Om namaha
I am reproducing a short news story that appeared in the Times of India today:
Indian cricketers turn to bhajans
Melbourne: Indian cricketers are turning to devotional songs to calm their nerves in the ongoing tri-series against Australia and Sri Lanka here. ‘Bhajans’ of popular singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Hari Om Sharan and Anup Jalota are much in vogue among cricketers, who are finding this as an useful exercise to deal with the stress of media and opponents on the field. The trend, which started after losing the Sydney Test, has gained wider acceptance among cricketers since they have withstood the test of last few weeks remarkably well. Cricketers are being offered CDs which range from devotional to patriotic songs and even holy chants or Vedanta shlokas. Once they have selected the song of their choice, they have been told by experts to sit cross-legged on the floor and then concentrate on the middle of a chart which has several rounded layers in various colours. Cricketers are being asked to concentrate on the centre of the chart to the best of their ability and as they do so, the song of their choice is played in the background. AGENCIES
Teams around the world get the best sports psychologists, bio mechanical experts et al and we hand out CDs of bhajans. I love it. However, not discounting our ancient and learned culture if this turns out to be the secret weapon which propels our spoilt, pampered men in blue to conquer test series and world cups, then so be it! But something tells me the players must be cracking obscene jokes about this scheme in the change room. Viru & Yuvi listening to shlokas over a big tandoori chicken? Ha! I love my India.
Labels: men in blue
posted by Abs @ 9:39 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
What are your thoughts on this piece by Soumya Bhattacharya?
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/soumya-bhattacharya/2008/02/10/1202578597186.html
Lx: Are we going all over this again mate? I don't know if this author has ever played a decent level of cricket so he wouldn't know what its like on the field. But anyways I read this the day it came out and what I want you to ask yourself is: Who are you or this author to make the differentiation between one insult and another? On what basis would you define how a person takes offence if you were to 1. Say he sleeps with his mother or 2. He is less of a person because of his colour
Who decides that? And who are you or Soumya to make that judgment? One insult is as bad as another. This is what I have consistently maintained. So to you and to everyone out there: don't try to hide behind the nonexistent and ridiculous veil of "racist comments are the lowest etc" That's rubbish dude. If you insult my Mom I can insult your race. To me, my Mom is more important than what colour I am. To you it may be different. But that's fine. Either you don't insult at all on the cricket field (which is what I believe) or if you then decide to do so, don't be a sissy and a pansy and go crying to match referees.
Enough said on this. No more off topic comments please Lx. Cheers
Oh and about this author's opinion that India is the most racist country etc etc, I'd like to only ask: which country out there doesn't make judgments based on colour? We're just kidding ourselves if we deny the prejudices that exist in society. Whether its Australia, India, the Netherlands or Serbia its the same story manifesting in different levels.
In India, the problem is more acute because (I believe) we faced 300 years of the White man making us believe we were born and would die inferior and that is a stigma we have not been able to shake off till today. But do we really want to get to the root of this issue? I think this author here has touched upon the cause and not the effect.
Hmmm no I think you're getting a bit defensive there about the issue of racism in India. In Australia there may be racism but it's out in the open that racism is wrong whereas I'm not sure how much is done to fight the problem of light vs. dark preferences in India.
As for all insults being the same, I think that's also oversimplifying things to prove a point. I think its fairly clear that if I call you a "stupid head" you will probably not be as insulted as if I call you a "motherf***er" or something racist. If we're talking about insults and their equality, to me personally a racist comment is most certainly the worst because you can call anyone a motherf***er but if youre going to single someone out for being a monkey then youre essentially implying that they are particularly inferior. And yes perhaps this is the Australian perspective, perhaps Indians dont see racism this way because they appear to be more used to it. I think the situation in countries like the Netherlands and Australia is very different, in these places the majority of educated people do not make judgments about colour, its merely a small exreme minority. Whereas it sounds like difference in skin-tone being something of an issue is a bit more ingrained in Indian society.
Either way, I don't agree with running to the match referee and I do agree that if you can't take it, you probably shouldn't give it. But with all due respect. Racism is bad. Very bad.
and i didnt realise you were so huffy about off-topic comments but fair enough, your blog, your rules.
Lx: I think a case of one player CLEARLY instigating an opposition player (Symonds: "I had a go at Harbhajan" - this was said on record) and then crying about the manner in which he was insulted back is being blown into a "which country is racist and racist terms are the dregs of insult" issue when in fact, its a micro issue. Screw what form racism takes in India and Australia and NL (and about NL I disagree...I lived there for a year dude) But the point in this whole issue was of a team being snitches and the lesson we've all learnt is it doesn't pay to be a snitch.
I appreciate your interest and comments mate and so keep your comments coming. Apologies for sounding huffy.
so... how about giving us your take on India's performance in the one day series? also, any news on the Indian 20/20 comp? also, what's your email address, mine is john(dot)westgarth(at)gmail(dot)com
Post a Comment
<< Home