A Writer's Block...

The good old cursor

I sit in my room staring at the blank white space of MSWord and the blinking cursor waiting for me to start typing so that it can race all across the screen. Its only purpose in life it seems is to race from one end of the page to the other leaving behind a slew of letters and words. A noble profession I might add considering how the lives and careers of writers and journalists around the world depend upon this blinking black line.

You might be wondering at this point, where exactly I am going here. Well the simple answer to that is nowhere. I have been struck by the one disease writers fear the most; Writer’s Block. It is a condition, in which a writer loses the ability to produce new work.

This is how my mind must look like now.

Ever since the World Cup concluded I have been thinking of something good to write about but have yet to find anything. I have tried my usual methods of thinking, i.e., staring outside the window, looking at the clouds and the sky, drinking coffee, listening to classical music, taking long showers and day dreaming, but to no avail. My mind it seems has just gone blank.

I've not gone mad, far from it. When it comes to talking or chatting with friends, I come up with hundreds of things to talk and discuss about. But the moment I sit down to write, my mind goes blank. It is as if there is a wall isolating the part of my mind that is necessary for writing from the rest. Try as I might I cannot break or scale this wall, it’s just too high and impenetrable.

In a funny way this wall reminds me of the advertisement for Ambhuja Cement. It is the one where two families try to break the wall separating them using all the means in hand including a stick of dynamite. When nothing works a voice in the background says, “Tutega kaise, Ambhuja Cementse jo bana hai”. It is the same voice I hear every time I try breaking the wall in my mind. This block is making me crazy!

On a serious note though, as I write this piece, I cannot help but wonder, ‘What if this thing happens to me when I’m in a job?’ The answer though quite simple is very scary. I better get myself out of this misery soon!  

India the World Champions...

the moment...

As the ball left Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s bat and sailed high over the boundary rope, there was a collective roar by 2 billion people. A roar which reverberated across the globe reaching every corner of the world announcing the arrival of India, the world champions in cricket. Yes, after a long wait of 28 years India has again captured the Holy Grail of cricket; the Cricket World Cup.

The great Muhammad Ali once said that, ‘Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision’. The Indian cricket team proved this today. After the catastrophe that was the 2007 World Cup, it didn’t look like Indian cricket would reach the top of the rankings much less win another World Cup. There was a need for massive rebuilding and restructuring. It was a time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.

It all began with the new captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s desire to be the absolute best. He is a born leader and it immediately showed when he brought in young players to form a great mix of young and old in the team. His desire and positivity rubbed onto his team mates as the team steadily climbed to the top of the rankings in both the ODIs and Tests. The team also won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Things became better and better as the team’s performances hit a consistent high and it also showed in the results.

They even dared to dream of winning a World Cup again and it was no surprise then that India entered into this World Cup as favourites to win. Things began well but hit a low as they tied a match against England and lost to the South Africans. But instead of being bogged down, the team rose to the occasion with every player playing his role. The stellar performances against Australia and Pakistan showed the character of the team and the players. Today against the Sri Lankans this was even more evident when having lost two early wickets they held their nerves to come up top in one of the most exciting World Cup finals.

Players like Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh lead by an example and inspired the others to perform. Players started peaking at the right moment. Suresh Raina came from the bench to finish off a very crucial game against the Australians. Nehra after having a horrid match against the South Africans came back with a strong performance against Pakistan in the semi-finals. Dhoni though leading the team from the front, saved his best for the last as he played one of his best innings when it mattered the most, in the finals.

A vision that was created in 1983 as a relatively unheard team felled the giants of cricket to lift the World Cup has been achieved again. It has taken 28 years of hard work and passion to achieve it but the wait has been worth every moment. A country which has been many a time blamed to be underachievers has answered her critics. Today as the Indian cricket team lifted the World Cup, I was ecstatic and I had tears in my eyes. But like Sachin I couldn't stop them or cared as they were the tears of happiness and pride. 

The World Champions of 2011...

India vs. Pakistan: More than just cricket match…

When you read words like ‘Bring It On…’, ‘Frenzy peaks’ and  ‘More than a game..’,  in bold headlines, you can be sure it is the run-in towards one of sport’s greatest and most intense rivalries. A rivalry so huge, that other famous sport rivalries like those between Manchester United and Manchester City or Barcelona and Real Madrid feel like mere playground squabbles. A cricket match between India and Pakistan.

the greatest sporting rivalry...

Unlike other matches where the players have to deal with the people’s passion for cricket, in these matches they have to deal with the passion, the pride of their nation and an almost unbearable burden of the people’s expectations. Such is the pressure under which the players have to play a cricket match and every one of the 180 matches played between these countries which include Tests, ODIs and T20s has managed to maintain the same amount of intensity.

In the run up to the game there is an almost visible shift in the wind and the effect is felt in so many spheres of life. The tension in the air is palpable, people wait impatiently for the match day to come, and the streets are filled with people showing their support for their teams. Temples and other places of worship see a sudden increase in attendance. TV broadcast channels run continuous analysis, expert’s views and endless reruns of their team’s past victories while newspapers and magazines extend their sports sections to accommodate the various articles. The political system too is not spared as all the unresolved agendas between the two countries are suddenly put into spotlight and the politicians run for cover to avoid talking about ‘Peace Talks’ between the two countries. It has also been observed that both countries suffer a considerable drop in production on the day. But my favourite would have to be how people get busy thinking about unique excuses to skip office or college on the day. I can sympathise with them, as I too have been thinking for a good excuse since last week!

Since India and Pakistan won their respective quarterfinal matches last week, the subcontinent is buzzing with nationalistic sentiments. I might even be bold enough to say that people in both the countries seem to be making preparations for a war rather than a cricket match, such is the intensity. The world seems to have totally forgotten about the other semi-final match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

The captains leading by an example

In terms of statistics when both the countries are compared, Pakistan is ahead of India in the number of wins in Tests and ODIs. But when it comes to the day of the match, predicting a winner is near to impossible as both the teams are quite similar and the pressure and intensity bring the best out of both sets of players. When it comes to World Cups though, India holds a clean record against Pakistan; 4-0.

But when the players take field tomorrow, all statistics, expert views and analysis and history between the two will be forgotten. All that will matter is how well the teams perform and who wins. For a moment the World Cup itself will be forgotten and only this match will matter. Whatever happens, it is surely going to be a cracker of a semi-final at Mohali tomorrow.

A Tale of Two Cities - Mumbai & London…

Mumbai at its full glory

Having lived in Mumbai all my life, it is quite natural that I feel attached to the city. But in my case there has always been more to this attachment. I have been in love with Mumbai since the day I lay my eyes on her. My love reached another level when I was allowed to go out on my own. Since that day I have been exploring and in the process discovering something new about Mumbai every time I go out.

I have loved everything about Mumbai, her glorious past, her architecture, the people, the glamour and most importantly the feeling of being at home. Like most Mumbaikars I complain about the state of roads, the pollution, the noise, the traffic, etc. But if you were to ask me to name a place that is as close to being a paradise as can be, I would immediately say Mumbai. I will even go on record to say that if ever there is a city where I would wish to settle down and eventually die, it is Mumbai.

When I left home last year, apart from feeling sad about leaving my family and friends, I was sad because I was also leaving Mumbai. Unlike those times when it used to be for short vacations, this time I knew I would be leaving her for good. All the memories came flooding back to me in the short time between the plane taxing to the runway and the take-off. The times on local-trains and the black and yellow taxis, eating at road-side stalls, sitting and staring out at the sea on Marine Drive, wading through knee-deep water during one particular monsoon and so much more. The montage of pictures, videos and sounds was simply mind-numbing.

Life at Sheffield has been good and slowly but steadily I have settled in quite well. I like Sheffield for its beauty, peace and I like how life moves about at its own pace here. But this is not a place which I would call home. I always get a feeling that I am living at a holiday resort. There has always been something amiss which I couldn’t put a finger on until 4 days ago.

A class trip presented me with the opportunity to finally visit London. From everything that I had heard, seen and read about London, I had always thought of it to be the Mumbai of UK. What I had not realised was just how right I was in my imagination. As I stepped onto the streets of London, I immediately felt as if I was home. Somehow having left Sheffield that morning I had landed in Mumbai. I was back among the crowds, the hustle-bustle of the city and I loved every tiny bit of it.

The city was buzzing with life. The traffic was endless. There was a purpose in the steps of each person either going to work or going back home after a hard day’s work at office. The buildings were a beautiful blend of ancient gothic and modern architecture. There was a sense of power in the air and authority to the place as if the entire country depended upon this place and it does. The rides on the Underground tube were reminiscent to the countless hours I had spent on the Mumbai local trains. I felt so much at home that for the first hour or so I was busy soaking it all in. Every step that I took reminded me of Mumbai.

The three days that I spent in London flew by at lightning speed. But it has left a lasting impression on me. I have finally found a home away from home. I do not know what the future holds for me and I cannot predict if I will get to live and work at London. All I know is until the day I return to Mumbai, if there is a place where I would love to live and call it my home, it is London.