alarmel Mangai Thayar

Adi Kesava Perumal Temple
This would rank as probably the most well known and oldest Vaishnava temple in this vicinity. Both Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Adi Kesava Perumal Temple are located besides each other. The main Adi Kesava Temple at Thiruvattaru near Kanyakumari happens to be one of the Divya Desams, This temple of Adi Kesava however has a vast & rich history associated with it and considered as one among 108 Abhimana Kshetras. This temple is considered to be the birth place of Peya Alwar, one of the 12 renowned Alwar Saints paying glory and homage to the Vaishnava tradition. He is also believed to have taken the incarnation of Lord Vishnu's divine sword Nandaka. You would see wall paintings depicting his birth story in the temple precincts. The temple also depicts carvings of 12 different Vaishnava forms of the Lord namely Vishnu,  Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Rishikesa, Padmanabha, Damodara, Kesava, Narayana, Madhava and Govinda. The main deities as mentioned happens to be Adi Kesava Perumal and his consort Mayuravalli Thayar. There are shrines for a number of other deities including Andal, Anjaneyar, Garuda, Chakra Thalwar, Narasimha etc. There is also a shrine for one other Alwar viz Thondai Alwar. One unique and rare feature worth noting is that Lord Rama inside is not only with Seetha, Lakshmana & Anjaneya but also alongside his 2 other brothers Bharatha and Shatrugana. The goddess Mayuravalli Thayar is worshipped with Bilva leaves and it is believed that apart from the Goddess, both Shiva & Parvathi also worshipping Adi Kesava Perumal to get relieved of curses. The hallowed tank beside the temple known as 'Chitra Kulam' belongs to the Adi Kesava management and one would be privileged to witness the Theppotsavam festival where the Lord and his highness decorated in delectable demeanour are driven on a boat like structure (float) called Teppam across the water bank which happens to be a truly golden spectacle to witness this celestial ride.
Vishnu Name - Adi Kesava Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Mayura Valli Thayar

Madhava Perumal Temple
This is another really beautiful Vaishnava temple spanning many centuries. This temple happens to be located very close to the house where Peya Alwar lived notably in the South East street from this sacred abode and there also happens to be a beautiful deity of this revered Alwar in the temple premises. The presiding deity Madhava Perumal is married to Amrita Valli Thayar who happens to be the daughter of Sage Bhrigu. As Bhrigu is associated with Shukra (Venus) denoting the significations of love & marriage, the Lord is also honoured with the designation of Kalyana Perumal (Wedding Deity). Hence it is a temple which is favourable and auspicious especially when praying for marriage to culminate. There are a number of shrines hosting a number of Gods & Goddesses and you will find a really beautiful space dedicated to Bhoo Varaha Perumal. Andal makes her solitary presence in this temple akin to what you would see in Srinivasa Perumal and Adi Kesava Perumal temple. This temple also possesses a small river bank and during the month of Maasi (approx mid February to mid March), the presiding deity of Madhava Perumal is seen taken on a float.
Vishnu Name - Madhava Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Amrita Valli Thayar