Sunday afternoon started as cloudy day. Unusually cool and breezy day in Singapore started with a pale colored sky. Beer always help to think clearly or may be it helps to hear clearly. I and Kishaloya were in a food court. Kishaloya with his usual zeal was trying to convince me to remain productive.
Beer probably creates electric pulses. A chain of thoughts were passing through my mind. None of this is thought, in the proper sense of the word. Word "football" always creates an obsessive thought in my mind. I was never (and surely there is no more time left) a competent football player. Can not remember a single applause I ever received in football ground as a player. Watching someone to play always create an obsessive spirit - in that sense I am an eternal observer of the dame.
Back in Bengal, where I was born and grown up (in a sense, possibly never truly grew up) there were no fence, no stadium... we had green grass fields, and make-shift goal posts often with bamboo posts, sometimes with brick marker to indicate the dreaded line.
In a sense, watching these games on the touch lines gives a sense of watching boxing match. You are not just watching a game, you need to be alert - often a thunderous shot can break your nose, a
misjudged slide tackle may land on to your body. I possibly was more injured watching the game rather than playing the game.
There were periods of detachment, sorrow, anger all passed over last thirty plus years. I really do not know why my affinity to football managed to survive my periodic feelings of indifference, sorrow and very real hatred.
Kishaloya, knows few things about organization and possibly knows few things about motivation too. With ease he explained to me his vision of writing 'something' about the game. While watching a game is more like reading something about football, I admit I enjoy that too. Writing something about football is possibly even more difficult that playing it. Where is the fun?
Do we really care whether football has sociological impact on East and West Bengal or Bengal partition or Serbia war or football impact on Alzheimer ?
So I take this as exploration of some of the meanings that football seems to contain for many of us or few of us. I am trying to get mentally prepared for this exercise to be considered as pretentious, self-serving nonsense, the kind of desperate justification one might expect from a man who has spent a huge chunk of his leisure time in going through bunch of lot non-sense documents.
1000 A.D
Somewhere in South of Japan, Empire's army is returning from another war victory. There is a visibly relax mood. A small crowd gathers around a seven meter square field. It isn't the size of the crowd that is impressive, however, there is unmistakable tension in the air. As if nobody seems to enjoy the game being played. Tension is just too much for enjoyment. If you do not yet get the game, it is "Kemari", literally means 'standing among trees'. There are four cherry trees at four corners of the field. Two players are partnering and standing each side of the trees. A hallow round object made with deerskin is being prime object of attention. Each team is trying to kick the round object to ensure it does not touch the ground below. Frustrations were building when "red team" were kicking the ball. Apparently most of the spectators are supporters of Red team. But red team just scored 8, means 8 kicks on the ball before ball had touched the ground. 8 is rather a low score. Opponent team, Yellow team looks more skilled. They are nicely using the trees to keep the ball in the air. A high kick, has touched upper part of the cherry tree and returned back to the ground. Yellow team captain nicely lobbed the ball back in the air before it touches the ground. It is already 22 on the board. While spectators look tensed, the game lacks intensity. There is no physical contest, every one is trying to pass the ball. Players with kimono make the scene little more surreal.
Kemari may look like a distant ancestor of modern football. However, just like many other things possibly Chinese discovered this beautiful games in its earliest format. "Cuju" was popular games even in earlier days after Christ's birth. Around 100 A.D. Cuju was still popular games in Han Dynasty. Cuju is more physical. If you can play Rugby, you possibly can play Cuju. Kicking, handling are allowed. Even very rough rugby like tackling is allowed.
Beer probably creates electric pulses. A chain of thoughts were passing through my mind. None of this is thought, in the proper sense of the word. Word "football" always creates an obsessive thought in my mind. I was never (and surely there is no more time left) a competent football player. Can not remember a single applause I ever received in football ground as a player. Watching someone to play always create an obsessive spirit - in that sense I am an eternal observer of the dame.
Back in Bengal, where I was born and grown up (in a sense, possibly never truly grew up) there were no fence, no stadium... we had green grass fields, and make-shift goal posts often with bamboo posts, sometimes with brick marker to indicate the dreaded line.
In a sense, watching these games on the touch lines gives a sense of watching boxing match. You are not just watching a game, you need to be alert - often a thunderous shot can break your nose, a
misjudged slide tackle may land on to your body. I possibly was more injured watching the game rather than playing the game.
There were periods of detachment, sorrow, anger all passed over last thirty plus years. I really do not know why my affinity to football managed to survive my periodic feelings of indifference, sorrow and very real hatred.
Kishaloya, knows few things about organization and possibly knows few things about motivation too. With ease he explained to me his vision of writing 'something' about the game. While watching a game is more like reading something about football, I admit I enjoy that too. Writing something about football is possibly even more difficult that playing it. Where is the fun?
Do we really care whether football has sociological impact on East and West Bengal or Bengal partition or Serbia war or football impact on Alzheimer ?
So I take this as exploration of some of the meanings that football seems to contain for many of us or few of us. I am trying to get mentally prepared for this exercise to be considered as pretentious, self-serving nonsense, the kind of desperate justification one might expect from a man who has spent a huge chunk of his leisure time in going through bunch of lot non-sense documents.
1000 A.D
Somewhere in South of Japan, Empire's army is returning from another war victory. There is a visibly relax mood. A small crowd gathers around a seven meter square field. It isn't the size of the crowd that is impressive, however, there is unmistakable tension in the air. As if nobody seems to enjoy the game being played. Tension is just too much for enjoyment. If you do not yet get the game, it is "Kemari", literally means 'standing among trees'. There are four cherry trees at four corners of the field. Two players are partnering and standing each side of the trees. A hallow round object made with deerskin is being prime object of attention. Each team is trying to kick the round object to ensure it does not touch the ground below. Frustrations were building when "red team" were kicking the ball. Apparently most of the spectators are supporters of Red team. But red team just scored 8, means 8 kicks on the ball before ball had touched the ground. 8 is rather a low score. Opponent team, Yellow team looks more skilled. They are nicely using the trees to keep the ball in the air. A high kick, has touched upper part of the cherry tree and returned back to the ground. Yellow team captain nicely lobbed the ball back in the air before it touches the ground. It is already 22 on the board. While spectators look tensed, the game lacks intensity. There is no physical contest, every one is trying to pass the ball. Players with kimono make the scene little more surreal.
Kemari may look like a distant ancestor of modern football. However, just like many other things possibly Chinese discovered this beautiful games in its earliest format. "Cuju" was popular games even in earlier days after Christ's birth. Around 100 A.D. Cuju was still popular games in Han Dynasty. Cuju is more physical. If you can play Rugby, you possibly can play Cuju. Kicking, handling are allowed. Even very rough rugby like tackling is allowed.
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