All is fair in love and football...

When the match started

Saramsa United Fans

It was real fun watch a football tournament in Saramsa, Sikkim. It is, they say, an annual event commemorating Gandhi Jayanti. The bapu is remembered here even though the freedom struggle did not take place here in Sikkim. It was a match between Saramsa United and Sikkim University. Of course, I was there to cheer up the university team as children whom I knew well -- like Passang and Robin – were part of the team.

In Sikkim, football is serious business. The whole of Saramsa- women, men, children -- were there to cheer up the Saramsa United: they carried chairs, mats (otherwise they have to squat on the wet ground) and umbrellas to challenge the threatening rain clouds. Line umpires were there in their uniforms ready with the flags; a borrowed slate and chalk piece to write change of the players was a poor replacement for the LED board we see in international football. But that did not matter. A clean black board was on the stands where the number of goals to be written. The official gallery was made out of bamboos and plastic sheets made the roof. Behind the ground was thick forest. 

The ground was so muddy;   I was wondering how they are going to play with so much slush around. My apprehensions did not last long. The players marched to the ground and the game began in the midst of cheering and whistling. Both the teams played well and many fell down in the slippery ground, some time in ankle deep holes. Most of the time, players sledged through. Then the University kids scored the first goal disappointing the huge Saramsa United fans; it was a match on their own ground; but the spirited crowd cheered their team up. When they scored the first goal, women sitting on the edges of the elevated stands just jumped into the ground, never mind the slush, to celebrate.

Occasionally you see a player running towards gallery asking for water to wash away the mud from his eyes. While they played, mud sprayed to the gallery too. Finally, the university team won the match. We jumped to congratulate them; but no handshakes and of course no hugs too. They were almost unrecognisable with slush all over the body. I am sure what they really needed was a thorough scrub and lot of hot water.

I enjoyed every bit of the game from the fun fouls, the chiding of elderly women, rhymes of the children to cheer up their favourites, the last minute desperation of the Saramsa United players and finally my team winning the game, 3:1. I am waiting with a lot of excitement for the next match my kids will play on September 23....