At 28 years of age,
Shadab Jakati, Goan
footballer turned
cricketer with a
monthly club income
of Rs.12,000, has
\ufb01nally hit
bull\u2019s eye. He is
namma Chennai
Super Kings\u2019 \ufb01nd of
the season. Let\u2019s
raise a toast.

ittle did M. Lingam, a native of Thanjavur, realise that the bhel- puri shop he opened in Pondy Bazaar would attract a clientele

Catering to the chaat lovers of nam- ma Chennai since 1975, Madras Bhel- puri is one of the oldest shops that started selling bhelpuri \u2013 a plate used to cost Rs. 2 then! This corner shop, located on Rajabhathar Street behind Naidu Hall, is now managed by M. Lingam and his son L. Raja. Apart from chaat items, the shop also sells fruit juices and fresh fruit salads.

As the evening sets in, the shop is abuzz with activity. Shopaholics, to get a respite from the brimming crowds of Pondy Bazaar, head to Ma- dras Bhelpuri for a quick bite or a glass of fresh juice. And the major at- traction is that the orders will be served in a jiffy.

The hot picks are bhelpuri, samosa channa, paav bhaaji and fruit salad. And the secret of their tasty bhelpuri is the 33 different ingredients they mix together, Raja discloses.

\u201cNowhere in Chennai would you get bhelpuri with 33 ingredients. The maximum they might add is 10. But we add more spices and vegetables to improve the taste,\u201d says Raja. A plate of bhelpuri is sold for Rs. 20 here.

Raja also adds that they prepare fruit juices only with mineral water and serve them in environment- friendly paper cups. \u201cWe never com- promise on hygiene and that\u2019s the reason behind the loyal customers,\u201d Raja smiles.\u25a0

World renowned author and playwright
Jeffrey Archer will tour India from May 11
to May 19, in collaboration with Landmark
and Citibank, to share his experience on his
latest book \u2018Paths of Glory\u2019. He will kick off
his second visit to the country with Chennai
on May 11 and will also be visiting
Landmark outlets in Mumbai, Gurgaon,
Pune and Bangalore.
The \u2018Landmark Jeffrey Archer Tour\u2019 provides
an opportunity for ardent fans to interact
with their favourite author, who will be
visiting the landmark outlets in the city on
May 11. This tour will also mark a
beginning to a year long tie-up between
Landmark and Citibank where in Citibank
cardholders will get an opportunity to meet
with Jeffery Archer and avail exclusive
offers from Landmark retail and online
stores on a regular basis.
During his Chennai visit Lord Archer will
also launch the translated version of his
books \u2018A Twist In The Tale\u2019 and \u2018Not A
Penny More, Not A Penny Less\u2019 in Tamil,
Kannada and Malayalam.\u25a0

At Madras
Bhelpuri, a
humble plate of
bhelpuri comes

Courtyard Marriott have come up with an offer for Mother\u2019s
Day which will entitle mom to dine free at Paprika. Jackpot
wheel, rapid \ufb01re contest, slogan writing contest are some events
organised. The buffet are priced between Rs.645 \u2013 Rs.1245. For
further details contact @ 66764000

ne Captain ignored him. But Kuppal G.Devados, an independent candi- date contesting from

South Chennai, was quick to shrug it off by turning to the ulti- mate \u2018Captain Cool\u2019 M.S.Dhoni.

A former DMDK functionary, Devados surely does not have the consent of Dhoni to use his images for his campaign. But the candidate, who felt ignored by Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and its founder \u2018Cap- tain\u2019 Vijayakant, could not \ufb01nd any better way of showing his dissent.

\u201cFor this Lok Sabha election, the party had nominated a new- comer as its candidate for South Chennai when there are over 30 experienced people who have served Captain Vijayakant from his earlier acting days. In protest

against this move, I resigned from the party membership and went on to contest indepen- dently, hoping my cricket hero will bring me luck,\u201d adds the 54-year-old.

Devados\u2019 campaign vehicle beaming big posters of Dhoni is turning heads wherever he goes seeking votes inside the South Chennai constituency.

\u201cIt is interesting to see a can- didate taking Dhoni as his lead- er. I think he will get a good number of votes from cricket

fans in South Chennai,\u201d says au- torickshaw driver Selvam after witnessing the campaign vehicle in Mandaveli on Tuesday morning.

Apart from attracting curious crowds, this cricket-loving can- didate claims to have gained the support of some local cricket teams in Mandaveli and adjoin- ing areas.

When many candidates seek votes from open vehicles, Deva- dos stands different in this area

as well. Interestingly, a platform erected in front of his Tata Su- mo is where he stands

and greets prospec- tive voters.

Kuppal G. De- vados\u2019 election symbol is a gas stove, not a cricket bat.\u25a0

If you love to colour and if you are between the
ages 5 and 15, then landmark has a treat in store
for you! Celebrate World Colouring Day, with a
colouring competition at Landmark, Apex Plaza,
Nungambakkam between 3p.m.- 6p.m.
For more details contact 42144444

"For this Lok Sabha election, the party had nominated a newcomer as its candidate for South Chennai when there are over 30 experienced people"

Kuppal G Devados, Independent candidate from South Chennai Constituency seen
next to his campaign vehicle beaming Dhoni\u2019s photos at Mandaveli. (Inset) Devados
greeting people from the platform on his vehicle.PHOTOS : R_RAVINDRAN