The rising fever

..and while we are at it, the two main events coming up in the days ahead have gripped the nation (they have literally) even if the main reason is that the existence of one is spelling doom for the other (and when the other happens to be the IPL, what really do you expect)!!

Anyhow, with the elections poised for the month of April (Well into May) and the IPL (which now, as is common knowledge, will not be held in India but on the foreign shores of England or South Africa), prepare yourself for an insightful discussion on your next dinner (or drinks) out with friends, unless of course you are fine with being labelled as ignorant!! So, gone is the hype around Obama (and from what I read even the "US Americans" are getting enough of him..they are tired of the continuous lecturing apparently, am I surprised) and even the supposed recession or slow down seems like staple fare now. What is being served hot is the new version of the spicy IPL and the Great Indian tamasha (that is obviously an NDTV pick up) with a perfect garnishing of Indian politics.

Now, while I am not much of a patriot, I am sad that the IPL is not happening in India (not that I understand my silly point from the off drive, but still). I do have a lurking fear that the fizz just seems to have died out of the pot boiler. Let's just accept it, it will never be so much fun again. So no matter how much Mr Lalit Modi tries to fake a smile putting up a picture of all's well, we do know that the public thinks it's not. Well largely atleast. And just like that, we have the other Mr Modi shouting from his rooftop of how this is a national shame. Ahem. Now if my memory serves me right, that is not really an area the latter should pride himself in. After all, Godhra happened right under his nose (and anyone who knows me, knows that this has a fair degree of euphemism).

And what completely breaks my heart is that Mr Khan (who else) will most likely not travel to South Africa or England as much as he would have had to Delhi or Mohali or Chennai to cheer his team. Now, that is something I will dearly miss. Now from all of this, what we can't even pretend to ignore is the 'high possibility' of a political angle to this. Now is there one? I would be very surprised if there wasn't!!

And lastly the elections. The much debated candidate lists are out. I am not too sure who is contesting from my area but whoever it is, it fails to excite me to cast my second vote (the first was during the last Assembly elections). And I really want to ask, what is it that they were thinking while they announced the candidature. Why in God's name can't we be involved in the election process from the stage of selecting the candidates!! It is so frustrating having to choose between one devil and another.

And the politics (what else) of it all is blinding. The allies being broken. New ones being made. And then broken again only to be remade. It's a crazy world out there. And in the midst of it all, I break into a cold sweat thinking that Mayawaiti could be my next Prime Minister. Oh God!!

This is not the world I lived for. Even if this is a dream, this is not what I dreamt of.

(On an aside, read this amazing piece of writing on Faraz' blog today..it's beautiful. And while I don't follow Urdu, it's been a language I have always wanted to learn and while I am nowhere close to it yet, writings like these do serve to strengthen my resolve :))