Cricket Craze

"Cricket is the biggest religion in India" 

-Ipshita Nayyar (my host sister)

     I had planned on focusing on the tour for the next week or so but I feel that cricket deserves attention. I've been told that in India even if you don't watch the game you can tell the next day if India won a cricket match because everyone you meet is in a better mood. Yesterday was the semi-final game between India and Pakistan. It was probably the biggest game of the whole series for Indians even though we're playing in the finals on Thursday. India and Pakistan are not only neighbors but also VERY big rivals. Pakistan was the first team in about 35 games to beat Australia a few weeks ago so when India played Australia we just HAD to beat them to prove that we could do it too. I was in Calcutta for the India-Australia game. The game was on in the hotel room but I wasn't really paying attention since I don't know a thing about cricket. The door to the room I was in was open to the street below and when even though I wasn't been watching I could tell whenever something good happened because people would cheer so loudly I could here them. All the hotel staff were in a room across from ours watching the game too and we could here their reactions as well. When we won the game people started cheering and dancing in the streets. Fireworks and firecrackers were even set off. 

     Yesterday was an even bigger deal. I have to confess though that I didn't even know there was a game until I got the the mall to meet friends and that's all that people were doing. There were signs and decorations all over the mall and a big message board where people used markers and pens to write their thoughts and encouragements. There are also boxes with each team's name on them where people can try to predict the winning team. Sitting on top of the boxes is a stuffed animal octopus that's supposed to represent the octopus that correctly predicted the winners of the FIFA Cup every time. The boxes seem silly because I know that there is no way I would want to be caught betting on any team other than India with all the national supporters around.

     In the cafe: the game was on and the workers and patrons focused all their attention on the TV. When giving orders we had to repeat ourselves because the waiter was distracted by the game. 

     In Big Bazar (sort of like a Wal-Mart type store): the game was on and the workers and shoppers tended to congregate around the display for TVs for sale. 

     In McDonalds: the game was on and people crammed into the tables that could see the TV and stayed long after they had finished their food. 

     In the food court: the game was on and packs of people were watching. Every time something happened you could tell by the loud reactions coming from the open top floor even when we were all the way on the bottom floor. 

     The sports bar: jammed full, of course.

     People were either hurrying to finish shopping so that they could get home to watch the game or lingering in the shops that had access to a television. We were sitting outside when the first half (the most important half for India) finished and everyone started leaving the mall, it was surprising how many people had lingered to watch the game as thoroughly as possible. Almost every school and many colleges had early dismissal because of the game.

     I was home for the end of the game which my family watched. Even before it was over, there was a very very low chance that we would lose so people were setting of fireworks in the streets. 

   People can barely contain their anticipation for Saturday when we'll play Sri Lanka for the cup.