There’s something about this month that has some of us almost dancing to the strains of ‘Come September’.   What  a mood lifter it’s turning out to be!

Exactly six months after the Debacle of the Decade at the ODI World Cup…. Team India does a superb turn around and clinches the 20/ 20 World Cup Series at South Africa this week.!      And a Nation, still smarting from THAT shock,  goes deliriously wild and takes to the streets, maidans, malls and airports with unabated joy.

Never mind that our hockey team just won the prestigious Asia Cup, or that football has had startling successes of late…..  It was M S Dhoni and his hungry young pack who gave India the “Chake de “ feeling.  So what if we won by just a whisker?   Beating Pakistan in the finals, AFTER flattening the Aussies,  only sweetened the taste of winning the Cup!   Moreover, all this  w/o our Holy Trinity of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid.  The amount of fire crackers lighting up the sky  on Monday night, made it seem like Diwali already~~!.   

The entire news media…news papers/ radio/ and TV stations have concentrated on little else these last two days.    Business houses and politicians alike are falling over themselves to OUT BID each other in prizes conferred on team members.    Nothing wrong, we may say….  The boys deserve it.    With all sports being equal, market forces decide cricket is a little MORE equal.

Two things bother this Mama though.   Family members who decided who get to Mumbai AFTER the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations ended yesterday, were in for a rude shock this morning.    Team India had landed there, and most of Bombay and half the hinterland arrived to greet them at the airport.   To cheer them on their long way through town to Wankhede Stadium to be felicitated.  It was the MOTHER of all traffic jams!  All day long.

Maybe it is okay to lose a day’s work for such a thrilling moment.   No doubt it’s fine to support one’s Team, and cheer them on.    But does anyone realize they are just happy, but bone tired young men who need to get back to their families  and savour the moment with them.   For in just over two days from now, they will be beginning another grueling tournament against Australia.. . who must be rooting for revenge. 

The same fawning fans will most likely  turn turtle, and rant and rave, if Young Team India does not keep up with the latest hyped up EXPECTATIONS of the masses.  And their   Advertisers.     So in our own interests, People,  just  give the Boys a Break!     They might do us proud again.

Probably totally UNrelated, the Sensex has been going wild too…   In just 5 days after it crossed 16K, it has touched 17K.    Mostly from FIIs,  despite what the Brothers Reliance claim.   Feels good to know,  that our country… long  renowned for its spiritualism, art and culture… is now getting ‘in sync’ with both  sports and economics.. Sorry Uncle Sam, this just isn’t your century!     Now that the Big Picture’s getting better, wish the Powers that Be, would work on the nitty gritty to complement it…. I’m NOT going to spoil the mood with details.    Not today.

Finally, this morning’s quarter drizzle managed to cool things down QUITE a bit.   The partly cloudy day had a distinct Octobery feel to it.    Brought Simon and Garfunkel’s old classic (Cloudy)  to mind.   Less harried faces on the streets and in the parks.   And  a bonus full moon played hide and seek between the clouds this evening.   Did it seem huger and gold tinged, or was that just my imagination?   Hope some of you out there caught it too. 

******************************************