In India, Cricket is indeed a religion

I was planning to watch India play Australia at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Day 2, but after guests came over, I postponed my plans to Day 3. I set my alarm for 5.30 am and woke up on time. I took a train from Chromepet and as my train approached the picturesque MAC stadium, that is the Chepauk Station, I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw a humungous stream of people already positioned at the ticket counters. The station gives us a bird’s eye view of the stadium and the outsides and I could clearly see two sides of the stadium and the rush at the ticket counters.

I ran from the station to the stadium to find that at 6.55 am in the morning there were easily 6000 spectators ready and waiting for the ticket windows to open. I struggled to find a free window and as I ran from window to window, I could only see lines twisting and turning in circles to form a never ending stream that somehow ended at the ticket counters. I just could not find the starting point and headed towards the gates 11 and 12. It was my biggest mistake. The lines had not only formed on two sides but on all the sides. It was a Sunday, India was 183-3 and guess what, a certain ‘GOD’ was on 72 not out. I realized that I had set my alarm an hour or two late. I should have been at the ground by 5 and that was the only way I could have got a ticket.

I decided to stick to one queue that seemed to end at a window. I stood still at one place for over an hour and the queue did not move. I started observing the people around. Another 300 had lined up after me even though the line showed no intention of moving forward. Some about 150 behind me got their foreheads painted with the India flag, some had their cheeks coloured in the tricolor. Large number of businesses had begun to flourish outside the stadium. Young boys were selling Team India jerseys which had gone up by a whopping 100% in a day, given its importance. There were many selling sunglasses to fight the scorching sun and others were busy selling hats, bandanas, ribbons and many other items. The best part however was none of them did mild business. Regardless of whether tickets were obtained or not, people were busy buying these accessories in the hope that they would get in and watch their heroes play.

The first moment worth smiling

As I was cursing myself for having missed the game on Saturday, I saw a Honda City passing by. In the car, I could see a familiar face and as I warded the sun off my eyes, I saw India’s best off-spinner in the Test match. He drove the car handsomely as some of the people in the queues recognized him and waved. He made his way in before anyone many could spot him and stop his car. He did indeed come from his residence. Something that I always thought was not possible. Sneaking out of office for lunch and going home if it is close by is okay but going home from a Test match is something that I saw today. Nevertheless, if going home helps him get 7 wickets, then he can go home even from Hyderabad and Delhi.

I also happened to see Mr. Sudhir, who is an ardent Sachin fan, dressed in Sachin Tendulkar colors and with an India flag.

The line moved swiftly but I was in for a shock as they closed the counter and asked the spectators there to leave. The police even threatened them with lathis which I feel is ridiculous and un-called for. People who have come to watch a game of cricket should not be treated in this manner. No way. I took one final chance to see if there was an open counter. I saw that the shortest line spanned over a kilometer and the longest probably from Chepauk to Central Station. There were people peeking from the Chepauk station which overlooks the ground and pointing out the bowlers who were practising.

This take me back to a conversation I heard while I was travelling to Mumbai. A young guy was telling his friend that they had spent 5 hours in the queue on their visit to Andhra Pradesh’s most famous god and that was the longest time they had ever waited in a queue. You also have to wait for about the same time in the other temples in and around India. People do that with a lot of faith and belief.

I wish to just point out the fact that people in India are so obsessed with the game and so much in love with it that they stand there irrespective of the time and weather. Without caring if they would get tickets or not, without giving a damn about the cost of the tickets and also with a belief that when they get in, they will see a spectacle. Today it re-affirms my faith in the saying that in India, Cricket is indeed a religion.

I was however done and I decided that it was not worth waiting in the queue and though cricket has been an important part of my life, it was not worth wasting my entire Sunday afternoon in the boiling sun. As the play started, the ‘GOD’ could add only 9 to his overnight tally, yet again failing to reach a 3 figure mark. As I came back home, I heard the news of Kohli’s 100 and Dhoni’s acceleration. I reached home and just as Dhoni was about to reach his 100, the power cut took away the moment from me. I don’t know if I should have waited or not, given the number of empty seats I could still see on TV, but one thing is certain. If Cricket is indeed declared a religion, one doesn’t have to look far to find its Mecca.