The Kabaddi fever finally reached
Delhi, with Dabang Delhi playing their first match yesterday against Bengal
Worriers yesterday at the Thyagraj Stadium. Though unfortunately, the team lost
their first match at the home turf, but it was really captivating to see such a
turn out at the stadium, emphatically cheering their team.
That’s Delhi for you my friend,
always in high spirits and always Dabang.
There seems to be no requisite for anyone to repeat over and over, yet I
will do so, Kabaddi is our game, the country’s game, something we all relate
to, something defines the spirit of the nation; the spirit of ‘never giving up’.
Delhi on Saturday, witnessed a reflection of the same very spirit. Dabang
Delhi, in their inaugural home match yesterday, brought together not just its
fans under one roof, but also other sports celebrities, musicians, artisans and
more importantly politicians.
A the lead of any story in a
mainstream daily about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visiting a Kabaddi
match would have a very political scoop or publicity stint to it. However,
looking things in an entirely different way, Dabang Delhi yesterday managed to bring
in the Chief Minister of the National Capital, Olympic medallist, wrestler
Sushil Kumar and popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi in the stands to support
the home team. Yes, that’s the power of the game, it unifies everyone. And
Dabang Delhi, with its own Dilli walla
spirit has done absolutely magic. With news of Indian football captain Sunil
Chettri being in the stands today around, the energy and the charisma of the Delhi
team seems to be overflowing into its supporters.
Credits: www.prokabaddi.com |
Very orthodox-ically, taking a
cue of what the Chief Minister said in his speech, the Delhi Kabaddi team
reflects of what the spirit of the city is. And this is probably the reason as
to why everyone is coming out in support of the team so enthusiastically. The
Kabaddi ring is probably the most energetic ring right now in the League based
Indian sports circuit. And this energy is radiating so fast because of this
co-relation or rather cultural proximity that audience has developed with the
game. Media researchers have debated over and over as to how we follow something
with all our spirits if we find it to be culturally co-relatable. And with the
region based division of the team, this cultural proximity has actually managed
to engulf the entire nation into one spirit.
And it is actually very pleasing
to see that the team from the national capital is leading the march of cultural
unification with Kabaddi ring being the hotspot. The Indian Premier League initiated
the fusion of glamour and cricket, with Bollywood meeting the gentleman’s game.
The Indian Super League made football meet cricket and Bollywood. And now we
have the Pro Kabaddi league making everyone meet together; bollywood, cricket,
wresting, football, public figures and more importantly culture.
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