Football Fever

Bayern Munich playing against Indian 11 in January 2012 in New Delhi, India.

In the thick of all games football always rules and as a ruling sport it has created a sense of trend and fashion among society and the followers.

The "It" factor to chic talks and effects are undeniably seen as form of fashion. Rarely; we see the followers or "fans" of any club, country or any specific player, as that of football. The charisma spread by the football players is beyond described. We must give the credit to the players of this sport for creating world-wide mania for it.

Globally, TV commercials also target the iconic players for their advertisements. David Beckham the hottest footballer makes his fans crazy with his new looks and hairstyles. From tattoos to merchandising to endorsements all have flooded the markets. From Pepsi to Adidas and Reebok commercials featuring top international footballers have been a grand success and always fetch the specified market reach. People/fans go bananas on the football season; from merchandising to team jerseys, caps bags and shoes flood the markets and of course the sports outlets.

The popularity as ratings of their individual aura is not playing wholly in real grounds but in virtual space too. On line gaming companies also get the footballers in animated versions. There are various gaming companies who rely on top 5 as their first faces amongst the popular launch of yearly versions. EA Sports FIFA's genre is the most popular one. They also invade the mobile grounds in the form of mobile phone themes, videos, wall papers etc. Football academies started by ex and top football players also draw a lot of young and vibrant football aspirants. David Beckham's own academy is the true example here.

In the recent past, this game earned fans in Asian countries. Organizers of FIFA 2002 World Cup, Japan and South Korea are the super horses in Asia. At last, the effect is not going to end here, the waves created by this sport is going to bring a ripple effect now. The world is already smitten by the football fever.

Still a Runner-up…?

Let's go on to talk about one of the famous women athletes in every country, Perhaps everybody knows Carolina Kluft very well here with other big names of Sharapova representing Russian Brigade and the list is too long to write here; but did everyone know the name of 4 time winner of a ‘Woman Boxing World Champion’? "Mangte Chungneijang Merykom" aka Mary Kom aka “Magnificent Mary” from Manipur- a state in north -east of India. She is a four-time world champion but many would not know her full name either.

If you would think that any victory at big global stage would tag the champions as bigwig then you're wrong. It's because of the fact that in India the prodigy of Sportswomen is nowhere.

In India, where cricket is the mostly associated sport, Boxing, with all its physical and violent dimensions, is considered a man's sports. Internationally, Laila Ali (daughter of legendary Mohammed Ali) has punched the male dominating sack; the entry of women in amateur boxing, the sport has taken on a whole new meaning in few determined country-side girls to punch against poverty and social taboos. They are cracking the cliché of gender discrimination and minority.

Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal, the two victorious names of international Tennis and Badminton aces composing their triumphs with slight difference in the spellings of their first names earned the credit with struggle; the struggle still to come out of gender isolation. In a patriarchal society as that of India it is quite difficult for sports’ women to outshine. The factors are many starting from prototype conservative attitudes to other socio-economic obstacles.

One can't recognize the champions if they are in crowd and it's a fact that the word "Endorsement" they never heard before, leaving few "golden girls" aside, a win wouldn't earn a credit or provide any edge to much-publicized allure because authority figures do not have faith in their potential.

Parminder Nagra as ‘Jess Bhamra’ (British Indian girl) twists and bends those gender bender norms while playing for community football team restricted by Indo-British strict societal/cultural rules in a movie named "Bend it like Beckham" in 2002.

Characteristically a big appreciation here goes to Bollywood. Oops! Shah rukh khan alone in "Chak De India": the movie, which proves his worth as Exemplary coach, lifting the spirit from determination to glory of Indian Women Hockey team if not in real but at least in reel.

In the middle of drive

From past 20 years, Mr. Sharma, everyday enjoy his 30 kilometers ride on typical bumpy Indian roads and small narrow streets from his remote village in Haryana to New Delhi. He’s a milkman who carries the 2 big drums on the sideways of his motorcycle, which is the second love after his wife. He proudly depicts the picture of any self low profile entrepreneur but he represents the biggest chain of self entrepreneurs in India, who turnovers the economy every day with vastly shared percentile more than any big wealthy Indian tycoon who can take over the world’s biggest businesses. This is the middle-class of India.

It would not become a significant political force as it is still too consumed with itself. But in vast socio-economical scenario they matters a lot. The significance not only lies with their risk taking capabilities but they need a drive, the drive which droves their ideas, plans and deals with such a dare that they don’t rely on any Mercedes and believe me daredevils just rely on their adventurous roots which is only possible on bikes.

With one of the fastest growing economies in the world, clocked at an average growth rate of 8% India is fast on its way to becoming a large and globally important consumer economy. The Indian middle class, estimated to be 300 million people more than the population of US with a mix-ups of spenders and earners.

Nothing captured the complex reality of existence in India better than this hybrid creature called as “Scooter” that offered mobility and convenience though reluctantly.

Besides this the typical Indian road scenario where sometime the owner on 2 wheels has to pay the fine of not driving rashly or over speeding but to make the balance of the weight or the load which is the burden he’s carrying over his shoulders to drag his everyday life in the form of goods or his typical family, which on average comprise of 4 members, squatting on the seat with a belly going to pot, wearing a grey safari suit, undistinguished but resourceful. With a wife perched uncomfortably at the back, with one kid squeezed between & the second standing up front holding the bars of scooter’s handle.

I’m wondering; Like the German Volkswagen Beetle and Italy's postwar classic Vespa, designed to be affordable, accessible, simple-to-maintain means of getting to a job, shop or visit another town, the significance of scooter put a similar tool of middle class aspiration within reach.

It had a stepney, which provided a valuable and ready safety option on independent-minded Indian roads. It had space to squeeze in a full family, a place to carry vegetables, a dickey to store all the grocery s needs of the family- in limits. The other significant phenomenon is its modesty with shyness, as commonly seen factor in Indian middle class; it hid the machine from view. Unlike the bike which revels in displaying its muscular architecture, the scooter covered up the beast within.

Also, like any Bollywood movie, it portrays If John Abraham is the poster boy for bikes, Shah Rukh Khan twisted on his way to the ration shop with his dream girl riding the dream journey in crowded, curvy narrow streets of Indian bazaar as the abiding scooter role model in the movie, “Rab ne bana di Jodi”.

Although, the metamorphosis of scooter changes but still India is balancing well on these two wheels. With the trend of getting more mod, rocking the Indian young minds, the phenomenon of scooters is getting old but it didn’t ends. It represents the post independence struggle that the middle classes waged and won in spite of the governments, controls, corruption & sloth. The scooter celebrates the functionality of motorized mobility, not its recreational energy.

Hooking on cloud number 9

In an era of facebook and twitter numerous Shisha/Hookah cafes propelling, the new movement has blended in an era of social networking. The concept of "socializing" changes with time.

It was just a couple of years back that hookah bars started emerging as a novel and chic way to socialize. The area of conversations and enjoying music over hookah came to an end after the ban on indoor smoking. Many places discontinued serving hookah and the gen-next lost their chilling zone. But the fight never ends like brave Ottomans fought their endless battles. On some fronts they won but some are still struggling with various government policies globally.

Thankfully India is the country which is blessed with some extra-ordinary blessings of numerous gods and goddesses. Indians find a way to celebrate their heritage through Hookah smoking. Commonly known as “Shisha” worldwide. Despite any disagreements they may have with their culture, Hookah/Shisha passes the tests of an acceptable social activity and perhaps most appealing of all, it draws people from other walks of life to join in and celebrate the culture with them. Now the hookah bars are back with a bang, and searching the revival of lost hookah magic in more urban and cosmopolitan lifestyles. As it is said that History repeats itself after every twenty years, and this once upon a time popular activity entered in a new ‘avatar’ is conveying the same truth.

As per traditional & popular customs, tobacco is vastly smoked in the form of mobile and compact "beedis" (a form of non-filtered cigarette vastly consumed in India) and cigarettes but the charm of hookah is beyond compare. Conventionally, in a very typical Indian village scene Hookah is smoked as “most shared commodity” by villagers of all ranks, ages, castes, and faiths sit together and discuss all from serious to non-serious issues, by letting go off weeds in serious matters in the smoke of hookah. It is placed in the centre of a public space owned by the villagers where nobody can claim to have an individual ownership of it.

Historically, during Mughal era it was tremendously popular which travelled the long journey from uncommon lavish royal palaces to the fields of modest "common Indian” As the habit caught on, it occupied central place in rural homes. But history repeats itself with more refined and twisted way and the significance of hookah not only in India but is globally enjoyed in many flavors being offered in lounges and bars with hybrid ambience of multicultural twists.

Whatever's on offer, people feel comfortable enough to linger, gathered round the hookah pipe to share stories, play cards, or chess but to “socialize” broadly speaking!

Chai Time

With all the tradition, ceremonies, rituals, habits and conventions Tea aka Chai is the most significant & vital starter for any vice and virtue in India. It is a land of tea-holics. It has evolved as legacy from the tables of elite to common man’s beverage with twists.

You needn't to spend hefty amount in VATs and Service charges as per conditions but a Great Chai can often be found in moderate Indian streets with typical countryside snacks and the feel is beyond compare to any majestic towers or serene and lavish surroundings.

The Symbol of Hospitality! Tea is undoubtedly the most interesting of all our table drinks. It is more closely associated with social life than any other beverages we use. A cup of tea is not only a symbol of hospitality in India, but is also in British Empire, China, Japan and Russia.

Economically elevated in few years and one of the fastest developing countries in the world map; India has tempted Indians to continue relying on their faithful cup of cheers. It comes in varied tastes and pinches are added for value addition. A special tea or a typical Indian spicy tea is thickly brewed in abundant milk over tea stalls with a dash of special spices like ginger, cardamom, cloves etc. Tea leaves or tea-powder or a mixture of both, form basis of Indian Tea.

India is one of the largest producer and consumers of tea in the world. Road-side eateries and chai stalls are a common sight on busy Indian roads and streets. It is a common man's humble celebration, is a good breakthrough in the middle of the day or after a hard day's work. It's the lifeline of India's progress which not only binds the society but also demolishes the barriers of any caste, creed, rich and poor, literate and illiterate urban and rural segregation.