Cricket Fever
Rahul Bose - August 17, 2005
It was inevitable. With cricket fever gripping the nation who am I to stoutly resist? Fact is, I, like most Indian boys growing up, was fanatical about it. Late last year, I made my second trip to Eden Gardens in six weeks, to watch the test between India and Pakistan. Sitting in the stadium, listening to the roar of 60,000 agitated Bengalis and Marwaris, took me back to my first ever cricket stadium experience.
It was Eden Gardens again and I was considerably younger, four to be precise. Tony Greig’s England was playing India. I still remember Greig hiding Vishwanath’s bat in his trousers, and me having to peer through binoculars to see the ball. The cricket ball.
But my real, substantial memories of growing up with the sport are, naturally, at the Wankhede Stadium right here in Bombay. For many years I watched matches from the West Stand, in the Bombay Gymkhana seats. Here you were perpendicular to the action so you could never quite judge the line of the ball. But who cared? Your excitement levels were at fever pitch right from the morning you woke up and carefully planned what you would wear and what you would take to the game. You could take most anything in those days.
So, supervised by my father, in went a lunchbox of ham and chicken sandwiches. Binoculars (Be careful! And don’t lend them to all sorts of people!) A blue, faithful water bottle that had just about enough water to keep me alive through the day (Cold drinks?! The work of the devil!) A cap, just in case the stadium roof were to cave in and I would have to bear the cruel, tropical sun for a whole day. My pass, encased in plastic and stoutly wound around my neck, because my father had it on good knowledge that there were armed bandits waiting to pluck a pass from a small (well, that hasn’t changed), unsuspecting boy. Then in through the Marine Drive barricade and into the roar that would want you to wet your pants in excitement. Finally, the cricket. Eknath Solkar’s valiant 102 against Clive Lloyd’s marauders. Karsan Ghavri’s surprise 86 against the Aussies. Gavaskar’s 205 against Kallicharan’s depleted Windies. Ian Botham’s fantastic performance with bat and ball to sweep England to victory in the Centenary Test. Sachin’s 90 plus against the Aussies in a one-dayer. And the delightful, and I think, uniquely Bombay custom, of a punter having won a bet running around the stands throwing ice-creams at us.
Sitting in the stands, just behind the bowler’s arm, in the cool shade of a Calcutta spring, I reflected that try as the authorities might, ban all the bottles they might, forbid all the food they might, stop all the firecrackers they might, rudely frisk all the spectators they might, they could never, ever succeed in suppressing that howl that curls around a stadium and explodes upwards in a mushroom cloud of mass hysteria when a Sachin Tendulkar comes out to bat.
Then you forgive all the bans. Save one. I have heard it is well nigh impossible to spot a joyous punter throwing mango sticks with the arm of a Kapil Dev around the West Stand at the Wankhede Stadium. I hope that is not true.
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Posted by Rahul Bose at August 17, 2005 05:14 AM
Comments
Yea.The present state of despondency which has descended like a pall of gloom on Team India is really sad.
Wonder in such dire straits who can deliver Team India(http://cricket.indiatimes.com/quickies/1201679.cms) out of its state of slumber?
Our messiahs need to come out and give it their best shot.
LARRY KING LIVE
Deepak,
You are correct about one thing; there is limited time to share enough of the categorically necessary information to illuminate the discussion of evolution in a brief television show. I'm pleased to see that you were able to enlighten the fellow panelists on the nature of 'pure consciousness' and its position in both scientific and religious rhetoric on national television. In particular, hilighting the
the continued denial given by the materialist mainstream for the subsistence of 'consciousness as evolution' and the meta-evolution of consciousness of consciousness. The need for science to step back from there analysis of matter's processes to see an undifferentiated and unqualified Witness, through which, the cognitive process that compose our scientific method approach the material world that is percieved and ultimately, identify this finding with the Ground/Zenith of material reality. Unfortunately however, we cannot expect for any authentic contemplative awareness to infiltrate evolutionary biological perspectives or the neuroscience disciplines to make apparent the more subtler limitations of this worldview for some time. Even more imperative for our times, and from the other angle implying that "if" the Christian fundamentalist exposition on the Genesis story as literal Truth isn't properly understood as 'context sensitive' to its written time, we can expect with certainty that there will be no room for advancing successful inter-religious and religious-scientific dialogue in this country. This will undoubtably come through understanding that cultural truths "are" subjected to an orgin of social-construction (especially creation mythos) and exist at times as metaphorical poetry in nature, of higher transcendent happenings. I believe that the education system is vitally responsible for this furthering and can propose for this pedagogically to younger generations, but only after its importance is acknowledged within system first. Also because of this limited and outdated interpretation, the second thing we can expect to see is the non-recognition of the 'primacy of consciousness' as the platform for which all religious truth is built and rational thought is mediated. Ultimately, consciousness is entangled at its deepest level with the quantum world, and therefore it cannot fully free itself to observe our natural world (you cannot fully get out of consciousness to view the world untainted otherwise you would cease to exist). Neither where you suggesting that science is incorrect and exists as the only means of acquiring truth or - rather - and as your good friend (one of my philosophical adherents) Ken Wilber would proclaim, "Different modes of consciousness don't just see a different world, they actually help to mold, shape and create a different world entirely." Overall, the key for the debate would be view evidence on rational non-biased terms and not skew it to fit unconscious recondite motives.
Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahuda Vadanti.
Quote of the night: Deepak
"..consciousness is a very legitimate pursuit in science, and it should be.
After all, who is this person? You know science has only focused on the observed
never on the observer. And I think it's time science begin to address this
question: Is consciousness an epi-phenomenon or is it the Ground of Being that creates the universe? And that's very legitimate as a scientific pursuit."
Always eloquent. Thank you Deepak,
Tat Twam Asi.
Justin R. Vero
Boulder
LARRY KING LIVE
Deepak,
You are correct about one thing; there is limited time to share enough of the categorically necessary information to illuminate the discussion of evolution in a brief television show. I'm pleased to see that you were able to enlighten the fellow panelists on the nature of 'pure consciousness' and its position in both scientific and religious rhetoric on national television. In particular, hilighting the
the continued denial given by the materialist mainstream for the subsistence of 'consciousness as evolution' and the meta-evolution of consciousness of consciousness. The need for science to step back from there analysis of matter's processes to see an undifferentiated and unqualified Witness, through which, the cognitive process that compose our scientific method approach the material world that is percieved and ultimately, identify this finding with the Ground/Zenith of material reality. Unfortunately however, we cannot expect for any authentic contemplative awareness to infiltrate evolutionary biological perspectives or the neuroscience disciplines to make apparent the more subtler limitations of this worldview for some time. Even more imperative for our times, and from the other angle implying that "if" the Christian fundamentalist exposition on the Genesis story as literal Truth isn't properly understood as 'context sensitive' to its written time, we can expect with certainty that there will be no room for advancing successful inter-religious and religious-scientific dialogue in this country. This will undoubtably come through understanding that cultural truths "are" subjected to an orgin of social-construction (especially creation mythos) and exist at times as metaphorical poetry in nature, of higher transcendent happenings. I believe that the education system is vitally responsible for this furthering and can propose for this pedagogically to younger generations, but only after its importance is acknowledged within system first. Also because of this limited and outdated interpretation, the second thing we can expect to see is the non-recognition of the 'primacy of consciousness' as the platform for which all religious truth is built and rational thought is mediated. Ultimately, consciousness is entangled at its deepest level with the quantum world, and therefore it cannot fully free itself to observe our natural world (you cannot fully get out of consciousness to view the world untainted otherwise you would cease to exist). Neither where you suggesting that science is incorrect and exists as the only means of acquiring truth or - rather - and as your good friend (one of my philosophical adherents) Ken Wilber would proclaim, "Different modes of consciousness don't just see a different world, they actually help to mold, shape and create a different world entirely." Overall, the key for the debate would be view evidence on rational non-biased terms and not skew it to fit unconscious recondite motives.
Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahuda Vadanti.
Quote of the night: Deepak
"..consciousness is a very legitimate pursuit in science, and it should be.
After all, who is this person? You know science has only focused on the observed
never on the observer. And I think it's time science begin to address this
question: Is consciousness an epi-phenomenon or is it the Ground of Being that creates the universe? And that's very legitimate as a scientific pursuit."
Always eloquent. Thank you Deepak,
Tat Twam Asi.
Justin R. Vero
Boulder
They have appointed the right man in Greg Chappell to help Indian cricket. Let us hope he will find the support of the Indian Cricket administrators and senior players when it comes to making some tough decisions along the way.
SIGH Ok my enthusiasm has died down after all that scams.. I guess.. :( I am more of a F1 or the bike racing fan... tension hi nahi... LOL Valentino Rossi and Alonso... yeah thats what is rolling in my mind..
Dear Rahul
I was sitting 2 rows ahead of you when you were at Eden ( In the Club House ). In fact you will see me there at similar seat every time you visit Eden. I could see that you enjoy cricket as much as you enjoyed the company of your friend who was with you.
I have always liked your acting and your movies. You are selective and professional. Admirable quality.
Regards
Bharat
I remember watching India Vs Australia in my city Pune (around in 2001 or so). The delight in watching amidst such a huge cheering crowd is such a unique experience. But, nowadays I just don't feel like watching it on TV. Might be the losing streak is the reason.
I hope, Rahul, you will post atleast one blog per week as u mentioned tht in ur interview (IE). I luv ur movies.. i hope the same goes for the posts as well :)
Haine Mujhe ye pasandhe hai !
Rahul its a nice article. Nice to know you are a very good blogger too. Well It is very true cricket match at Wankhede Stadium are refreshing and i remember when sachin goes into bat der its a total diff story. I have not been to eden gardens wish i can do it some time soon.
But it is very true these days the crowd turns hostile when indian players are not performing and that is very obivious in a land were cricket is a religion. Can't help though as every indian fans thinks the opposition player is nothing but Mundoo though its just a game.
Cricket is a frenzy
Eden Garden is somewht a face of my dear kolkata
But that is something which drives the nation ..
But at a point of time this has to stop
Come over sometime to watch a Eastbengal v/s Mohunbagan match .. and may be u would realise
Football is not yet dead !
well, loved ur blog...hope to read more...i dont know why, I have lost interest in cricket these days...
do check out my blog: pyramidcorpses.blogspot.com
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Ananya Das commented on Cricket Fever
well, loved ur blog...hope to read more...i don
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Euphoric Dreamz commented on Cricket Fever
Cricket is a frenzy
Eden Garden is somew -
Mahendra K commented on Cricket Fever
Haine Mujhe ye pasandhe hai !
Rahul it
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I remember watching India Vs Australia in my ci
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Bharat Agarwalla commented on Cricket Fever
Dear Rahul
I was sitting 2 rows ahead o
Having grown up mostly on this side of the planet, most of my cricket memories are reduced to debating my Indian cousins as to which was better Cricket or Baseball. Alas, as I have come to appreciate the "pitcher's duel" in American baseball, so too have i learned to see the magoc of a 3 day test match. In fact, I am now thinking I will be in Kingston in a few years time for the cricket World Cup and have my baby son with me! Thanks for your evocative post. You don't have to be a sportsman to love the game!