THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER IT

Its been a so long, so many years have passed and my memory might fail me but when I think hard what I remember is the 1990 World Cup when West Germany and Argentina had reached the finals, this was I guess the start of my love affair with football, because before that I don't remember much. In the later years all those talk with my father and grandfather about football also had an impact on me along with that atmosphere in school and my bunch of friends who were all crazy about the game.

I was in Kalimpong then spending my summer holidays at my aunt’s place, the town was gripped with football fever like it happens every four years during the World Cup. I remember my Uncle who was a die hard Argentina fan praying before the matches in front of Maradona’s poster. Color television had just entered the households in the hills and my uncle had that classic TV cased in plywood with sliding doors!

I remember before the Final match betting Rs 5 against my sister on West Germany, I had no idea about anything back then but don’t know why I had said West Germany would win and that’s what had happened. I don’t recall watching the match though, may be I fell asleep.

More than the World Cup telecast on televisions, I became familiar with the big names of World football through the player cards which had come out during/after the World Cup. Players like Maradona, Salvatore Schillaci, Carlos Valderrama, Sergio Goycochea, Rudi Voller, Peter Shilton etc featured on those cards with basic information about them. We used to play that game. Stacking one card on top of another and if the same players came the person who placed the card second would win. Later WWF cards had also captured our imagination and we had become fans of wrestlers like Hit-man, Undertaker, Razor Ramon and so on. Boys used to walk around with bundles of WWF cards! It was sort of a status symbol. As for myself World Cup cards were more important. I have lost all but for one with Jurgen Klinsman on it but this is from the 1998 World Cup.

Next I remember is my father telling me to join Table Tennis training at Paljor stadium. Late Thupden Bhutia, a national level TT player and coach was our neighbor when we used to stay at Arithang and my father had requested him to let me join the training. So reluctantly I started going to that old indoor stadium adjecent to Paljor Stadium which has now been replaced by a new structure. I spent nearly a month hitting the ball on the wall. I used to think its table tennis but when will we play on the table?. Slowly I started to get bored. Football which I used to come across a lot on TV and at Paljor Stadium seemed like a better game for me as a kid, where so many people can play and they did not have to hit the balls on the wall like table tennis, later I found out about the substitutes who had to sit on the bench waiting for a chance to play. I can relate very well as I have spent most of my playing days as a substitute, sometimes spending the whole match on the bench. But before I got immersed in football another sport attracted me-

Just on the other side of the hall. Tae Kwon Do classes used to be held and I started getting attracted towards that, so I told my dad I would like to join it. He agreed and I was admitted to Sikkim Amateur Tae Kwon Do Association (SATA) classes. Everyday after school Paljor Stadium used to be my destination. I spent some months training and learning about this form of martial arts which had its roots in Korea. It was fun and I had a good time until the day when I got bashed up in front of my father. It was sparring bout for my promotion to yellow belt from white. I was quite tall for my age and I had to fight a guy who was a blue belt and elder to me along with that he was an experienced fighter and I had not chance. I was pushing through it but what knocked me down was his hammering kick which missed my head by a whisker and landed on my thai. It was a very painful blow and I was not able to continue. After the bout my father came to me and cheered me up. As we say in Nepali "Ram dhulai bhayo."

Bhaiji whose real name I never asked used to be my constant companion during those days. He was a green belt and a promising player. He had already represented Sikkim in the Nationals and some North East level tournaments. We had become very good friends. He always came to my house and together we used to head for practice. Sometimes I told him that I won’t go today as I am not feeling well or something of that sort but he used to insist and would not budge until I had to carry my bag and walk with him. Paljor Stadium was very near from where we stayed but Bhaiji just would not go alone. Even my mom tells me that sometimes Bhaiji used to be begging in front of me “Please Saurabh juam nah juam, pugyo pachi mazza aaucha”. I don’t know where Bhaiji is these days, When I look back now I guess he was the first one of my friends who showed me the true meaning of friendship, Lets do this together Bro used to be his motto.

That old Paljor Stadium with sandy pitch and wooden galleries had a charm of its own and most of us called it Polo ground back then. Whenever we reached early for the Tae Kwon Do classes we used to sit on those galleries and watch the football matches. Bhaiji was not that interested in football but that was the only option for him to pass the time, those were the days when mobile phones and facebook were still 10-12 years away from us. I used to enjoy the matches and slowing I was falling in love with it.

Now it was time to make another switch. Table Tennis to Tae Kwon Do to Football. Although I did not know too much about the technical aspects back then. I just loved how exciting the game was. More than the game itself I think I got attracted towards football initially due to the atmosphere surrounding the game. So many people watching it ,some shouting on top of their voices, some passing those funny comments and when the goal was scored, people going crazy along with the players.

So I had found my true calling finally. It was football and till date it has been a part of my life. In the last few years I have not been too much involved with the game but I guess no matter what football remains close to my heart. I owe a lot to this wonderful game, though I was never a good player and I did realize that quite early, football has given me a lot. More than 90 percent of the people I know is through football. Some wonderful friends I have found is through football. So that's how I remember it. The start of my love affair with the beautiful game.