Lagaan

Brilliant movie!!! Even if the love story between Gracy Sing and Aamir Khan was superfluous....but then what's Bollywood without its romances.... Again, the way cricket is woven in to the script is a laudable effort indeed... Ashutosh Gowariker is a good script writer... But some how it ended up being 'Aamir Khan's Lagaan'..... The guy with the big bucks gets all the fame eh!

Nothing unites or divides India like cricket, it's ironic don't you think? Cricket gives all Indians a sort of cult status that is almost peculiar only to India and yes that is something to be proud of! Apparently the sport originated in Northern Europe after the end of the Roman Empire but nothing is confirmed. But I still believe that it is indigenous to India and that it spawned out of Gilli Danda. No one knows if it came from Europe to India or went the other way round. Somethings in history have left no traces, sadly this is also up for speculative grabs.

Countless reasons make it a 'good for health' sport.

It's easily accessible to anyone who wants to play and provides enough scope for innovation, in the event of being equipment-handicapped- how else would you explain turning a racket ball bat in to a cricket bat.

You do not need a well kept turf or a perfectly flat floor. It can be played just about any where. Kitchen of the house, veranda, classroom, you just occupy and play!

Absolutely anyone can play. This is the only game in which the highly learned will entertain the underdogs and will be ever so glad to provide valuable lessons for free!

You do not need to posses any gadget at all to witness this game. Absolutely anyone- shop keeper, neighbor, stranger will let you watch it and all media of communication will be more than glad to bring the game closer to you in whichever language you prefer.

All the terminologies have a regional equivalent.

On a larger picture:
It brought home the concept of cheer leading squads (hardly a head turner) and leagues. Creates a very pro-active economy for those months of any major season. Eg: IPL (needless to mention..but hey....deserves one right?!).
Creates enough scandal and news to keep everyone up and running during those months.
Brings in enough money to make BCCI one of the richest sporting organizations in the world.
Takes the ad-making industry to a different height, churning out some of the best ads.
Leaves the citizens feeling absolutely entertained and happy :)

Cricket is also the reason sites like Cricinfo and true to the word blogs like 'Cricket with Balls' exist.

And all this is only about the sport at large...imagine if I had started getting in to the nitty gritty's of the players and their stances. I till date do not understand the rules of a test match and I'm not a cricket fanatic either. I still feel that the bat making any sort of connection with the ball is serendipity. Of course, the batsmen does aim at the gaps and makes sure he strikes the ball to a good velocity, but still it's all a big mind boggling game of probability.

The game in it's early years had a certain regal look about it with the lush green stadiums and the players dressed in white. It did look like a gentleman's game and probably was. But now with all the cacophony and theatrical moves all the gentleness is left behind :)

Albeit it never fails to grab the nation's attention, stir up the economy and feed people's imaginations.... So if people out there think cricket is overrated you might want to re-consider.

PS: This is the second blog in the 'you asked for it' series.......Dhiraj hopefully is a happier person now :)