ABSOLUT FAD!!!!

Sorry, I am not talking about my fad for Absolut Vodka (of course, I don't drink).

I am talking about the plethora of fads that has gripped our very own nation, India. First, I shall discuss about that particular fad which has the ability to drive an entire nation crazy, motionless and jobless. Yes of course!!, it is none other than Cricket!!!

I am not against this game as you might think. In fact, I have many favourite players in cricket ranging from Sachin, Gibbs, Rhodes to name a few. I also watch matches with high degree of interest and enthusiasm. I also get excited while watching close chases, bowled, dives, sixes and so on. I experience adrenaline rush during these events. Like every other normal Indian citizen, I also watch, talk and get excited about cricket.

But there is one and only one difference. I do and experience the above mentioned activities only once in a while and NOT ALWAYS!!!!. And that is the only difference according to me.

But we can see a lot of people around us who do not miss even a single cricket match and follow the statistics very religiously. In fact, that 'lot of people' mean a lot when we talk about our nation. Every small kid knows what yesterday's target was, statistics of various individuals and team records.

Again, we all are crazy about one thing or the other, ranging from food, clothes, watches, bikes, cars and what not. Craze of one kind or the other is embedded in the innate nature of human beings, only the degree and the subject differs. Let us not exclude other games such as soccer, tennis, F1, basketball etc. etc....

But, whatever it might be, nothing can beat India's craze for this particular game called 'cricket'. I always wonder what's so special about is game. If it just a couple of individuals, a particular state where the game is popular, it is very well understood. But, an entire nation going crazy about a game??? Tough to believe and accept when looked on from a neutral perspective. Cricket may one such thing that surpasses and shatters all boundries of state, north-south-east-west India, caste, religion, sex (boys would be more crazy for that matter), social status, economic status, rich & poor - all the possible divisions and classes that we can think of.

At this point in time, nothing unites India as strong as cricket. Indians can be proud of this fact.

I often think of the psychology behind this mad craze for this game. What I can think of are a few reasons to justify it. Let us start from the very obvious. It might be because of the fact that the game is too interesting. But, then again there are lot of games that are much intersting than cricket. If we look at tennis, there are at least some supermodels to watch out for, who have been the dreamgirls of too many a gentlemen.