PUNTER IN UNIFORM – Satta Bazaar

PUNTER IN UNIFORM

SATTA BAZAAR

Memories of My Glorious Navy Days

By

VIKRAM KARVE

“SATTA BAZAAR”

This happened 36 years ago, in the 1970’s.

Six of us “piddly” Sub Lieutenants from various ships sat in front of a chubby Commander in Western Naval Command Headquarters (those days the Headquarters was located in a civilian building in Fort area of Mumbai).

We had been “detailed” for some “bum jobs” connected with Navy Week and the Staff Officer was briefing us.

Suddenly, the phone on the table rang and the Commander picked it up.

Whatever he heard on the phone suddenly galvanized him into action.

The Commander abruptly stood up and told us that something urgent had come up.

He told us that he would be back soon and we should wait for him.

He threw a file in front of us and told us to read it till he got back.

Then he swiftly grabbed a civilian bush shirt which was hanging on the hat-stand, wore the blue bush-shirt over his white uniform shirt.

He picked up his briefcase and disappeared at the speed of light.

We waited patiently in his office – almost half an hour passed.

Then we went over to the office hall and asked the staff if they knew when he would be back.

“Don’t worry. He must have gone to Dalal Street, to meet his broker in the Stock Exchange. He will be back soon,” the Commander’s PA said.

(Remember, this happened in the 1970’s when there was no internet, no online trading, and you had to physically trade stocks through your broker)

When the Commander returned, he seemed quite cheerful and in a happy mood.

I do not know whether he was a “Bull” or a “Bear” but from his happy mood it appeared that he had made a lot of money that day.

After a “brief” briefing on the “official” matter, he educated us on investing and trading in shares and told us how much money could be made in the stock market rather than the conventional savings methods which we were doing.

Later on, during my career, I met many such “Bulls” and “Bears” in the Navy, who were more preoccupied with the Stock Market than their Naval Duties.

Now, thanks to internet, with the advent of online trading, it has become ever so easy for these “punters” to indulge in their stock market trading, even during working hours, and from remote locations – you can use your PC, your laptop, or even your mobile smart-phone to indulge in “satta bazaar” and you can do it round the clock 24/7 anytime anywhere.

Someone told me that, nowadays, Navy Wives are heavily into online trading on the stock market and are earning good money “working” from home on the “satta bazaar”.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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1. This story is a spoof, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Abridged Version of My Article "Businessmen in Uniform" First Posted by me Vikram Karve on 14 December 2013 12/14/2013 12:52:00 PM  in my blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/12/businessmen-in-uniform-part-1.html

INDIAN DERBY - King of Sport and Sport of Kings

KING OF SPORT and SPORT OF KINGS

A PUNTER WALKS DOWN MEMORY LANE

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of February - the date for the Indian Derby 2013 

For many years I did not miss my date with the Indian Derby at the premier Mahalakshmi Race Course in Mumbai

Now, I live in Pune and will have to watch the Derby on TV or live on the internet on Sunday afternoon 

(I have given links to the live streaming websites below and if you want to watch the Indian Derby on TV, I think they show it on Ten Sports Channel)

You can watch the Indian Derby Live on the RWITC Link for Live Streaming: 

http://www.rwitc.com/liverace.php

Till then, do read this account of my most memorable and exciting Indian Derby - the unforgettable race run in 1980

INDIAN DERBY 1980

My Most Memorable Indian Derby - An Unforgettable Race

A PUNTER WALKS DOWN MEMORY LANE

By

VIKRAM KARVE

It’s been a long time since I visited the race course to watch horse racing, the King of Sport and the Sport of Kings. 

But Derby Day is fast approaching and I am quite excited as to who is going to win the greatest classic of the season at the Mahalakshmi Race Course the Indian Derby on Sunday. 

I can never forget that exciting afternoon on my very first day at the races, Sunday the 3^rd of February 1980, when I was so lucky to witness the crème de la crème of horse races in India – The Indian Derby, which is run on the first Sunday of February every year since 1943.

I still have vivid memories of that wonderful afternoon, though 33 years have passed since that delightful Derby day. 

I lived in Mumbai then and a number of my colleagues were avid punters, as race-goers are called.

The excitement started on Wednesday when the declarations appeared in the newspapers and the conversations were abuzz with heated discussions as to would win the Indian Derby – Aristocrat or Everynsky?

Well, Aristocrat and Everynsky were both favourites to win the Derby and each had their passionate followers. 

But there were other good horses in the fray too, notably a horse called Mohawk.

By Friday the papers, both the newspapers and the race tabloids, were full of predictions, speculations and tips.

Both Aristocrat and Everynsky had top following, but Mohawk too was tipped to win by a few tipsters.

Come Saturday evening and we duly picked up our Cole Race Books from a bookstall at Churchgate and my punter friends were in a frenzy, calculating, computing, what they were going to wager – in the Derby, and in the other races too, at the bookmakers and at the tote, for the jackpot, the treble and the tanala.

The topic of conversation during our Sunday morning walk on the Marine Drive was the Indian Derby, with “expert opinions” being freely aired. 

After a hearty brunch of Kheema Pav and Chai at our favourite Stadium Restaurant next to Churchgate Railway Station we took off by local train to Mahalakshmi. 

We made it a point to purchase “return tickets” in case we had a bad day!

Almost everyone got off at Mahalakshmi and the atmosphere in the race course was electrifying. 

The air was festive, like a carnival, with there were so many two-legged birds in the most fashionable dresses and exotic hats that I wondered whether I should focus on the horses or the beauties.

To a novice like me the whole process was mind-boggling.

First to see the horses parade in the paddock.

Then rush to the bookmakers ring, which was surcharged with excitement.

You had to look at the odds, look at your own calculations in your Cole, listen to tips, run once more to the paddock to see the jockeys mount and the horses being led off to the starting dates.

And then you rushed back to the bookmakers betting ring to place your bet.

After that you ran up to get a good seat in the stands to watch the Indian Derby Race.

For me it was fun to watch this spectacle because I was only placing modest bets of five and ten rupees on the tote.

I had decided to just place one bet in the Indian Derby race of a hundred rupees for a win at the bookmakers, though I had not decided on the horse yet.

It was going to be either Aristocrat or Everynsky, whoever offered better odds.

Just before the Indian Derby, as I watched the horses parade in the paddock.

I felt a premonition, a hunch, and following my sixth sense, I placed my win bet on Mohawk. 

Most of my punter friends were betting heavily on Everynsky (it seems they had got a last minute “tip”).

But some die-hards were backing Aristocrat.

Aristocrat and Everynsky were the  two were the favourites to win, but there was a frenzy of betting on other horses too, especially Mohawk, as the odds fluctuated wildly.

In the betting ring I observed a pretty young lady observing me as I placed my bet and suddenly she asked me, “Who do you like?”

I was about to say “I like You” but I controlled myself and true to racing form I said “I like Mohawk” so the pretty young lady placed her bet on Mohawk too, like I had done.

It was a fantastic race. 

All eyes were on Aristocrat, Jagdish astride, who had a stable-mate as pacemaker, and I think it was the famous Vasant Shinde who was riding Everynsky, but Wally Swinburn magnificently steered Mohawk to fantastic victory.

This result caused a stunning upset.

Mohawk had won the race from a fast finishing Everynsky with Aristocrat left far behind out of the reckoning.

My punter colleagues, most of whom had backed Everynsky and a few who had put their money on Aristocrat, were quite dejected.

When they realized that I had bet on Mohawk, they were quite surprised at my good fortune.

As I went to collect my win dividends, I noticed the pretty young girl looking at me and smiling with joy as if we shared some secret. 

She was delighted that she had outwitted her dad, a dyed-in-the-wool punter, who had bet on Aristocrat. 

She said bye and walked towards the members’ enclosure.

But before she walked away she hoped that I would be coming to races next Sunday and looked forward to some “expert” tips from me. 

And that was the beginning of a long and lovely friendship for I was punctually present at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai on every Sunday afternoon for the rest of the racing season. 

Do you want to know what happened to our beautiful “punters’ romance” – well, that’s another story.

Soon I would have to move out of Mumbai, but whenever I was in Mumbai, I never missed the Indian Derby or any of the other classics. 

I have enjoyed the races at the magnificent race course at Kolkata, where lady luck favoured me greatly, at Bangalore, where too I was quite lucky, and at Mysore, the most picturesque race course nestling under the Chamundi Hills, at Ooty, and, of course, at the cute little race course at Pune, my home town.

I witnessed many memorable derby races, at Mumbai and elsewhere, but the most extraordinary Indian Derby I remember was in 2003 when a relatively unknown horse called Noble Eagle who was supposed to be a pacemaker flew off from the starting gates, kept galloping at top speed and won the race start to finish causing the biggest upset ever in the Indian Derby.

Guess what – believe it or not.

The same pretty young lady, who had now metamorphosed into a beautiful woman, thanked me once again for the “tip” and this time her winnings were quite substantial. 

I wonder why I liked Noble Eagle. 

I looked at the horses parading in the paddock and while they were being led off to the starter gates.

Suddenly it was my sixth sense that made me wager a “place” bet on Noble Eagle.

My beautiful friend, the same pretty young lady - she seemed to have more confidence in me that I myself had in my own punting skills.

She had placed a “win” bet on Noble Eagle at excellent odds and she made a small fortune.

I wish I had been more daring like her.

But sixth sense doesn’t always work, so it is better to follow the conventional way:

1. Study the Cole Race Book and Racing Columns in Newspapers and on the Internet

2. Do your homework

3. Listen to tips and advice

4. Have a look at the horses in the paddock parade

5. Observe the goings-on in the betting rings, especially the movement of the odds

6. Watch the “big guns” and their betting patterns

7. Then make your own judgement and place your bet

That, in a nutshell, is the art of punting. 

I used to love going to the races. 

There is so much to enjoy – the thrill of punting, the air of excitement, the festive atmosphere, the strong, swift and handsome horses, the beautiful people in their Sunday best and the delicious snacks in between the races.

Is there a reason why you should go for the races? 

A quote from my favourite philosophical book The Importance of Living by Lin Yutang probably says it all:

“ If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live ”

Are you watching The Indian Derby on Sunday afternoon ?

Tell me - who do you think will win the Indian Derby 2013 ? 

Come on give us a tip.

Happy Punting!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?  

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie I am sure that you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

A HAPPY DEATH

A HAPPY DEATH

From my Creative Writing Archives:

Here is a fiction short story I wrote last year, on a day the stock market was fluctuating wildly. Do tell me if you liked the story.

THE PUNTER

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

He was not a Bull. 

He was not a Bear. 

He was a Punter. 

Yes, that’s we nicknamed him: “Punter”.

He did not bother about gobbledygook like fundamentals or technicals. 

He did not have an inkling of financial algorithms and risk heuristics and never “analyzed” – he just speculated by sheer gut feeling.

He instinctively knew how to time the market. 

That’s why he always made money, whether the stock market boomed or crashed.

He had made so much money that he could have retired and enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle, but then, he had got addicted to making money by playing the stock market.

Yes, he got a kick out of “making” money rather than “enjoying” his money. 

So despite his advancing years he kept on playing the market with more and more vigor and continued to make more and more money. 

Earlier he would spend his entire time in the ring at the Stock Exchange on Dalal Street. 

Now he would sit all day, all stressed up, in his room, glued to his TV, flipping all the financial channels, his fingers on his laptop for instant online trading via the internet. 

He had no interests, no hobbies, no pleasures, no loves – he just enjoyed one thing – playing the stock market and making money. 

One day his lifestyle took its toll and he had a heart attack. 

They rushed him to the best hospital in Mumbai and they all said he would require a bypass surgery. 

So they admitted him to the best room in the hospital. 

Instead of relaxing there, he sat whole day watching the stock-market channels on the wall-mounted TV, doing feverish online trading on his laptop and he continued making a lot a money and he was very happy.

But the doctors were not happy and said that all this share-market business was causing him a lot of excitement which was not good for his already erratic heart, so one morning they suddenly removed the TV and the laptop and even banned all visitors except me and his son, who was a successful investment banker.

“Total rest,” the doctors warned all of us, “he needs total rest, both mental and physical, and only then will he be able to stabilize and be ready for the surgery.”

It was the first time he had to suffer a day of total rest isolated from the outside world and it was the worst day of his life. 

The entire morning he kept asking about stock prices and asked me for my cell-phone to connect up and find out, but I refused since we were told to strictly isolate him from that world. 

I could realize that he was passing though hell, unimaginable mental agony at not getting information about the very thing that had been his bread and butter, even the raison d'etre of his existence.

After lunch he dozed off, and then he suddenly he woke up and asked me, “What is the time?”

“2:30,” I said.

“Good. There is still time. I want to speak to my son.”

“He is coming at 4...”

“No. I want to speak to him now. It is urgent.”

“He’ll be busy now, in his office…”

“I told you it is urgent. Just get him on the phone…” he said excitedly, his breathing getting heavy.

“Okay. Okay. Calm down,” I said. 

I dialed his son’s mobile number, and when the son came on line, I asked him to speak to his father.

“Sell all shares,” the man shouted at his son via the mobile phone.

“What?” I could hear his son’s surprised voice.

“Don’t ask any questions. Just do what I say. Sell all my shares, understand, all my shares, everything. Do it now. Today. Before the closing bell. Sell everything online. Right now. You know the user id and password of my account, don't you...”

“Okay, Papa,” I could hear his son’s voice before he disconnected.

He kept on pestering me to ring up his son and confirm, so I rang up his son half an hour later.

“Yes, Papa, I have sold all the shares in online trading,” the son confirmed.

The old man seemed tremendously relieved and went to sleep peacefully.

That night, at home, sitting before my TV set, I watched with concern as all the share-market experts on the financial channels predicted that the market was very solid and bullish and recommended that everyone buy shares as the market was going to go up and up. 

“Invest ... Invest ... Invest ... Buy ... Buy ... Buy ...” all the experts said in unison. 

The market was at an all time high but things were looking so good that it was going to rise phenomenally and your investment would probably double in a few months, all the experts predicted. They kept quoting analysis in jargon I never understood to substantiate their predictions.

Next morning the stock-market crashed. 

It was the biggest fall ever in the history of the share-market. 

Most investors were wiped out. 

Everyone incurred big losses. Except the old man and me.

Did I say: “The old man and me?” 

Dear Reader, you’re surprised, aren’t you? 

Let me tell you what I did. 

The moment the Punter had finished speaking to his son, I went outside the room and I called up my broker and told him to immediately sell off all my shares.

The Punter had made a huge profit and, as always, along with him, I too had made a small fortune. 

As always, I had blindly followed the Punter and, as always, I had profited by blindly imitating whatever he did in the stock market.

The moment he heard the news (from a careless nurse who told the old man that the hospital was abuzz with news of the stock-market crash) the Punter got so excited that he almost went crazy with excitement and happiness. The frenzy of ecstasy caused his blood pressure to go haywire, his heartbeats ran amok, and suddenly, he collapsed and died.

I gave a condolence speech at the old man’s funeral in which I praised him profusely and told everyone how I had made a fortune in the stock-market by just following him blindly.

Later, the old man’s son took me aside and asked me, “Did you really sell all your shares?”

“Yes,” I said, “I had blind faith in your father.”

“I wish I had blind faith in his mysterious ways. But I am an investment banker. I don’t go by gut instinct, like my father did. I analyze things. I never imagined the stock market would crash so badly. In fact I thought the market would go up and it would be foolish to sell such excellent blue chip shares. So, I never sold those shares. I am big fool. Had I listened to him and sold all the shares I would have made a big fortune. But I did not sell those shares,” said the young man, with a tone of regret in his voice.

“You never sold the shares?” 

“No.”

“Then why did you lie to him?”

“Because I wanted him to die happy. I lied to my father because I wanted my father to die a happy death.”

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?
I am sure you will like the 27 fiction short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL 
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@gmail.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.