Cricket Fever Here

April 19, 2011

Out in the field nearby the monastic community last evening with Tsondue, who came to me to go for a strolling. We went there taking the narrow winding paths tucked between those buildings. Out there we found novices of Sakya monastery were playing cricket, now after India recently winning World Cup against Sri Lanka after beating Pakistan that witnessed such frenzies all over India that very night, in two unruly groups with rubber balls but without wickets and the other accessories. Tucked their lower monk-garments Shamthab up around their waists showing different types of under-worn synthetic sport-shorts they romped joyfully below the overcast sky with dark rain clouds closing in like a pair of huge dark iron shutters slowly closing the ajar opening of light between them. Later on a tractor followed by another bit later moved past the players along the winding greyish dust coated road through the stretching fields. As they moved there were tails of thrown up dust following them afar. At one far side the green patch of banana trees planted in rows dotted with betel nut trees was refreshing to eyes. And at the further side next by the asphalt road to Mundgod a grove of willows swaying their sparse top grown twigs like still struggling to live through the day’s heat. It’s pleasant to be out here on the sprouting grass and seated on a step demarcating the next field.

Well, as the darkness approached fast and those randomly flying crows cawed like a herald for the upcoming downpour, we stood up and headed homeward. We could feel the tiny intermittent drops. The players were already gone.