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The
India-West Indies series is enduring on
Caribbean soil. As usual the heartbeat pumps up
with apiece delivery of ball and each swing of
bat.
If couple of wickets fall early, many patriots
switch off their TVs and radios. Some
brave-hearts with never-die attitude glue their
eyes on matches till the end in the hope of
revival, but the crisis begins when your too
soft wife yells for switching off the TV, as she
cannot digest loss of Indian wickets or
hammering of Indian bowlers. The threat-limit
may lead to a divorce.
Few ostrich-hearts, who enjoy the matches lying
on the bed, hide their heads in pillow or
blanket on each delivery of ball by opposition
and wink back listening cheers of crowd or the
burst of firecrackers in neighborhood.
The cricket matches convey unusual unity among
students as in hostels; all forget their
Senior-Junior complexes and assemble in the
lobby with “Nariyal”, “Agarbatti”, “Diya”, “Mithai”,
and “Photo of Bhagwan”. If India is batting, the
incense stick is rotated clockwise facing the
bat of batsman and the same is done to bowler in
case of fielding.
If the opponent is bowling deadly bowls then
agarbatti is swiveled anti-clockwise mumbling
XYZ-mantras facing the bowler. The agarbatti is
burned in sequences and never allowed to
extinguish and the same ensued to diya with
consistent pour of oil to make it last till the
end of match.
On each SIX and FOUR by Indian batsmen, the echo
of howl reaches miles. Each run up of Indian
bowler greeted with “Taalis”. Some households
burst “Patakhas” on each demolition of wicket by
Indian bowler and on each “CHOWKA” or “CHHAKKA”
by Indian batsman
Few Indians love certain rival players
irrespective of their play against India. Myself
is diehard fan of Brian Lara and wish him excel
even against India. With the recent triumph by
West Indies, we can anticipate the awakening of
sleeping giant which went on long sleep post Sir
Vivian Richards era.
Once traveling by Vaishali express, an
ex-student of AMU, explained me in his hostel,
around 70s-80s the students were divided into
two groups during India-Pakistan matches. Once
the match over, the verbal squabble begins and
occasionally it leads to ambushes with hockey
sticks. The perceptions are changed now and
majority of students back Indian team.
In case India wins final/semi-final matches, the
hostellers group together and rally to Ladies
hostels. The girl-folks greet their horde of
colleagues from the windows, rooftop or behind
the gate. The firecrackers burst throughout the
vicinity. The bikers carrying Indian flags and
motorcades blowing horns ramble the entire city.
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