World Champions!

What a weekend that was - India winning the World Cup; witnessing the same with some of your closest friends; celebrating like mad on the streets in the middle of the night; having an unfortunate incident transforming what would have been a good dinner into a memorable dinner that never was; and if that wasn't enough, add the usual tomfoolery that happens when close friends meet and record those moments in HD ;) The match! What can I say about it that hasn't already been said. It was supposed to be a magnum opus - a final showdown between the world's greatest batsman and the best off-spinner to ever play the game. Instead, it ended being a coming of age moment for the next generation of the Indian cricket and the battle scarred class of 2003 alike.

Despite the beating he took at the hands of a sublime Jayawardhande towards the end of the innings, Zaheer should be re-christened Saint Zak. His opening spell was serenity, calmness, control epitomized. Unlike his oepning burst in 2003 where he let the occassion get the better of him, this time it was he who conquered his nerves. His reaction after dismissing Tharanga just said it all. He knew what he had to do, and more importantly, how to do it.

The way the Indians fielded and the way Gambhir and Dhoni batted, it was obvious that they were here to win. They were ready to put everything on the line - their bodies, their reputation, they would have probably traded their souls with the devil, to win the cup for a man who in Virat Kohli's words had carried the burden of the entire nation for 21 years. When the win came, it was as if it had been so ordained - India's favourite son winning the World Cup on his home ground. The reactions after the win were cathartic - not only for the players but for an entire generation which had grown up hearing of the triumph of '83 - a generation that had cried with Kambli in '96 - a generation that had its heart broken in 2003.

What followed the win was one of those I was there moments. We headed to a popular night spot in Mumbai for a late night dinner. Instead of having dinner, we danced on the streets, shrieked with joy till our throats were sore, high-fived strangers. As we chanted Sachin Sachin and India India, we became part of something that would live forever. We saw foreigners with the tricolor painted on their cheeks joining in, absorbing everything in. To use a cliche, it was what dreams are made of... :)

p.s. Another post on all the tomfoolery of the weekend!

Just Another Monday

It's that time of the year again - the colour red is all around, love is in the air and messages about proclaiming eternal love abound. Wherever you go, you would be hounded by advertisers trying to make a quick buck in this season of love. If you happen to be single, God help you! Or not. Given the fact that I too don't have the special one to shower with gifts and express my undying and eternal love to, I decided not to wait for God and rather do something to help myself.

For starters, you need to convince yourself that there's nothing special about 14th February 2011 even though all that you read and watch are telling you otherwise. And it won't take a lot of convincing when you realize that it's not a special occassion rather just another Monday, with its accompanying Monday Blues. It's a day where after a fun filled/dreamy lazy weekend, depending upon your preference, you would head back to the drudgery of work - to the same old 9-6 routine. Bleary eyed, you would sit at your desk staring at your laptop, questioning the very purpose of your life on this earth while a bad instant coffee would go cold in a styrofoam cup. The day doesn't sound so special now, does it?

And well, you are not a cynic now, are you? So of course you'll make a concession to the spirit of the day. Go ahead and pamper yourself. Go for that new gizmo you have had your eyes on or for that matter go for that road trip you had been planning for so long. That's one benefit of not dating - you get to splurge on things that you like.

All said and done if you aren't narcissistic enough to shower only yourself with love, go hang out with your buddies. A night out on the town would be the perfect way to blow away those Monday Blues. Yes, come Tuesday, you might be even more hungover and bleary eyed, but then that's a small price to pay for the company of your buddies.

I was planinng to close this post at this note, when I became aware that the guy sitting next to me was worrying himself sick over what to gift his girlfriend. Thank your stars you don't have to suffer that ordeal at least 3 times a year - valentines, her b'day, your anniversary; and many more if your girl happened to be the one who keeps track of your first date, your first kiss, the first time you had uttered the magical three words that doomed you forever and what not! Thank God that you are not such a lucky guy; God bless you and your wallet otherwise!

The King Returns...

2011 - the Year of the King!
~ Arthur