Are You Game?

In the wake of the Annual Sports and Cultural meet of our college here is an article introducing the GAME N/W and the season. This article was written for the notice board of the Hostel.

Life is a game, play it. Strange as it may seem the good Lord never ever was heard declaring – “Life is a book, study it” or “Life is a text, mug it.” Not that studies are not important. But avathars do seem to have their own ‘priorities’. A perfunctory peep into their avatharic resumes reveal the clear triumph of sport over studies, of adventure over academics, of pranks over pedagogue, of bravado over books and of mischief over manuscripts. Little Krishna lost in a book rather than attempting to drive vrindavan’s richter scale of mischief onto a new peak – nothing would be more incongruous. Young Sathya was not too far behind. All it takes is a little bit of tickling for the little hillocks around Parthi to go gaga over young Sathya’s antics. One of young Sathya’s favorite pastimes was the ‘over-the-hill’ grandprix. Sathya and company would assemble at the base of a hill. Kind as He was, Sathya would allow His comrades to have a substantial head start in the attempt to reach the top. The result though would never brook surprise. Sathya would invariably take the ‘chequered flag’. Infinite love and the capacity for boundless mischief are the cornerstones of the Divine. Simply put, sport has clearly been the favorite of God’s pastimes.

If sport was God’s favorite pastimes, so it was of mortals too. The ancient Greeks, blessed with giants both intellectual and physical, first conceived of the Olympiads as a sacred ceremony to appease their Gods. In fact, the race for the title of the fastest man was a sprint to the altar of Zeus. The first man to light the flame in the altar got to don the olive crown. In sport, the ancient Greeks, found the perfect escape from mortal trappings onto the hands of crowning glory. It was the ideal platform to pit the mortals against the Gods and realize in the process that the distinction was perforce wafer-thin. Thus was crystallized the mantra-“Citius, Altius, Fortius – faster, higher, stronger”. Centuries and civilizations later when men are at each others throats, we can consider ourselves lucky to still have avenues of friendship in the form of sporting events and games. A case in point – the forging of Indo-Pak ties via the channel of cricket. The Olympics, the Asian games and other such mega events are all special in their own right. But there is one festival of sports closer home that is most unique.

For those who always wish to be in the thick of action here is music to your ears. The “Annual Sports and Cultural Meet” is here to stay. So erase that frown and sport a smile. Here is your shot at immortality and a place in the record books. A sporting extravaganza conducted under the benign grace of the Lord, it surely is ‘one-of-its-kind’. Sporting events as well as cultural events will be conducted. Participate according to your choice and discretion, but please do participate. Life sadly has nothing as a retake. That privilege, I am afraid, is exclusive to the members of the cinematic ilk.

There exists a minority for whom participation sometimes becomes a victim of needless crossfire. You believe ‘competitions’ to be foreign bordering on the ‘unethical’. Your subscription to such a school of thought is not totally unfounded. Your worry – “how can ‘competition’ occur when emphasis is on ‘cooperation’ which is the essence of this educational system?” Well to put an end to such an incubus, here is a litmus test that is highly recommended.

“If we with our limited knowledge are so concerned and wary of ‘competitions’ why would the Chancellor who is infinitely more concerned about us permit the conducting of such events in the first place?!!!!”

Strangely, even semesters always assume a hue of oddity. As days pass, one gets to become busy as the bees. To such of those, we assure you that we will keep you posted on the results of all the important games and cultural fixtures. It is precisely for such noble purposes that the GAME network exists. To the uninitiated, GAME network expands as Giving All Mega gaming Experience. Our raison-detre – to keep you abreast of all the important developments during this sports season. Event previews, reviews, pre-match coffee chats with captains, post-match analysis and a host of regular features would comprise our offering. We hope you would find it all most useful.

If games be the youth of life and art the soul of life then values are surely life itself. Many among us may wonder as to the sheer prank of providence- “How can Satya fight Dharma or Shanti lineup against Prema?” Well, again it’s a matter of perspective really. Values don’t quarrel between each other but for each other. I beg poetic license from the readers but –

“If Satya can play righteously (Dharmically)

If Dharma can campaign truthfully (Sathwically)

If Shanti can fight lovingly (Premically) and

If Prema can endeavor peacefully (Shantically)”

then the letter will bow before the spirit and there will be no losers but only winners. An approving smile from the Chancellor, surely that’s not a tall order. So, are you game?