The FIFA Dream...!

It’s 2010. And still India is not playing FIFA World Cup. But I am even happier to see the numerous fans and discussions that started off in India about the champions and history of FIFA. It shows that in India we are passionate about football more than we ourselves would likely believe.
I would say here…take my words, and India will rule FIFA chart, like cricket very soon.

Some of you might say, Raj has gone totally crazy but I mean it seriously and I want to explain to you my thought process on this ambitious declaration. Maybe we can get something started…

First of all I want to correct our belief that Indian never qualified for FIFA.

Wrong…
We had a glorious history of qualifying FIFA long back in 1950 FIFA world cup.
But, that ended with a refusal to go “because of the expense of traveling such a long way to play” (or, according to some reports, because FIFA would not allow the team to play barefoot).

Fine, we accepted it happily. But, we Indians; are full with sporting spirit. We believe in our Team, and will endeavor to get there.

Apparently, the history of the sports turns on the amazing performances of certain pivotal individuals. They are the champions of their ground. But these fascinating people are part of the glory to their team as a whole.

Every instance of their success is an example of their individual dedication toward their team and their focus toward their single goal to make their country win.

He can be Adriano, Pablo Aimar, Roberto Baggio, Michael Ballack, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Ricardo Kaka, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Pele, Ronaldinho or Zinedine Zidane, we inspire them all.

This… gives us assurance of the latent powers of simple manhood with higher courage and larger confidence.

Confidence, the timeless quality that separates winners from losers, the classic factor that distinguishes leaders from followers

Put 11 players on other side, stadium full with 70,000 screaming fans, battle it out for that final goal.

It’s not quite so simple. Agree. There are groaning, tackling, slashing moves and acrobatic actions. True. But we are ready. We have proven our steel in various other sports too.

The above would give us a challenge for the coming years with milestones to aspire to.
And we are ready for that. The world is eyeing India and putting a lot of hope in us.
Apart from that, football commands a massive fan following across the length and breadth of India and is the most loved sport in the sates of West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim.

Our IPL is challenging any Soccer League in terms of growing popularity and of course the earnings.

And what more, we are bubbling up to show the world, we are not less than anyone, come may what.

Olympics we have started off, FIFA is not too far. We have a talented youth with that flair to achieve victory, that passion to prove, that emotion to take care of billion hearts, and that attitude to show to the world ‘We are coming soon”.

We are just waiting for that one opportunity, and done…! We will be there.

Cheers…!

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Spilling Colours - An Introspection

17th June, 2010. 2:00 am


Spilling Colours – an introspection.

It was the 15th of June and it started raining that day. My mother precisely asked me to bring in those vehicles parked outside almost 10th time. On being asked, she told me about those ignominious incidents of vehicles being theft in our area.

“It’s not safe, I tell you, even our homes.” She shouted.
“Come on Mom, the world is not that dangerous.” I defended.
“Time has changed my dear son. Gone are the days when we used to leave our homes open. That is a beautiful history now.” She replied affirmatively.

“Time has changed”. My mother’s voice is still rumbling into my ears, and boiling my senses like anything. I bet, a thermometer will explode if placed to measure.

This fierce agony and BAAM !. At 2:00 a.m, lying on the floor with sleepless eyes and a laptop in tow, I can’t help but write this post.

In today’s world, there is no one truth. This or that, either or. And we just wish to keep going and going & going, may be without those values, ambitions and introspective qualities which nurtured the well established human life till today.
We are all very nice people, pure from heart, and for us, relationships are meant to last too long, really long, may be for a lifetime. We behave sophisticated, we show mannerism, inclusive growth is the fashionable buzz word, and we like social causes.
But, the darker side says something else. Something, which we don’t want to accept as facing the mirror, is rare phenomenon in our hectic life today.

A guy murdered, a girl kidnapped, a saint involved in sex scandal, suicide of family, bomb blast threatening millions, lecherous teachers, life altering rape cases, brother assassinating brother, hundred crores scandal, sadistic public statements and what not.!

We see everything. Everything with our eyes closed. But who cares?
What we would care is whether we are getting anything out of this deal.
Love and relationship will make the world go round. But Money buys the tickets, the luxury we long to live. Because, we are selfish.

Joint family is slang today, nuclear family is happening.

No space for ‘Gali Cricket’ and video game is our sports routine. Neighbors hardly participate in our socials, and we are very economical in preparing the list of invitees.

Giving your home’s keys to neighbours is rare case, and a stranger’s stop at your doorstep for more than a minute will make you dial ‘100’ for a safety reason.

We are being checked with those gadgets at our own ‘public places.’ And we can’t move freely on our ‘Independence Day’ due to some ‘High Alert’.

This is just because, we the human; have forgotten the importance of human itself. Money keeps everything going, even our relations, and our deeds.

Our hearts are shrunk. We fear human faces, because we learn to hate them. We miss the lesson - ‘how to love’ in our school of humanity.

We deserve the black, and our life’s colour has started spilling out, out and out.

Beware! & Wake up, before it’s too late. Not that you come forward and contribute like a social worker, but just start being a common human. Start loving the humanity with compassion & emotion. Mesmerize the world like an open sky, welcome humans like the earth did when you were born.

Welcome the world of a child’s imagination!

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When it rains...!

Monsoon is around the corner. And on one drizzling night, i am writing this poem.

Monsoon has got a kinda attachment with me. Oh! let me correct here, with everyone (everyone must have a story for monsoon). But for me,it's the whole circle of certain period of my life.
I have got and lost someone very special in the same season.(Probably my next posts will be indicative of what i mean...)
But still, it brings an endearing smile on my face everytime i think of rain. And this is the dedication to my sweetest memories which i cherish whenever it rains; from childhood to here.


When it rains...

The aroma of the soil that mingles with wet air,
Reminds me of that frangrance, when she embraced to care;

The caress of cool wind, that tingles my sense,
Like lost in her eyes, letting speechless hence;

That colourful umbrella, sheltering with might,
That ruffling of her hair, and holding her tight;

There is a smile on the face of scorching heat,
Spraying the hope in two, and a reason to meet;

Chirping of birds and flittering butterflies,
Those romantic nights and roaring skies;

Green everywhere, like nature's shrugs,
Those twinkling brown eyes, and cozy hugs;

Those dripping children, sploshing through water,
How naughty she was in rain, like earth's li'l daughter;

Shining rain drops, ambling pregnant cloud,
Gloomy some moments, and fighting that loud.

Joy and jubilation, then gusto which is rared
Reminds of those raining days, and umbrella we shared.


With Love.
Raj.

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