By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: Excited, thrilled and energized and every adjective in its extreme forms would not suffice the feelings that forced me to get out of my home and take on to the streets when our cricket team won the world cup after 28years. I just wanted to celebrate and share the joy and happiness in my heart.
Just after the World Champions lifted the cup and I saw the fireworks out of Wankhede stadium from my window, I took out my bike and family to reach Wankhede.
I was not alone on the road. Lakhs of Mumbaikers poured out from the streets and the narrow lane to join procession of victory of togetherness and wanted to reach Wankhede stadium which was otherwise turned into fortress for security reasons and the adjoining roads were deserted for more than 10 hours.
Drums were beaten mercilessly; tricolor flags were flying high in the hands of the people, most of them dressed in the Indian Cricket team jersey chanting “Indiyaaaaa, Indiyaaaa,” “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, “Sachin- Sachin” and “Vande Matram.”
On the deck of the cars, on the bikes, cycles and even some people was so happy that they join the victory march on foot.
Kids, youth, men and women, boys and Girls, and not to forget the old couples, people from all age groups and all strata of life were partying on the roads from the famous Elphinstone College to Nariman Point shouting, “we are the world champions.”
I was driving the bikes and delegated the duty to capture the mood on my digital camera to my burqa- clad wife sitting behind me.
Imagine a woman in burqa, on the bike, at around 1.30 am in the night taking the pictures and everyone was happily ready to pose for the camera shunning all misunderstandings, confusions created among us Indians.
My kids were flying the tricolor with the thousands of other kids on the streets. It was just unforgettable.
This once in a lifetime experience is just extraordinary. I and my family just can’t forget this happiness of acceptance of togetherness by our fellow Indians.
Truly it’s the cricket that brings us Indian together and what else would be more satisfactory for our cricketers than to bring smile and happiness in the life of more than a billion people.
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