For most of us,the first thing that comes to the mind when talking about China is crazy kung-fu movies.They have truly made this martial art world famous.It's difficult not be overawed by their prowess.The Shaolin monks are the glamour boys of this martial form.They're the best at it.
Well,here's a piece of history I came across.This 'kung-fu' was brought to the lands of China by a Indian Buddhist monk from Kerala.His name was 'Bodhidharma'.According to legend,this ascetic left China after nine years of meditation.He left behind an iron chest .When the monks opened this chest they found two books: the “Marrow Cleansing Classic,”and the “Muscle Tendon Change Classic”within. The first book was taken by Bodhidharma's disciple Huike, and disappeared; as for the second, the monks selfishly coveted it, practicing the skills . Some believe that this martial art was the ferocious ancient Indian martial arts form -'Shastar Vidya'.Shastar Vidya was banned by the British in Punjab.In it's place a watered down and ceremonial version - Gatka was encouraged.
Awesome !
Monday, June 1, 2009
Football diaries...
I love football.It's one of those rare things that I'm good at.Football is special for me.I remember those days when the park would swell up with kids playing cricket and I'd be running alone with my ball.You wouldn't believe the times at which I've played - 1:30,2 am.Nowadays,I usually play one on one with my kid brother.So yesterday,after having spent the day idling away,I recalled my days of glory.
My earliest football memory in school was playing with my seniors, running from the halfway line - dodging and dribbling,kicking the ball onto the post and then into the goal.The second memory is getting savagely tackled by a pissed defender and limping throughout the rest of the day.Those were the days,I was a maverick,a swash buckling striker - the hot shot !
Another memory is being the top scorer in our inter house tournament.It is a big deal because my school didn't have a team and it was the only time that we actually had a tournament in school.
I think my style of football reflected the way my life turned out.By Class 9,I was asked to concentrate on studies.The striker turned into the playmaker.By Class 10,the playmaker was the central midfielder.After that,it was a lull for two years on the footballing front.I played rarely in college.Whenever,I did I found myself in a peculiar role - striker,attacker,defender or whatever was necessary to win. I think it is part responsibility and part leadership.
But,I realised that I need to reclaim the old me,the me that got lost somewhere.The me that jumped neighbours'walls,the me that took on everything and everyone,the maverick me,the devil me !
My earliest football memory in school was playing with my seniors, running from the halfway line - dodging and dribbling,kicking the ball onto the post and then into the goal.The second memory is getting savagely tackled by a pissed defender and limping throughout the rest of the day.Those were the days,I was a maverick,a swash buckling striker - the hot shot !
Another memory is being the top scorer in our inter house tournament.It is a big deal because my school didn't have a team and it was the only time that we actually had a tournament in school.
I think my style of football reflected the way my life turned out.By Class 9,I was asked to concentrate on studies.The striker turned into the playmaker.By Class 10,the playmaker was the central midfielder.After that,it was a lull for two years on the footballing front.I played rarely in college.Whenever,I did I found myself in a peculiar role - striker,attacker,defender or whatever was necessary to win. I think it is part responsibility and part leadership.
But,I realised that I need to reclaim the old me,the me that got lost somewhere.The me that jumped neighbours'walls,the me that took on everything and everyone,the maverick me,the devil me !
Watch it !
These racist attacks on Indians in Australia have been going on for a while now.A lot of noise is being created here.Rightly so.Racism is probably the worst kind of hatred for the least valid reasons.Australia hs a chequered history on issues of race,more so than US or UK. Suddenly,racism has become a fashionable word in India.
What about domestic racism ? Like it or not ,but Indians are probably one of the most racist.We treat caucasians as demigods and scorn the Africans.This manifests itself in the preference of fair skin and the stigma that gets attached to dark skin.Even in sports,it's supposedly okay if we lose to whites.People find it impossible to believe that an Indian soldier might be as good as any American or British troop.Many a proud Indian would browbeat their superiority over other Indians but simply give in without a fight against Whites.Other than colour,we've stereotypes - Punjabis are duffers,South Indians are Madrasis,North-Easterners are 'Chinkas' and there are the Bhaiyas and so on.May be we're just still stuck up on the inferiority complex from the colonial days.
The funny thing is the whites suffer from Superiority Complex,the browns suffer from Inferiority Complex. We fit just like a hand in glove !
What about domestic racism ? Like it or not ,but Indians are probably one of the most racist.We treat caucasians as demigods and scorn the Africans.This manifests itself in the preference of fair skin and the stigma that gets attached to dark skin.Even in sports,it's supposedly okay if we lose to whites.People find it impossible to believe that an Indian soldier might be as good as any American or British troop.Many a proud Indian would browbeat their superiority over other Indians but simply give in without a fight against Whites.Other than colour,we've stereotypes - Punjabis are duffers,South Indians are Madrasis,North-Easterners are 'Chinkas' and there are the Bhaiyas and so on.May be we're just still stuck up on the inferiority complex from the colonial days.
The funny thing is the whites suffer from Superiority Complex,the browns suffer from Inferiority Complex. We fit just like a hand in glove !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
