Continuing on the theme of getting my blog to work again I am posting this article which I had written quite some time back. But it is a decent read so here it goes. A crazy idea once struck me and I decided to merge an article on two things which fascinate me a lot- Indian Mythology and Football. I have tried to create an article encompassing these two passions together.
The heroes in the Mahabharata were remarkable characters in every sense of the word. I say heroes because this is the only work of the ancient world which does not give a clear demarcation between good and bad, plus and minus and all other diametrical opposites. In many ways it is the oldest version of objective journalism, something which we are still struggling to achieve. So why cannot these characters from the epic play the Beautiful Game. Okay it is the virile Englishmen who framed the rules of the world game, and then the Brazilians probably perfected it. But in India we have always been romantic about the past and about history. We always tend to see the past as an ideal age, so lets just think for once what would have happened if all the Mahabharata characters would actually have got down to testing themselves out on the football pitch. Following is the detailed description of the team I would have played if I had been the greatest Acharya ever-Drona.
The team would have played a modern day 4-2-3-1. Yudhishthira was the custodian of all the virtues which made our land celebrated by the Greek travelers in Antiquity. So he will have to keep goal for my ‘dream team’. I have gone for a combination of sheer strength and wisdom at the centre of my defense. Lord Balarama will be there to win all the headers and to topple any opponent trying a trick too many. Balarama wasn’t always the most headstrong of characters, so the wise patriarch Bheeshma becomes a necessity to complete the heart of the defense. The son of Mother Ganga was the wisest man in his generation, even the battle field on Kurukshetra remained untainted as long as he was leading one side of the confrontation. In probably the saddest scene of the entire epic, Bheeshma comes face to face with Arjuna, his favourite nephew. Thankfully this time they will all be on the same side. Perhaps no worldly treasure is worth fighting your own blood as Arjuna said at the time of this greatest tribulation, but perhaps no worldly fight could be bigger than if the entire clan is involved on the same side. Now coming on to the full backs. Nakula and Sahdeva for all their worthy deeds will perhaps always be confined to supporting roles. So from their full back positions the twins will maraud the wings supporting the more illustrious wingers, and while defending they shall lend a helping hand to the senior centre halves. The midfield generals will be Bheema and Ashwatthama. Bheema was the font of courage and someone who never cared for political niceties. In times of trouble he was often someone who took up the fight alone to the opposition. Similarly, on the football pitch the midfielder has to co-ordinate the entire team and drive the team forward at times of distress. One can imagine the box-to-box Bheema defending at one point and then immediately running with all his energy towards the opposition before giving the ball to more gifted players. He will also make those crunching tackles so important in a game and break up the opposition’s play. Partnering him in midfield will be Drona’s very own son Ashwatthama. The latter will be the coach’s eyes and ears on the pitch. He always possessed a healthy envy to the Pandavas from a young age. This will sting him to impress against the opposition at the same time maintaining his father’s discipline. His ethereal pace and intelligence will make him Bheema’s ideal foil, as a deep lying play maker and neat passer.
The last furlong of the team will have probably the four most famous personalities from the Mahabharata. Needless to say Krishna has to be on the wing with his brother from a bygone era-Arjuna- occupying the other flank. Krishna’s trickery and winking genius can actually be picturised. Step-overs, cutting in then going out, then coming back in and then out again, mesmerizing the opposition defense, he will be the ultimate showman for the team. His touches will be fewer in the game, but the ones he will take ought to be nothing short of sublime. Arjuna will be less showy but equally effective on the other flank, the intended torment of the opposition might be slightly lesser. But who knows the presence of a certain dark beauty in the stands might just get the mischievous side out of him too. Arjuna will start left because of his ambidextrous nature, perhaps he will also be two footed. Drona will have to ensure that happens. And then finally we come to the front attacking two. Brace yourself for the best attack combination the world has ever known. Telepathy is a word to be used for lesser mortals, not the son of Surya Deva on one side and the eldest of the Kauravas on the other. This will also be one of the most emotionally charged attacking pairs ever. The night when Karna was taken away from mortal life, was the worst in the whole life of Duryodhana. He took the death of his own brothers as the play of Fate, but could never reconcile himself to the death of a friend who gave away his life for him. Life had been extremely cruel to Karna, but in Duryodhana he found an ally who was always there for him, in both sorrow and joy. Karna announced himself to the world by stunning the pride of Arjuna on a day of a competition, but being appreciated was not to be his fate. It was Duryodhana indeed who reminded the world that origins do not matter. The great Ganga river starts as a small trickle not even a meager stream. Great men are all born as little babies, no one is born full grown but a Kshatriya is one who proves himself to be one through his deeds in life. Karna had proven himself to be all this and much more. Now Karna and Duryodhana have the chance to be together for one more time and this time to create magic on the football pitch. Duryodhana would be the target man around whom the three creative wizards would weave their magic.
The coach of course will be Drona, with Acharya Kripa his second in command. Bheeshma will lead the side out of the tunnel. Vaisampayana and Sanjaya would be doing the commentary dishing out the story to the gods and goddesses of the highest altar.
Opposition will have to be quality enough to be able to challenge these starts. Let us invite the Greek gods and heroes from the Iliad & Odyssey series to compete. More on that team later when we discuss the opposition’s line up in detail. The lineup of the Mahabharata team is as follows-:
Yudhishthira
Nakula Balarama Bheeshma Sahdeva
Ashwatthama Bheema
Krishna Karna Arjuna
Duryodhana
