As Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the final six the stadium erupted in joy and madness. There were celebrations all over. Strangers hugged and congratulated each other in the stadium. There were tears of joy across. As we tried getting out of the stadium there was applause and we began singing the National anthem. I walked out of the Wankhede Stadium to find the city had exploded in celebration. There were thousands of people on the road dancing and rejoicing. Feeling extremely happy with myself and proud that I had witnessed history I got into a local to head home. Inside the train it was the same scene people cheering and screaming in joy.
By the time I reached my station the roads were full. I decided to walk the rest of the distance recalling the special moments in the day. I remembered how we were still in the line when the Nation Anthem had started and how the entire stadium and people in the line had sung it with full enthusiasm. I recalled how everytime Vande Mataram or Chak De was played in the stadium people would get emotionally charged up. I don’t remember seeing so many national flags in one place ever in my life
As I crossed a hysterical crowd dancing on the road, I suddenly had so many questions in my head. I wondered if all those people who walked a kilometer since it was a no vehicle zone, stood in line for two hours in all the heat to get into the stadium would do the same to be able to cast their vote during elections. I wondered why there weren’t these many people on the road on the day of the poll. Why don’t we think twice before buying a ticket worth thousands but never have that kind of money for social causes. Why does Vande Mataram not cause goose bums on an ordinary day? Why cant we sing the National anthem with the same enthusiasm on Republic Day or Independence day forget singing on a normal day. Why aren’t we ready to spend five hundred rupees on our National Flag even on the day of our independence but can buy one for the match. Why doesn’t the word INDIA give us a sense of pride on a ordinary day? Why Does It take a cricket match for all of us to realize we are Indians???
Fighting with my questions I read a billboard saying “Team Aise Hi Nahi Jitti Hai UsKo Jitaana Padta Hai” It amused me why no one ever came up with something like “Desh Aisehi Mahaan Nahi Hota Hai Usse Mahaan Banaana Padta Hai” I mean arent we all Team India?? Strange a country of billion people depends on 15 men to make it great.
Whats stranger is that one loss and we are ready to shun our cricketers. One bad performance and we are outrightly discarding them but its taken 60 years and an Anna Hazaare to shun our politicians who’ve been stealing from our country for years. We were all appalled by the match fixing scam in cricket but the scams our politicians do dont make a difference to us. We do nothing about politicians who’ve been selling off our country. If we can get angry with our cricketers why don’t we get angry at politicians? Everyone has an opinion on how our players should have batted or played no one ever voices their opinion on how dirty today’s politics is. Everyone wants to advice Dhoni nobody wants to advice the government on issues regarding us.
As I passed one of my favourite buildings I suddenly remembered how my husband being a muslim had found it difficult to get a house on rent. And at that moment I wondered if Zaheer Khan and Yusuf Pathan would find it difficult to get a house on rent. Wondered if every muslim had to be celebrity to be accepted easily in this society. How come we never think twice before cheering for a muslim cricketer but think again and again to be even friends with someone muslim.
Reached home..trying not to dampen my spirits I uploaded some photographs on Facebook calling the album “when history was made in front of me”. As the upload began I wondered if this country would ever make history by becoming a fully democratic, totally social, truly secular and corruption free country.
Angry with myself for having so many questions in my head on such a great day I looked outside my window, at 3 am could still see the celebrations people still dancing. Thought to myself what a mad country, but honestly its this madness I am madly in love with.
By four am I retired to bed thinking I would tell my children that I was part of history, I also hoped by then this country would have learnt to not just depend on the men in blue to make this country proud. As eyes began to shut I could remember an ecstatic Sachin, an emotional Dhoni, Yuvraj and an overjoyed team, atleast 15 men did their job and gave their best to make this country proud. Atleast 15 men gave me and a billion other people a reason to smile and celebrate. The noises outside continued I smiled and wet off to sleep, happy that atleast there was still something that can bring this country together.
Sanaa Ahsan
3rd April 2011
Mumbai
