A RELIGION CALLED CRICKET: AND ITS GODS

People often say faith comes unconditionally when you want to believe in something. For me the idea that a single idea, a single god and a single religion could define so much of our lives seemed rebellious. In a country of over a billion people, where everybody is praying for something or the other, it is only a matter of time before you realize you are a part of the whole process.

       On the 2^nd of April, as on many other occasions, I saw a different kind of faith among people. A religion that seemed to have transgressed all boundaries and their gods seemed unbeatable. For a country that breathes, eats, sleeps and now even bleeds blue, cricket had become the largest followed religion in the free world today. We celebrated as though our prayers had been answered by these mortal gods and yet there was an essence of something supernatural that had happened.

                 We belong to a country where the right to experience the thrill of cricket belongs to everyone. You may be millions of miles apart and yet the heart seems to be beating in a rhythm. In the test of time and again this religion has grown far and wide and its followers have only become more ardent believers in it. There is nothing that this religion demands however, apart from a little faith and prayer to keep the god’s doing what they are good at. The best of cricket at the best of times and a little inspiration to keep people going a long way.

Many will argue what this game has done for the common man, and I often see the answer in inspired children, in young minds who want to achieve something and even the grownups that need to smile once in a while in this stressed out life. The forms of admiration are many and so are the rewards we derive on the receiving end.

          I dedicate this piece to these gods, our mortal heroes, our faith keepers. Though shall live in time for eternity. And we may remember 2011 for many things, but I know we will remember it most as the year we brought the world cup back home again.

We will not accept defeat in the test of time, we will not let go of our dreams tonight.

We may be just living for so many years to come, but we create history in everybody’s sight.

They will come home like champions, like gods of another day,

We find you living on in a billion hearts, and worshipped in the religion we call Cricket today.