A different 'Jeetega Bhai Jeetega'

There is probably no Indian who doesn't relate to the three words in the subject line... Whenever Sachin takes guard, whenever Zaheer starts run-up, whenever Dhoni rallies his troops on ground, whenever the most prolific team India makes a circle after rounding another wicket, the chants rule the ground. But today, I insist on a different one... a 'Jeetega bhai Jeetega' for our national sport.

The Hockey world cup has been ridden with controversies, ironies, rumors and what not. Ironically, cricketers, shooters and actors had to be roped in for advertisements since, sadly, no hockey face is advertise-able. But all that is in the past now.

This is to a team that stood together against callous management, critical media, blatant officials and tentative sponsors, and finally stands tall, amidst chants of famous 'Jeetega Bhai Jeetega', trying to win hearts of Indians like ever before. To try and relive the lost glory of four decades of unquestioned world domination, unparalleled by any other sport (Including Cricket) played in this country of one billion. 

Sorry, I dont know my hockey. I dont know who is in playing eleven. I hardly know the captain's name. But nevertheless, I cheer for this Team India. For the records, we are 4-1 leading Pakistan as of now.

And the crowd is chanting.... 'Jeetega Bhai Jeetega!!'

Tribute to Team India

A living legend sends the opposition on a leather hunt, like he has done for 20 long years
A maverick continues to redefine the boundaries of scoring rate
A braveheart bowls his heart out before subsiding with an injury
A charismatic captain leads from the front to devastate a world class bowling attack
A team becomes the best team in the world… again

Cheers to Team India for regaining the No 1 Slot.

P.S. When I said last week that we will win the next one, few believed

Invictus... Beautiful Words

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Of Heroes and Senas...

So finally, the long drama surrounding the SRK and his famed release seems to be ending, with the sena clearly and emphatically being shown its place in the dustbin of Indian History. With effigies of Thakre scions being burnt, the common Indian has shown that the sounds of hollow rhetoric and unwarranted hate propaganda do not make sense to the major chunk. This is the third major reversal for the sena in recent days, the others being the utterly mistimed attack on Sachin Tendulkar - the God of Cricket and the forgettable duel with Rahul Gandhi - the emerging youth icon.

This leaves just one thing to be pondered over. Even though it is amply clear that the concept of 'Mumbaikars only in Mumbai' is totally impractical, unwanted and unworkable, why is it that it gets so much mileage? Has the Indian social fabric, with all its famed ethics and morality, become so feeble that it is unable to filter out the good from the bad?

I remember the blasts in Sankat Mochan, a major temple in Varanasi. After that, Vinay Katiyar gave a hateful speech directed (or misdirected) against muslims. However, the 'Mahant' of the temple got him out of the mandir campus, called upon the 'Imam' of nearby mosque and gave a message of togetherness. The degree of appreciation was immense, and disgraced face of Katiyar made it to the news nest day.

But are these pockets of sanity enough? How to tackle this social menace of regional politics? Is it a major flaw of our educational system which, by emphasising on local language, creates a cultural rift that widens with time? Today seems to be a day of questions. Maybe someday I will post an answer.