Dhoni’s litti chokha party bowls over foreign teammates

Foreign team members of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were bowled over by litti chokha, a popular dish in Bihar,Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, served at a birthday party thrown by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The team was celebrating the birthday of South African player Faf du Plessis’ wife at Dhoni’s Ranchi residence, Shaurya, on Thursday. Only the CSK team members and officials were invited.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) had returned home after its UAE leg and Dhoni served up the traditional fare in style a day before his team beat the Kolkata Knight Riders in his hometown.

The litti (wheat balls stuffed with powdered gram or lentils and spices) and chokha (roasted and mashed potatoes or brinjals with tomatoes or all together) combination proved a smash hit with the guests.

Ram Kishore, one of the cooks, said, “Sabhi videshi khiladi litti chokha bahut pasand kar rahe the. Dhoni sir sabhi ko litti chokha ke bare main bata rahe the.” (Litti Chokha was the favourite dish of all the foreign players at the party. Dhoni was explaining to them its ingredients and preparation.)

CSK coach, New Zelander Stephen Fleming, apparently showed great interest in the dish and engaged Dhoni in a conversation over details of how it was made.

Though the menu was elaborate, Du Plessis, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, John Hastings favoured the litti chokha. Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, known for his variations, too went for the traditional dish.

Source: HT

Sachin Tendulkar, gets new temple in Bihar by Bhojpuri film star Manoj Tiwari

Sachin Tendulkar, the most celebrated cricketer in India, who is worshipped as the "God of cricket" by his millions of fans, is now all set to get a temple in Bihar in his honour. The temple, which has been built in Bihar's Kaimur district has been dedicated as a tribute to Tendulkar with a "life-sized statue" for his immense contribution and wonderful career in cricket. 

The decision to erect the temple for Sachin was taken by Bhojpuri actor and singer Manoj Tiwari, who is an ardent fan of Sachin. The white marble statue was erected amid the chanting of Vedic prayers in Atarwalia, the village of Manoj Tiwari in Kaimur district. "It is a small gesture for the 'God of Cricket'," Manoj Tiwari said. "It is a small gesture for the 'God of Cricket'," Tiwari told media in the village. Tiwari said Tendulkar, who played his last cricket match for India against West Indies in Mumbai, was "an incarnation of God in the world of cricket". 

Sachin bid farewell to his long cricket- career at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Saturday. In an emotional speech, Sachin thanked everyone from his family to his fans for supporting him and giving him so much love. Soon after his retirement, the centre government announced that the India's highest civilian honour, "Bharat Ratna" will be conferred to the cricketer legend.