The (My?) Prince

I have a lot to write about these days but I am just too lazy to actually do it. Blame it on the weather or on IPL or both. The only way I can tolerate these unbearably hot days is by watching non-stop 20-20 cricket throughout the afternoons and evenings. Of course, the fact that I have enough time helps a lot. I still don’t know when and how I became such a die-hard fan of ‘the incredible game’, but I think it’s just a phase that will fade away in its own time. Or maybe it won’t. Maybe I will become a sports journalist. The prospect seems more and more enticing these days. It would be fun to watch different sports, write about them, interview players, etc, etc. Much better than writing about innumerable scams and fake encounters and tragic murder mysteries that the papers are full of these days. I am reading the papers religiously in a bid to arm myself for admission to the master’s program in mass communication which I so want to do. The future is uncertain, as it always is, but the present is pleasant I must say.

My IPL team of choice is the Pune Warriors India. Not because I think it’s the best team but only because it’s led by Yuvraj Singh. :P Last three IPLs, my team of choice was Kings XI Punjab of course for the same reason. Even if my own city/state had an IPL team, I would only support the one which Yuvraj was in. And if he wasn’t playing, I would support the one which my second favorite player, Irfan Pathan, would play in. I know you perhaps have no interest in this entire personal trivia but I’m going to continue anyway. When this season of IPL kicked off, I was out of town so I missed a couple of matches. When I finally got around to watching the contest, beginning with the Pune versus Delhi match, my team, or rather Yuvraj’s team lost. And they have continued to lose since then which worries me that perhaps I am bad luck and the cause of all this misfortune. So I am not going to watch the next match they play just to test this ridiculously superstitious theory (which I am convinced will prove true!)

So why am I harping on about Yuvraj so much? Because I think he is incredibly sexy, of course. Now, I didn’t even like him half as much when he was dating Kim Sharma some years back and I stopped being his fan when there were rumors about him and Deepika Padukone, but the comeback he made in the recent world cup tournament totally stole my heart like never before. The way he hits those sixes, bowls, and even fields, has me all gaga and head over heels in lurve. And I think it’s kind of cool the way he smiles so very rarely. Doesn’t seem very cheerful most of the time but I absolutely adore the aggression and the attitude. And the black uniform of the Pune team only further compliments him! Watching Yuvraj play has added a new item to my bucket list for life – I want to watch a live match in a stadium one day and cheer for him with thousands of other people! Hopefully, I will get around to making that a reality before the end of his career. Until then, I shall continue gazing at the television screen all puppy-eyed whenever he plays. If ever there was a definition of rugged, irresistible manliness, it has to be Yuvraj Singh for me!

Diary of a Trip to Remember - 1(of many more to come)

I'm back.

Did you miss me?

Never mind, you don't need to answer that. :P

I'm down with the flu. The flu always gets me when summer comes around. I hate summer. Especially the Indian summer. But oh well, I'm in too much of a happy mood to crib!

I had an AWESOME week-long trip to Agra, Faridabad, Saharanpur, and Delhi. Of course, I was completely busy with attending wedding functions but I had a blast anyway. I don't even know where to start telling the tale. I guess the logical beginning is The Train Journey.

Oh my, the train journey!

I traveled in Sleeper Class and what an experience it was.

The first thing I've come to associate with rail travel in India is The Stink. The stench of human excreta and rot and rubbish that emanates from the tracks and saturates the air at the stations. Something really needs to be done about it. :(

Next is the filth and squalor you get to see as the train eases out onto its route - extreme poverty, people living in unspeakable conditions, garbage all around - I know THAT's the real India minus the glitz and glamor and 'next superpower claims', and honestly, it breaks my heart. Why is there such glaring inequality among 'the classes' in India? It's seriously depressing. And maddening.

Speaking of maddening, I must mention my co-passengers in Sleeper Class. Sigh, what do I say. It takes all kinds of people to make a train journey. While going to Agra, it was at the Abu station that all kinds of weirdos jumped onto the train and created chaos - yelling and swearing and acting as uncivilized as they looked. There were some Hindu extremists on it which was kind of funny to observe but pissing off nonetheless. And as if to balance it out, on the way back from Delhi to Ahmedabad, some Muslim extremists boarded from Ajmer. They had no sense of how to talk to co-passengers or behave while traveling - a result of utter lack of education and emancipation in the true sense of the word. I finally understand why Muslims in general have a bad reputation.

And lastly, how can I not mention train toilets. Lol. Enough said, I think. I don't want to comment much on those!

To sum up, after the whole ordeal of rail travel, I feel we are a needy country. There are major reforms and renovations we need before we can even get close to being the projected superpower we are all excited to be. Most needy of all is our populace and polity. And to be truly Indian and talk regionally, I have realized that Gujarat is highly over and above the likes of UP and Haryana when it comes to advancement, cleanliness, safety, and general civility amongst people. I'd never imagined I'd be praising my state one day but after finally having experienced the North a bit, I must say I love the West!

A Dream Realized!

“Champions are those who can emerge and triumph despite the worst of setbacks,” remarked my Dad rather philosophically.

I was in no mood to reply or even acknowledge the comment because the great Sachin Tendulkar, THE-MAN-who-was-supposed-to-make-India-win-the-world-cup had just been caught out. I was neither upset nor angry; I was just really worried and heartbroken and convinced that everyone’s presumptions about the Men in (Light) Blue lifting the cup had ended up jinxing their chances. Yes, I can be quite superstitious when it comes to Cricket matches. :P So much so that I simply couldn’t bear to continue watching this final showdown. I was convinced that if I stayed in my seat, something much worse would happen like for example, the ferocious-looking Malinga would take a hattrick or Gautam Gambhir would end up injuring himself or something equally bad. I certainly did not want to witness a disaster like that, so I retreated to my room to calm my nerves a bit and make sure that my presence before the T.V. didn’t ‘jinx’ the Indian team any more. Yes, it seems stupid now, but at the spur of the moment, I was just too wrapped up in emotion to think practically.

It was only twenty minutes later that I mustered the courage to return and take a peak at the score. Thankfully, Gautam and Virat were still around and so I gingerly perched onto the sofa once again. And that’s when Dad’s comment came back to mind. Indeed, if they were champions, India would triumph despite the critical setback of losing Sehwag and Sachin so early. I also remembered another comment I had heard someone say several days earlier: ‘individuals don’t win matches; it’s TEAMS who win’. And indeed, TEAM India did win. And HOW!

Of course, it was depressing when Gautam was clean bowled just three runs short of a century (and his expression while leaving the field said it all) and my heart kept popping into my mouth every time Dhoni came close to being run out, but overall, I have never enjoyed and learned so much from a game of cricket. The superstitions did not leave me right till the end though. Every time the commentators would start applauding our batting or complementing our side, I kept saying touch wood and kept my hand pressed to the wooden cabinet beside me, all fingers crossed up and my posture tenser than it would be in the scariest of horror flicks. I couldn’t care less if I got a back ache or whatever; there was no way I was going to relax for even a moment. In my mind, I kept visualizing our side winning and finally managed to block out disturbing images of Murali and Malinga picking up key wickets. And in the end, it all paid off when M S Dhoni knocked all those boundaries and that final SIX which sealed our win.

At last, the champions DID triumph despite the setbacks! And although I did not go partying or even burst a cracker, I couldn’t be more thrilled that the Aussies have finally been thwarted AND that – more importantly – no one, and I mean absolutely no one can label our team ‘inconsistent’ or ‘unable to take the pressure’ anymore. I was so f***ing fed up of all the criticism, all the negativity, and at last, the (super awesome) Men in Blue have given a befitting answer that will be remembered for a long time to come. I think they deserve the cup with every fibre of their beings, and I’m pretty sure I love each and every one of them with every fibre of my being! Top of the list is Dhamakedar DHONI of course! Followed by Yuvraj and Gautam and Virat and Sachin and Zaheer and Raina and EVERYONE. Even Sreesanth! LoL.

Gosh, when did I become such a cricket fanatic?! It’s something to do with living in India, I think. You just can’t stay away from cricket mania! And now, I think I will shut up before I decide to convert my blog into a cricket blog. :P

I can’t resist but mention one last thing though: the look in Dhoni’s eyes when he hit that final six – it was so intense, so sublime, so truly heart-warming, don’t you think? I’m sure I speak for a hell lot of females when I say he made me swoon for him (all over again) after such a brave comeback that saved the team. There’s nothing and no one quite as sexy as an (Indian) sportsman in action, me thinks. :)

Congratulations Team India! Congratulations every Indian fan and supporter! :D

If you are still reading this, might as well let you know that I'm off to attend my cousin's wedding in Faridabad, so will be back to interacting with you all after about eight-ten days. Adios people! Keep smiling!