Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Bollywood and cricket and Kashmir

Few days back, I went on a bike trip with one of my good friends. We went to Kashmir. It was an awesome experience. Something which cannot be explained properly in words. None of us had seen snow before and now we were on the National Highways which were blocked due to ice slates all over them. We both agreed that it would be very hard to explain in words what we felt on seeing the road melt away into a huge wall of ice-capped mountains on three sides even as we are driving on level roads. Sea green river and a small lake on one side and a mountain village on the other.

But even though the terrain was vastly different. The originality, integrity and ownership of mother country in question; I felt there were two very evident things which held the nation together. No doubt trade brings in money and relations and no bigger proponent of cultural integrity than popular bollywood numbers. I remembered the day when I met a French girl in Agra and she complained about loud music everywhere but in Kashmir, I felt proud. There is something common which Gandhi and Nehru saw during their pan India tour which still binds the nation together. The use of Hindi and Bambaiya words everywhere, even in the inner most parts of rural Kashmir was truly amazing.

Even cricket, there might be little in terms of business and trade but talking about indulgence of cricket and reverence of Indian heroes, there guys are no short of any other region of India. Even at the height of 5000 metres, people made wickets of ice and were playing cricket. There was an avalanche there yesterday. No one cares. Cricket comes first.

Long Live India!! Long Live Cricket!! Long Live Bollywood!!!

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