Thursday, March 31, 2011

High Fever and Bleeding!!!

High FEVER & BLEEDING!!!!!

When we think of these terms, we feel horrified and tensed however these words are common for India when Cricket World Cup is on. Here the terms we refer to are "High Cricket Fever" and "Bleeding Blue"!!! There are two veins in the body of every Indian from where the blood flows - Cricket and Bollywood!!! But when it is cricket then no one in this world can take its place. It is not our national sport still cricket word is synonymous with Crazy India. We eat cricket, we sleep cricket and we dream cricket. A nation crazy for a sport of bat and ball.

You can expect people missing their farewell party, forgetting their anniversary, postponing their child's polio drop all for a game of cricket. Keep on saying anything to a man watching cricket, you can expect that he has heard nothing. Even a fire alarm is not enough to move him from his chair. While evacuating the building on a fire alarm, he will still ask a question from his acquittance, "Yar score kya tha last".

India fought the semi final match on Wednesday (CWC 2011) and played against Pakistan. It was like an ultimate match for India, a matter of life and death. Playing against Pakistan is a kind of match which even an infant would not miss. Country's economy or share market or falling census was not important that day. All employees/workers were craving for a holiday that day and they got it because even bosses were off to their TV screen, ESPN sports. Normally, working professionals dont get holiday so easily even if their family member have died or they are suffering from constipation. But when it comes to cricket then no illness, cousin marriage, out of town, exams, prospective groom visiting to see me, excuses are required. I guess Cricket has become sole aim in our life.

We sit glued to TV till the last ball and pray for Sachin to make a century as if he would be sharing his profit with us. We reached till finals in 2003 world cup but lost to Australia in final match. I felt really bad but this world cup, we sent Australia to where they belong, sitting idly at their home and watching India in finals.

National Holiday, according to google, where a country celebrates its independence or establishment. I guess winning from Pakistan or Australia or any other team is a freedom in itself so it has be national holiday.

Talking about India vs Pakistan Match, then it is more important than our child's education plans. India vs Pakistan blood flows in every Indian's vein. It is like winning a world cup for us if we are winning from Pakistan in semi final or quarter final or T20 or even net practice match (we should win it all). We love our thy neighbors (Pakistan) and want security and peaceful life for them. Dont want them to take so much pressure to be in finals. Thats why we sent them home to take some rest. And we finally Won . . .

Internet was flooded with funny messages where people expressing their elation on our win. Even newspaper choose to convey their joy through catchy lines and witty cartoons.
Wednesday(the day of the match) was declared national holiday and even the pubs and restaurants had thin attendance. Sweet shops were worried as till 8 o clock evening they didnt have a single sale. Terrible jammed outer ring road was empty that day as if some curfew or emergency have been declared. This situation was there everywhere in India, even in remote regions where electricity is the major concern. Did we for once felt scarred about what will happen to our important business emails?

Emails also had so much fun too like the pictures below:




When cricket fever is on, a person can experience the real meaning of national integrity in India. People from all walks of life come under one roof and watch match together. Even trespassing is allowed that day. Put the TV screen outside a fish market and switch on the match, in no time everyone will be surrounding the TV screen and none in the market.

If you want to evacuate a room, switch the match on in other room and all will shift there. This idea works better than a hoax bomb in the room announcement. Some people dont even move from their TV Screens, for anything as important as natural calls, in the fear of loosing a wicket. Such are superstitious Indians.

Wednesday (India vs Pakistan semi final match, CWC 2011) was the best day when Girlfriends can test their boyfriend's love. If he can miss the match and take her out to dine then he is totally in love with her (quoted by some Netizen). However guys defended themselves by saying, "This thing is not in public interest and it is a pure terrorism.

On the day, I missed the match for few minutes to go to the doctor. While I was sitting inside the Doctor's cabin and Pakistan's 1 player got out. We got to know from the screech of the crowd outside the hospital. It was so loud that a heart patient would have surely died. I asked the doctor if any heart patient is admitted.

Few scholars had to tell the world through their status messages that it is just a game and not a war. You never know, India's loss can result in not just breaking of TV sets or furniture but even more.

Now its time to beat Srilanka and repeat the history. In the past they have already been beaten by Hanuman and Ram. And they dont stand a chance of winning because Sri Lanka's Map comes free when we buy India's Map :P
Being "OptiCricket" is good for health and that is what we do till the last ball even if the scorecard reads, 6 runs to win from 1 ball remaining. . .Ab to chakaa laga hi....

Monday, March 28, 2011

Right Way to live

Right Way to live, a life's journey!!!



Few things are always memorable in life, like the first step a child takes, first time she goes to school, first time she says mom and first time you take her

out to dine and very sophisticatedly she sits like a fine lady and finishes her food. You start wondering if at all she had been taught to behave like that. Then you think if she is born with the feminine and graceful qualities.


2 to 3 years old boy may be sipping his cold drink with loud bubbling noise sitting far from the table and lot of straws being attached to one another to reach his drink. Tell him not to do it and he hardly acknowledges what you are saying.


This difference makes girls so dear to their parents. She does not promise to stay with her family forever, nor she can assure to be there whenever her family needs her, still a father's heart beats faster for his daughter, may not equally fast for his wife or his son.


What is so special about her? While going out for a movie with her friends she takes permission from her parents, asks for pocket money and promises to be at home on time. But a boy goes to his college, remembers that today is his bunk day, visits the nearby movie hall and watches any random movie just to pass his time. His mom calls asking about his whereabouts and
then he informs that he is in the movie hall watching movie with friends and argues with his mother for disturbing him and cuts the phone. This isn't mean that he does not love his parents but his style of expressing his love is somewhat different.

Ask a girl if she wants to leave her parents and go to other house after marriage then her answer would be a big "NO". Ask a guy same question and his answer would also be a "no" however he further adds, "But it depends on the situation and circumstances, things want me to be away then I will have to."

Irony is that, it is the girl who has to leave her parents / her house and stay forever in someone else house, but a guy lives in his own house for his whole life. He sleeps on the same regular bed where he is most comfortable sleeping, sits on his regular couch, watches his favorite programs on TV and eats what he is born eating. However everything changes for a girl. She accepts the house given to her, she sleeps on a different bed than at her parents' home. She eats according to the taste of her in-laws house and does not fight for the TV remote. This is how she learns to adjust and grows faster than her brother (this answers the common question asked in every other movie, why girls grow faster than boys).


After a while, everything gets into the habit and she starts liking the new things given to her. She misses her mom's Dal Makhani but her mom in-law's Veg Pulao is just amazing to have.

Slowly and steadily things get back to normal and she adopts the "right way to live" and follow the customs which she is born to follow. Just like in office, your old company knows your worth but when you shift job you have to start from the beginning and prove your worth again. It is like, you are just being born and telling the world who you are.

I was bought up, watching my parents around and larking with my brother. We have a joint family and every time I used to be around someone or the other. I never experienced sitting alone, nor I stayed without them ever before I got married.


One fine day, I woke up, I didn't find anyone around. I was not able to hear my niece's chirping voice. Missed my brother sleeping besides me with his open mouth. Missed my mom's wake up call, missed arguing with my papa in the morning for first turn to use dressing table.


Before getting married I used to rush home, through my bag in any corner, take up the chips or scan the fridge and sit idly in front of TV for hours. Now I have to think and plan to go to my home (parent's house) and when I go there, I cannot sit idly. I have to help my mom in the kitchen, sit like a lady and not a teenager and serve food to everyone before munching my chips. My brother laughed at many instances on me as I am showing too much of maturity which was least expected from me, being the youngest daughter in the family. Bow to everyone and touch everyone's feet and greet them, before marriage only a "Namaste" or a "Hi" would do.


I wonder sometimes when I visit my parents home, am I the same girl who used to live here and had the authority on every single thing. Now I have to be decent enough not to fight for TV remote or chocolate with my brother. Because he gives it all himself and does not leave any scope for a fight or snatching!!! Not fair!!! After marriage my importance increased :) or it was there earlier but no one showed.

"Parents cry when their daughter is leaving their home after marriage. That means they are sad then why do they have to do it?" I asked the same question when my father cried on my wedding. He replied, "We are not sad that you are going, we want you to stay happy and we may not be there physically to see your smiling face, that's why we are crying."

I also questioned, "I wont be able to share my happiness, sadness, grief's and mood swings with my best friend, my mom, for what I am making these sacrifices and suffering these discomforts?"


He again consoled me and said, "You are getting your new pal for rest of your life, who is of same age as yours. He will understand you better. He will prove a better friend because he will be there with you no matter what. Your mom also has to take care of her husband, son and rest of the family but his sole and first responsibility is you. That's why we call them soul mates and he will prove a better friend than anyone in this world."


My mom said, "During my wedding day if I would have got stubborn like you and spoken like you then you would not have seen the world and I would not have got a dear daughter like you. In that case, I would have been in loss and not you. So dear, do you want to face that loss yourself?"

The question stuck me, I stopped giving further thoughts on the same and got carried away with what life was offering me. Enjoyed every bit of it however at the back of my mind I always knew that living away from my parents would not be that easy. But such is life. Sometimes we get difficult question paper in exam, it does not mean that we would not attempt the paper. We have to clear this exam of life with flying colors.

Now people tell me, "choti si ladki ki shadi bhi ho gai". This phrase always reminds me of my life before marriage, my childhood, my cousins and all the festivals I celebrated with them. When we all teen girls of the colony used to make a gang and visit people's house for 'Kanjake'. I remember how a night before, me and my cousin used to make plans and small little girls used to wake early for the festival celebration, getting ready wearing beautiful outfits. Those bangles and bindi used to look adorable on tiny hands and forehead. Now the arms have grown and size of bangles has also grown. Where has the time gone and before I can think to blink, I was married to the guy of my dreams.

Amazing time that was but more amazing time still awaits for every girl in the world!!!