Healing in such a short span of time was a race uphill. But the "Machine Fist" from The Garage Gym, Nasik was not the one who will ever slow down. His fight had just began. Slowly and steadily with the aid and assistance of the Coach of Indian MMA Team - Alan Fenandes, his team at The Garage Gym and his colleagues - Mohd Farhad and Dhruv Chaudhary, the unimaginable happened. Not only did Govind recover but he also caught up roughly 4 days of his training once he got the go ahead from the doctors. According to him it was his grit and determination, to make his mentor proud that had driven him to fight the biggest fight of his life.

"It is a pleasure and an honor to work with someone with such high determination and focus. It make everyone who believe in Team India proud because it wasn't about winning and losing, it was about making your mentor proud, fighting for the dreams of everyone who put their faith in an athlete... it is a rare quality these days.", while completing these words Coach of Team India - Alan Fenandes was running out of words. Now what lays ahead of Govind was the ultimate challenge of facing "The Gujjar Tank" Anup Kumar. Anup is a veteran fighter who came from an overwhelming TKO victory representing Team India against Pakistan at Super Fight League 38, Dubai. 

The bell rang and the match went back and forth. For many, the fact that Govind did not back down and faced the ultimate test, itself was a victory. Anup dominated the fight. There were moments that convinced everyone that Govind was at the losing end. But Govind was not convinced nor he was ready to accept defeat. It was one of the finest MMA bouts of the year when Govind came back as an unstoppable force. Raining punches and take downs, he surprised Anup. Govind was so fierce and focused that he took the battle to Anup all the way. The words of Rabindranath Tagore found its soul at the heat of the battle. Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them.The bout was over and the decision was unanimous and the winner was none other than Govind Singh. It was not his victory alone, Govind led his team, mentor and colleagues towards victory and ushered a new chapter in the history of Indian Mixed Martial Arts. 

Special thanks to - Pushkar Shinde, Owner The Garage Fitness Center

Jew Street in Mattancherry is the legendary enclave that is one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. It took a while from Fort Kochi to reach the stone paved street. It was quite a walk among the old buildings that thrived on spice trade for decades. The time was 06:30 AM and the roads were empty. After meandering the narrow roads sidelined by the body of water that divided the city from the old town, we slipped into narrow streets one after the other. Some buildings are like wine, they enchant as they turn older and older. Finally we reached the street we were looking for - Jew Street in Mattancherry. It turned out to be well preserved and distinct from those one may come across in Kerala. The buildings in that street were at least a couple of centuries old. And they were inhabited. 

Jew street, as it is called is a 200 meter long walk down the memory lane. Lined with pastel colored houses and shops that sell antiques, jewelry, art, furniture and sculptures. It was great to find out that a few of the inhabitants of the street were indeed the descendants of a fast dwindling population of Jews who settled down in Cochin in AD 52. The street has got a thousand stories to share for the ones who are keen enough to listen. We met many tourists from Israel who visited the synagogue. Our host was Yaheh Hallegua, who was in charge of the Paradesi Synagogue, handling entrance fees and monitoring attire. The synagogue was built in 1568. The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations.

The Paradesi Synagogue has its treasure of memories to share with every passerby. From the Scrolls of the Law to several gold crowns the rich tradition is preserved intact. As we walked by the Belgian glass chandeliers we slipped into a different time and perspective. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of beautiful Chinese porcelain tiles. A hand-knotted oriental rug which was a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian emperor, still greets the visitors. The synagogue has an 18th century clock tower, which is still functional. The clock tower was restored in 1998 under the direction of the World Monuments Fund.

Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews and Yuda Mappila, are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots claimed to date to the time of King Solomon 950 BC, though historically attested migration dates from the fall of Jerusalem. From then Cochin became a safe heaven for Jews who were subjected to religious persecution around the world. They shared a favorable relationship with the ruling class and indulged to enrich trade and commerce of that region. Moreover Jewish Community became the only community of foreigners who had not waged a war against any of the Indian monarchies and princely states. Once one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, but now many of the inhabitants have moved to Israel and the once bustling Jewish community has now immigrated or have merged with the general population. The nearby Market Road still bustles with spice trade that tells the legacy of an era gone by. Though the official timings are from 10 AM, I felt that it is best to visit this place by sunrise to avoid the crowd and to strike friendly conversations with its inhabitants.

At Mattancherry Jew Street