02 April, 2011 - A Part of History

02 April, 2011.. India wins the World Cup!! In case, you are living on some other planet, you would have known by now that India has won the Cricket World Cup 2011!! The first host country to win the Cup at its home soil.

Thank you Indian cricket team for what you have given us. Nothing can ever match the sense of jubilation that you have provided us. In a country scarred  by the plethora of scams that keep cropping up every third day, that has led to question the very foundations of our idea of India, you have provided us a new hope.. a new dawn that yes we can..and yes we did! You have instilled in us the feeling once again that there is no substitute for hard work..that dreams come true..The final six you hit, Sir MS Dhoni, the hopes of 1.2 billion Indians rose with that six hoping that all their prayers will be answered..and it did.. God does exist and probably that is why he answered our prayers..Thank you for making us a part of history..Cricket is perhaps the only unifying factor in a country as diverse as India..we all are always looking for heroes so that they can rescue us when we are down..Thank you for being our heroes..Look at fate's supreme irony. The so-called paper tigers who threw out innocent Biharis in the name of pride couldn't have been more shamed..As one message said,  a captain born in Jharkhand lifting the cup in the very city whose thugs threw them out. And the entire team dedicating the cup for a Maharashtrian.. It is a tight slap on those who try to divide us..Thank you for everything..the calendar years of 1983 and 2011 are same.. seems God had already plans for us.. It rained in Delhi last night when you won, an ominous sign that perhaps Gods are crying with us as well..Will love you always! ! खुद ही को कर बुलंद इतना के खुदा बन्दे से खुद पूछे तेरी रजा क्या है ...

I never cry after these matches but yesterday was different. And I guess there was no dry eye yesterday..Especially after Yuvraj, Dhoni, Harbhajan and Sachin crying like anything, the whole country cried with them. I don't know but there is something terribly comforting on seeing grown men cry. Crying is one emotion that humanizes us all and to see such testosterone-loaded men in tears, gives a feeling of catharsis instead of weakness..

And Sachin.. there couldn't have been a perfect swan song than this for him..Virat Kohli excellently summed it up when he said "Sachin has been carrying the country's burden for the last 21 years, the least we could was to carry him on our shoulders". Sachin, an epitome of grace, dignity and human spirit, this world cup is for you.. Thank you for everything..You will always always be there in our hearts as someone who taught us how to live our lives..people say you are the world's greatest batsman but Sachin, in addition to all that, you are the world's best human being..We have learnt human principles from you..from strength, hard work, conduct, craft, ability, sportsmanship to character..you taught us all.. you taught us that dreams do come true.. you are our teacher, our idol, an ideal...Thank you!

And Gary Kirsten..a special thanks to you as well for being the silent understated worker who crafted this for us, continuously working from behind the scenes..

To sum it all, there is a game that says to write the words you love..and yesterday and forever, for all of us it will be INDIA...

P.S. If you find any more crying photos, please send me