Sunday, April 27, 2008

IPL:Handshakes and Hipshakes

'In the Eastern society, a woman is revered because she is the light of the home and mother of the children, in the western society she is looked up to because she sets fire to men's hearts' wrote Tagore in his novel "Gora". (the wordings may not be verbatim, pardon me.)
I think it holds true even now, when we juxtapose mores and customs at home and abroad. While gunghats and pallus hide the modesty of the Indian woman, with a bindi/sindoor telegraphing marital status, in the West, she is hardly clothed in social settings!! Plunging necklines and backless gowns with splits going right upto the hips seem to be the norm, irrespective of the season or the vintage! Men incidentally are clothed to the teeth!!! Tuxedos and what not with just the face and a bit of the neck showing!!

The emphasis on good looks is all prevailing where the sun sets. To select the best among the female gender, there is a 'bikini' round and pulchritude is the measurement variable! (There is a question round, but then more often than not it is a farce! We therefore have winners who think Mother Teresa is the greatest living woman, even in 2000!!) Consequently,women spend a fortune on plastic surgery and it ranges from tucks to botox to implants and whatever else. Cheerleaders are an extension of this thought. You need good looking women with provocative clothing to "spice" up something which is essentially a test of skill and nerves played among men. I personally think it is misplaced. There is a time and place for everything and the cricket ground is not the place for scantily clad dancers especially when it is telecast nationally and watched by school children.

In fact a Lebanese restaurant is definitely the place for a belly dancer.The whole concept of fine dining with wine, a multi course Lebanese cuisine and the music and dance is harmonious. I also accept the need for people to unwind , to let their hair down and there is certainly a place for erotic dancing in pubs , discotheques and nightclubs, but the sports ground is not the place for it.

Continuing in the same vein, Sreesanth needed a tight one across his face, but it was the wrong time and place. I fail to understand why it is essential to abuse your enemy and use his inability to give it back to you for competitive advantage. Sreesanth was therefore in my opinion,going around begging to be hit. Whether it is football or cricket I think the person who provokes and the one who picks the bait are both at fault. As also people who manage the game.

Sports is meant to be played for relaxation and fun. It should be so for those who play it and for those who watch it. Even if it is played on a professional basis, it need not result in abuse and juvenile behaviour.

I am quoting the 'Ganeshotsav Sandesham' which I found in a complimentary diary given to me by the M.S. Bhuvanachandran the Pramukh of the ShivSena in Kerala.

Vaakil ninnu Shani (From the "word" emerged Shani*)
* shani is the son of Saturn and associated with negative results.
Shani vina aayi (Shani became Trouble)
Vina vidhweshamayi (Trouble led to Dislike)
Vidwesham vairagyam aayi (Dislike led to Malice)
Vairagyam Vaashi aayi (Malice led to Hatred)
Vaashi Naashamayi thirunnu (Hatred ends in Destruction )

Or it could lead to a positive chain of events as:

Vaakil ninnu Vashyam (From the "word" emerged Influence)
Vashyathil ninnu vishwasham (Influence led toTrust)
Vishwashathil ninnu Vinayam (From Trust came Humility)
Vinayathil ninnu Vivekam (Humility led to Maturity)
Vivekathil ninnu Vigyanam (Maturity led to Knowledge)
Vigyanathil ninnu Varumanam (From Knowledge came Wealth)
Varumanathil ninnu Varuthi (Wealth led to Acceptance)
Vaakil srishtiyudeyum samharathinteyum shakti yundu, vaaku noki prayogikuka

Word can make or break, use it carefully.

Words that our friend Sreesanth and youngsters could keep in mind.

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