Wednesday 17 March 2010

Street Chess

Every evening, people sit on the road divider at Gariahat and play chess. This is one of the busiest intersections in the city. Horns blare and brakes squeal as a middle-aged lady, with two children in tow, nimbly dodges oncoming traffic, eyes fixed on the brightly-lit shop window across the road. Around them, thousands of people are noisily going about their business, but the chess-players are in a different zone.

I have been observing the chess-players of Gariahat for a few years, and I had formed many far-fetched but fascinating theories about them. But one day I decided to trade speculation for certitude, and I enquired, and I came to know about the GCC.

7 comments:

Priyanka said...

I really like the picture. Did they think you were a reporter or something?

Sroyon said...

I was shooting from across the road so as not to disturb them, and in any case I think they were too busy to notice.

Unknown said...

Their website says that they meet 360 days a year. I'm very keen to find out on which 5 days they do not meet. Unless they believe that the year has only 360 days, which is equally plausible!

Sroyon said...

Haha, good observation! I will ask them next time I pass that way. And if I find that they are under the misconception that a year has only 360 days, I will try to correct it.

Dev said...

The website directed me to a web page with an image of a painted dustbin. Is it a hidden message?

Dev said...

*link

Nitin said...

I've noticed these guys fairly often.
Chess players come across as particularly badass, after seeing this pic and a particular xkcd comic involving chess and a rollercoaster.