Cricket, Cup and the Crazy us!

So Indians are virtually (I'm not hoping) out of the world cup. I never had much hopes from our team. There is one thing that hold true in every field of work, "If your stomach is full you wan't make that extra effort." Perhaps the Indian cricket team gets a little too much attention from the media, people and companies alike. We lost interest in hockey because the team was not performing but the craze for cricket continues.

We last won the world cup trophy 24 years back. But nothing will change. Sanity will be restored in a month's time and the cricketers will continue to enjoy the bucks and media coverage for another 100 years. Perhaps emotions have taken the better of us Indians!

A Five Star Haj

A New York Times article by one Mr Hassan M. Fattah and reproduced by iviews.com made me ponder over the changing times.

Titled "The Changing Essense of Makkah," the article looks at new buildings and restaurants that are coming up in the area close to the Islam's holiest Mosque - the Kaaba.

The influence of western values is slowly and surely eroding our rich cultural heritage. I consider myself very unlucky that when I do get the chance to visit Mecca and Medina, I would see a completely different picture.

Ironic indeed when you consider that a tourist site in Agra (The Taj Mahal) has forced the closure of so many carbon emitting factories, a move to save the Taj from pollution. And here you have Islam's holiest structures gradually being surrounded by 5 star hotels, needless to mention the effects of constant digging and drilling around the shrine.

What a pity!!!

Also, who's going to afford these hotels? I know there are rich Muslims out there, but, we will be missing the real essence of the whole trip then. The 'Ehraam' that one wear during the Hajj is a symbol of simplicity and unity while praying to Allah. One person staying in a tent and the other in a 5 star hotel will only create class discrimination, destroying the whole purpose of the pilgrimage.

The Power of our Media Today

Aish-Abhi incident has shown us once again the new face of media. News that is fit enough for the cover of Stardust is now a television headline across the channels. The mushrooming of 24 hours news channel in India has made sure that nothing goes unnoticed. So much that even if you are remotely connected to a celebrity you matter. Analyse this, a boy is kidnapped in Bihar and Zee TV asks his friends which game he used to play with them. Star TV made sure that people know which doctor operated on Amitabh Bachchan. Aaj Tak leaves no stone unturned to make a hero of a two matche old cricket player. Just a few months back the whole nation was forced to view the long rescue of a boy who fell into a deep hole. Almost all his close relatives got enough television coverage.

Cricketers today are raking in millions and eating prime time of the news channels. Hockey which brought so much glory to the nation is a dying sport today and Indian cricket with just one world cup trophy is a national obsession. All thanks to our news channels!

In the fight for TRPs the one thing that we all are missing is 'real news.' Something that has made BBC what it is today.