Kolkata is pulling out all stops to give Sachin Tendulkar a grand farewell. The state sports ministry and the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) have both made exhaustive arrangements to ensure a memorable send-off. The match begins on Wednesday but the Sachin farewell party is well and truly on. Here are just some of the events to mark Tendulkar's 199th Test.
A tableau hailing the Little Master, flagged off on Sunday, will go round the city till Nov 10, the final day of the Test.
An exhibition of 100 photographs opened at a Maidan tent on Monday.
The toss will be done with a specially-designed gold coin with Sachin’s head shot embossed (Match referee Andy Pycroft’s permission will be sought on Tuesday)
One lakh copies of a brochure celebrating Tendulkar will be distributed at the Eden on the opening day of the Test.
Sachin masks will be distributed in the stands and spectators will be asked to wear them when the Little Master walks in to bat.
199 kg of rose petals will be showered on the Eden Gardens from three light aircrafts after the final day’s play.
CAB will present, among other things, a silver ’banyan tree’ with 199 gold leaves, at felicitation function on the final day.
A bigger-than-life wax statue of Sachin, created by sculptor Susanta Ray, has been placed at the entrance to the dressing rooms. Life-size cardboard cutouts, festooned with lights, have been put up at the club house entrance.
The West Bengal government plans to set up 200 giant screens across the state.
More than 20 billboards have gone up across the city quoting cricketing legends like Don Bradman, Viv Richards, Kapil Dev and Barry Richards praising Tendulkar.
Match tickets have become a collector’s items since they have sketches and photos of Tendulkar printed on them.
A 128-year-old sweet shop, Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick in south Kolkata, has created a 2.3 kg shondesh depicting Tendulkar holding a bat.
An exhibition of 100 photos showcasing Tendulkar's achievements has also been organized.
199 bunches of night lanterns will float in the air to greet the batting great on Day Three.
A book on Tendulkar containing write-ups from eminent persons will be released on Day Four.
A musical tribute by city-based artist Piloo Bhattacharya will be played at the ground during the match.
