Ye Cup jaa chuka hai...

Today when I started Google Chrome, Facebook was ahead of blogger in terms of usage. That’s when I realized what a long time it had been since I came here!!! So now back to the news. The “defending champions” have failed to make it to the semi finals. The captain and the coach differ in the reasons for this. The entire nation is at rage. Former cricketers have their own theories. Commentators have their own theories. The nation has its own theories. It’s good that the team will leave for the Caribbean directly. Dhoni said before the tournament that the fans should not be upset if they lose. Maybe he was aware. Being given an easy group at the outset, India failed to raise their game to a level that was necessary and expected from a team that wants to win the Cup. The Aussies paved the way, India walked the path. We only lasted three more defeats than the Aussies. Now the question is, who will face the music this time? Who will be shown the exit door? Do we need to be underdogs every time we wish to win a World Cup? It happened in ’83 and it happened in ’07. Whenever the Indian team was slated to be favorites, it has failed to deliver the goods. Whenever the “famed batting line-up” has been called up to deliver, it has let the team and the nation down. India never had the best bowling line up and let’s not talk about the fielding of the team here. It has never been a forte and apart from appearing in sparks here and there, it has been unimpressive overall. Only one positive can be taken from India's unsuccesfull World Cup campaign. The team took care that India sleeps well and on time and does not have to stay awake watching the matches and worrying what the result will be and whether Team India will be able to defend their title(But ofcourse that's an eternal optimist thinking). Nothing more remains to be said. Team India has been found wanting on more occasions than can be warranted and unless we see a sea change in the way things are being done, the future appears bleak to say the least…

A salute to mothers

The “Middle Space” article titled “Mother of Pearl” by Mrs. Bodhankar in The Hitavada on 29^th May 2009 was indeed a fitting salute to the Mother. Indeed, bringing a new person to this world is the greatest gift that God has created and he gave this supreme gift to the Mother. Historically, mothers have always been worshipped not only in India but all over the world and as the saying goes, behind every successful man, there is a woman and in most cases, she is his mother. Take the example of Chhatrapati Shivaji and we remember that it was Jijamata who made him what he was. Even the all conquering Alexander the Great was trained by his mother. Even the Indian entertainment industry recognizes the value of the Mother. The line “Mere paas maa hai” from the movie “Deewar” has become immortal (A.R. Rahman took the line to the Oscars this year too) and also “Maa ka Doodh piya hai to saamne aa” and who can forget “Sehwag ki Maa”? Sanjay Leela Bhansali goes so far as to replace his father’s name with his mother’s. But perhaps the unsung heroines of today are the countless mothers in the world. She plays the pivotal role in the household and is responsible for almost everything that is done. Be it the cooking, the shopping, the children, their schools, their homework, their health, the list is almost endless. The day the Mother takes ill is the day Chaos rules the household. It is only when she returns to her position that everyone else heaves a sigh of relief and normalcy is restored. A mother’s brain is perhaps the most efficient supercomputer ever designed.

           Through the article, Mrs. Bodhankar touched a tender subject of the old age homes where a few sons and daughters have abandoned their parents. Indeed it is a tragedy that such institutions even exist and after elaborating the role of the mother, the writer’s take on these old age homes is truly touching. Have we become so engrossed to the use and throw culture that we treat everything and everyone the same way? Through this blog, I take this opportunity to salute my mother and the countless mothers that keep the world moving and as my particular generation would put it, “YOU ROCK!!!”