Finally, the coveted cricket world cup is India's !
After India beat Pakistan to reach finals to face off Sri Lankan team, a friend posted his status on Facebook 'we won the finals , now lets move to semi-finals' :)
I have witnessed many world cups and other very interesting cricket matches in India (all on TV) and how India's victory or loss has affected the nation's morale and mood. If India lost, some of us sat in corners at home and mourned quietly, some of us got on streets and threw rocks on our beloved and worshiped as Gods player's homes . If India won, we rejoiced with fire crackers and distributed sweets much the same as a wedding at home or birth of a child. Such is the sentiment associated with Cricket !
If its Cricket , I have to mention my younger brother who is CRAZY about the sport and pretty good at it himself. His obsession with it made it extra fun for all of us to watch it back at home. I know its the story of most households in India when an important match is at stake - Just like ours where we surrounded the TV in comfortable positions, taking bio breaks only during commercials , pounding our fists for each downed wicket and shrieking yay for each four or sixer and eating 'khichadi' for meals because Mom was equally devoted to the match and would spend least time possible for cooking :) And God forbid if the electricity went out , the neighborhood would curse the electricity department and government like no oné business.
This past Saturday as India played against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, I watched the match here in America on my notebook's screen, pretty tiny compared to a big TV. Nevertheless , my little boys huddled with me to support the boys in blue and tried to share the excitement of their Mom's favorite's sport. Neev waited for waffles until the commercial break while Avi took advantage of my absorption by asking for extra time with his hand held video game. Last few overs of the match were tense and I had my hands folded over my mouth and my knees pulled together . The commentators were not making it easy either, saying one thing if Lasith Malinga had a good over and another if Dhoni and Gambhir scored two runs for a ball. The moment of truth arrived and Dhoni led the team to victory by swinging a brilliant sixer. And .............and the crowd went berserk and sitting here in my sun room I wished to be a part of that crowd, being able to shout 'we did it' and waiving my tricolor in wind reflecting the pride in my heart for my mother land. Instead I did a happy dance of my own . Neev and Avi stared at me first before joining in. I called my family immediately, announced my joy on facebook and sat again to watch the Indian team receiving the world cup. As much as it was a glorious moment for the team, it was a lot more to every Indian across all continents, a sense of eminence , a piece of pride !!
My 6 years old's take on the match -"I wish it was a tie'' ! When I asked why does he feel that way, he said, "becaue Sri Lanka is India's neighbor" ! I can appreciate my sensitive son's remarks and his knowledge of geography and I can savor India's victory too never doubting my American born children''s loyalty to the land their parents were born in because later in the day this was the conversation between Avi and Neev -
Neev - Avi, what is mother-land ?
Avi - Where you are born is called mother land.
Neev - What's our mother-land ?
Avi - America !
Neev - What about India ?
Avi (thinking ) -Umm...that's Mommy and Daddy's s motherland so that will be - our grandmother-land !
