There are few moments in life which make you feel like you are a part of a larger cosmos - even though you are far away from your homeland, far away from your people. Today was one of them.
I had lost interest in cricket when as a young girl, I literally had my young heart broken with the match fixing scandals that became rampant. Ever since I could never feel the same way about the game - even though it was something I had grown up with. I think every Indian can remember crowding around television sets - black and white, color - I remember our Onida and I remember Maa's superstitions and angry protests blaming every wicket on herself. "Switch it off, switch it off - I know they are going to lose". And the moments of ecstasy when our country emerged victorious. It is a sport - that's true but for us Indians - it personifies a lot more. If you asked me what more - I probably wouldn't be able to answer you. I would not be able to explain the patriotism, the unity, the passion, the heart-beat, the pulse in your throat and much more that this sport becomes - you either feel it or you don't.
The last time India won the cricket world cup was in 83 and I was too young to remember. 2003 we came very close - the disappointment at India's loss seemed to echo the known feeling of being let down. Now it is 2011 and we are very close again. We have a lucky captain and the stars do seem aligned - and there are positive smiles and nods all around - I have a feeling we might just win it.
A bunch of Indians at my workplace arranged to get the semi-final match India vs Pakistan screened in a conference room. The timing was 2:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ofcourse the night owl that I am, even after telling my husband to wake me up at 2:00, I happily snoozed off and didn't even open an eye till 7 a.m. At this point, it was a gloomy outlook, Pakistan was hitting 4's and 6's and victory seemed to be moving out of our grasp. Through my commute to office, and my mother's phone commentary, there still seemed a chance - if there was a wicket. By the time I reached work, one fell. By the time I settled down to work with cricinfo open on my screen, Afridi fell. And then I had to see it on the big screen. So yes I did rush to the conference room for the last stretch when India was almost sure to win.
There were a group of Indians gathered there with the lights switched off, Willow cricket stream being projected on a large screen. Cricket is one sport - the more the merrier, you just need the cumulative shouts to get your adrenaline going, the blood boiling and the decibels increasing. As the run rate slowly piled up, and the wickets kept falling - the jubilation, the rants, the cheers and the happiness became more and more infectious. It didn't matter that there was only one other person I knew in the room - Purnima, my team-mate. For that moment of celebration with all of us clapping cheering and jumping up and down - it was as if we had brought a piece of India into that room with us. So even though far from home, and far away from Mohali and the old television sets and the familiar crowd of family members crowding around - I felt at home.
Regardless of whether India now wins or loses - I think today revived a spark in me - a spark of belief I had lost as a child in a Kolkata home watching news channel reports - I rediscovered that spark today in an American office room among Indian strangers.
I had lost interest in cricket when as a young girl, I literally had my young heart broken with the match fixing scandals that became rampant. Ever since I could never feel the same way about the game - even though it was something I had grown up with. I think every Indian can remember crowding around television sets - black and white, color - I remember our Onida and I remember Maa's superstitions and angry protests blaming every wicket on herself. "Switch it off, switch it off - I know they are going to lose". And the moments of ecstasy when our country emerged victorious. It is a sport - that's true but for us Indians - it personifies a lot more. If you asked me what more - I probably wouldn't be able to answer you. I would not be able to explain the patriotism, the unity, the passion, the heart-beat, the pulse in your throat and much more that this sport becomes - you either feel it or you don't.
The last time India won the cricket world cup was in 83 and I was too young to remember. 2003 we came very close - the disappointment at India's loss seemed to echo the known feeling of being let down. Now it is 2011 and we are very close again. We have a lucky captain and the stars do seem aligned - and there are positive smiles and nods all around - I have a feeling we might just win it.
A bunch of Indians at my workplace arranged to get the semi-final match India vs Pakistan screened in a conference room. The timing was 2:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ofcourse the night owl that I am, even after telling my husband to wake me up at 2:00, I happily snoozed off and didn't even open an eye till 7 a.m. At this point, it was a gloomy outlook, Pakistan was hitting 4's and 6's and victory seemed to be moving out of our grasp. Through my commute to office, and my mother's phone commentary, there still seemed a chance - if there was a wicket. By the time I reached work, one fell. By the time I settled down to work with cricinfo open on my screen, Afridi fell. And then I had to see it on the big screen. So yes I did rush to the conference room for the last stretch when India was almost sure to win.
There were a group of Indians gathered there with the lights switched off, Willow cricket stream being projected on a large screen. Cricket is one sport - the more the merrier, you just need the cumulative shouts to get your adrenaline going, the blood boiling and the decibels increasing. As the run rate slowly piled up, and the wickets kept falling - the jubilation, the rants, the cheers and the happiness became more and more infectious. It didn't matter that there was only one other person I knew in the room - Purnima, my team-mate. For that moment of celebration with all of us clapping cheering and jumping up and down - it was as if we had brought a piece of India into that room with us. So even though far from home, and far away from Mohali and the old television sets and the familiar crowd of family members crowding around - I felt at home.
Regardless of whether India now wins or loses - I think today revived a spark in me - a spark of belief I had lost as a child in a Kolkata home watching news channel reports - I rediscovered that spark today in an American office room among Indian strangers.
