

A thought Magh Krushna Trutiya, Kaliyug Varsha 5112

This sport, originated in 16th century in England, was spread in the colonies set up by the British, due to their colonialism, all over the world including the Indian Continent. This is a gift given to the Indians by the British who treated Indians like their bonded labourers for a hundred and fifty years. Today, Indians talk in English which is a kind of mental bondage from the viewpoint of our national identity; similarly, playing cricket is also a sign of another type of mental bondage. This sport is, nowadays, getting ‘self-destructive’ popularity in India. The word ‘self-destructive’ is used for the popularity of this game for the reason that it is causing harm to Indians at personal, family, moral, cultural, social, financial and national levels. The article also throw light on the perversity, gambling, ‘match-fixing’ and corruption developed in the society due to cricket. These articles to bring forth good and bad behavior of cricketers towards society, nation, history and Dharma. There are instances of improper stance of the politicians, mass media and the citizens about cricket cited in these articles. Various facets of Indian mentality towards matches held between India and Pakistan are examined here; besides, the ‘20-20’ cricket matches, which have recently become so popular, are also glanced through. The viewpoint of International superpowers like USA and China about cricket, where this game is not played, will also make Indians undertake some introspection. In these articles, knowledge received through divine sources about the illusory nature of the game has been incorporated. The game has been in a way, spiritually examined through the divine knowledge.

1. Various types of harm caused by cricket !



The philosopher Lord Bernard Shaw has said, “Cricket is a game played by two persons; in which 11 persons just run around and millions of fools watch !’ What is exactly achieved by paying the players in millions as remuneration and the TV channels that telecast the matches, getting billions of rupees through advertisements. 1A. Social harm caused due to cricket ! 1A 1. Cricket is an anti-social ‘burning coal’ given by the British to Indians ! : ‘Bat’ and ‘Ball’ – is anti-social ‘burning coal’ given by the British to Indians while leaving India. (Mr. Narayan Prahlad Awati, Pune, ‘Dainik Maharashtra Times’ dated 5.11.1999) 1A 2 . Overall harm caused to individuals due to cricket ! : When an announcement is made about cricket matches, everyone, right from old people to small children, become very enthusiastic; but who are the real beneficiaries of such matches? Gamblers who put their stake on different teams, the players who are paid Rs. 30,000/- per a day, Wills , filthy rich foreign companies manufacturing cold drinks like Pepsi, Coca cola etc. advertising their products or the organization sponsoring the match ! And what the others get is – a day’s ‘late mark’, expenses on tickets, to sit in front of TV whole day, the mental stress caused during the match, irregular palpitation, getting influenced by new fashions on watching the advertisements, desire to follow westerners, purchase of some unwanted thing as a result of falling prey to the advertisements and empty pockets. (Sanskruti Darshan : Vaidya Suvinay Damle, Atharva Plaza, Kudal, Dist. Sindhudurga) 1A 3. Wrong effects on mind of the people due to cricket ! : How much the people should worship anyone? Indian cricketers are worshipped by young and old, by everyone. The college girls go mad when they see some player in an advertisement. If they meet him in person, there is no limit to their madness. They will do anything to acquire his autograph. They will go anywhere let it be very hot weather or raining, they do not get affected; but when they are asked to do some work by the parents, they have no time for it. (Sanskruti Darshan : Vaidya Suvinay Damle, Atharva Plaza, Kudal, Dist. Sindhudurga) 1A 4. Unaprdonable social harm caused due to cricket ! : The young generation has been destroyed by Cricket and has become inactive. Our life, life of society, all dealings and the economy of this country come to a standstill during cricket season. We have lost our young generation at cultural, social and religious level, to TV, Cable channels and cricket. When the parents go to office, small children imbibe culture watching English channels. When they go out to play, they know only one game that is cricket. It includes shouting loudly, banging of bats, stumps, balls to express anger, becoming violent and fight, breaking glasses of windows and vehicles, they are not bothered whether the ball would hit somebody. In the evening, they gather in corners, tease girls, talk indecently, blow whistles etc. The parents are not even aware of it for a long time that their children are in wrong company and when they come to know, it is too late. This leads to causing tension among husband –wife, passing the buck of responsibility to each other. It can also lead to incidents of theft at home affecting the atmosphere badly. – Vasant Nanvatkar, Santacruz, Mumbai (Dainik Maharashtra Times, 30.11.1998) 1A 5. Bullying mentality developed among youth due to cricket : We find young boys who play cricket at public places/ roads causing distress to the residents in that area and pedestrians. On Sundays and holidays, these young boys behave as if they rule the roads. They are not bothered about residents passing by or senior or sick citizens, pregnant women etc. The noise created by them while playing, has to be tolerated by the residents from that area. 1A 5A. Young men attack those who oppose them to play on the roads ! : In a ‘Dharmashala (a charitable rest house for travelers) in Satowali Village in Jalandhar District, its Chairman Kuldeepkumar requested the boys for not playing cricket in the premises of ‘Dharmashala’; but the young boys did not like it. In the night, when Kuldeepkumar was returning along with his brother Parasram from farm, Omprakash Singh and Ranajit Singh attacked Kuldeepkumar with swords and injured him. Later, he died in the hospital on admission. (Dainik Pudhari, 17.6.1999) 1A 5B. Young men playing cricket bash up Dy. Secreatry of SNDT College for admonishing them when they went to the College complex to fetch ball : A group of boys entered the complex of SNDT women’s College in Santacruz (West) on the pretext of collecting ball on 31st December 1998 at 11.00 a.m. They were admonished by Dy. Secretary Vinod Dahate. In the afternoon, Mr. Dahate was going to doctor on his two-wheeler from the complex when the gang threw bat, stumps and other material at him. Groaning Dahate was hospitalized by a woman from the complex. (Dainik Loksatta, 3.1.1999) 1A 5C. Players beat up the Principal when he reprimanded boys playing cricket for breaking window panes : Professor Dr. Anandrao Shamkule reprimanded young men playing cricket in Wadala area for breaking window panes of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar College and Siddhartha Vihar. Later, a group of 15 men beat up the professor with sharp weapons, bats and stumps. (Dainik Loksatta, 19.11.1999) 1A 6. Cricket can be a dangerous game as it gives demonic pleasure 1A 6A. Youth destroy their life due to their love for cricket : In the year 1999, Indian team was defeated by Australia in ‘Supersix’ tournament. An 18 years old young man named Jaypal from Hissar in Karnataka committed suicide by consuming poison after the defeat. (Dainik Tarun Bharat, 7th June 1999) 1A 6B. Child dies in the jubilation of India winning the tournament !: In the World Cup tournament played in the year 1999, Debashish Mohanty, an Indian bowler clean bowled English player Graham Hick. Few young men from Malkajgiri, Dist. Ranga Reddy in Andhra Pradesh burst crackers in their over enthusiasm. One cracker flew in the air and hit the throat of a six year old boy injuring him who later succumbed to the injury. (Dainik Pudhari, 1.6.1999) 1B. Loss to the Nation caused due to cricket 1B 1. Loss of Rs. 250 crores per day! : Owing to ‘One-day’ international cricket matches, the nation incurs loss of Rs. 250 crores. . (Sanskruti Darshan : Vaidya Suvinay Damle, Atharva Plaza, Kudal, Dist. Sindhudurga) (In the World Cup Tournament, 44 matches are going to be played in India; which means India is going to lose Rs. 11,000 crores due to this tournament ! – Editor SP) 1B 2. Loss of thousands of working hours !: For watching cricket matches, students miss their classes or neglect their study which causes a loss only to us. Working people and businessmen take leave to watch matches leading to loss of thousands of working hours. If this time is used for doing something constructive for the Nation, it will achieve progress and if used for undertaking spiritual practice, it will serve the purpose of getting human birth. 1C . Ban needs to be imposed on harmful cricket ! Demand is made to ban playing matches with Paksitani team; but I want to request to put a ban on cricket game itself. Other than few players, national and multinational companies and TV channels, this game has not benefited any one; moreover, the game causes loss to a a person, his family, society, culture, moral values and finance; therefore, all English medium schools should be banned which are the root cause of all problems, TV channels should be closed down and cricket should be totally banned. – Vasant Nanvatkar, Santacruz, Mumbai (Dainik Maharashtra Times, 30.11.1998) 1D. To give so much of importance to cricket when the condition of the Nation is so bad, is like Nero playing fiddle when Rome was burning. Do you want to become Nero?

2. Cricket : Inetrnational Review



‘Cricket is an anti-national game involving loss of working hours and this has been realized by developed countries; therefore, they keep away from cricket. If the time that Indians waste in watching cricket, is used for work, they can create national wealth of billions of rupees.’ – Prof. M. M. Deshmukh, Nagpur (Maharashtra Times, 22.11.2011) 2A. China’s view of not wasting thousands of hours in cricket !: It has been said by China that ‘wasting thousands of hours in cricket is not affordable to us.’ 2B. Patriotic USA does not play colonialist England’s game : I have not seen so much of cricket craze while traveling in Europe and USA. One does not come across people playing cricket in the lanes of London city which is known as the home of cricket. People started playing cricket in 16th century. Wherever there were British colonies, there, the British soldiers and officers started playing cricket. In the beginning of 18th century, cricket was brought to India along with the British. USA is the first country which defied the British rule. There is no cricket in USA although majority of the population is of the British origin; even then there is no cricket in USA. 2C. Out of 223 countries, cricket is not played in 210 countries ! : Out of the population of 170 crores 31 lakhs in 10 countries where cricket is played, the population of other countries except India is 51 crores 83 lakhs (which is less than half the population of India). In these countries also, if population of Pakistan, Bangla Desh and Srilanka is taken out (which were earlier a part of India) which is 35 crores 50 lakhs, what remains is only population of 16 crores 33 lakhs (that is about 1and ½ times population of Maharashtra) The population of New Zealand is less than the population of Mumbai. Out of the 223 countries in the world, 210 countries do not play cricket. 2D. Even in India, 70% people do not know the game of cricket !: In India 70% of the population do not follow or even watch the game of cricket. How can then one call it as a World record or world victory when it is won in a small part of the world. Is it not exhibition of ignorance? 2E. If other countries start playing cricket, condition of India will be like that of Olympic games: In Olympic or Commonwealth, hockey is played. Earlier India used to win one and only gold medal in hockey. If not India, Pakistan used to win it; but when other countries started playing hockey, it became very difficult for India or Pakistan to reach even qualifying rounds. If other countries start playing cricket, same will be the position with cricket also. Today, however, it is called a strong team among the weak. – Prof. M. M. Deshmukh, Nagpur (Maharashtra Times, 22.1.2011) 2F. Students should play national games like Kabaddi, kho-kho etc.

3. Divine knowledge exposing the real illusory nature of cricket !

