Beyond the village and across the river

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PHOTO SUDIPTO MONDAL

Tense moments: During the match
Saifuddin’s adventure began at 6 a.m. on Monday after a longnight of sleepless anticipation. “I was up before my brother,father and even my mother. I did not even need an alarm,”says this 12-year-old boy who likes to be known simply as Saifu.Twenty minutes later he was at his school, the Syed Madani HigherPrimay School Halekote. Unlike other days, Saifu was not weigheddown by a satchel full of books. Unlike other days he was notwearing slippers but a pair of brand-new, white canvas shoes thathis mother had bought him for this special day.
All his school mates were there when he reached. The van that wasto take them from their village to the bus terminal in Ullal waswaiting. Just like other days Saifu’s classmate and bestfriend Shafi was late.
“The Badshah finally arrived at 7 a.m.,” Saifu sayspointing to Shafi, beside him, who sports a sheepish grin. Finallythe little party set out. The van took them to Ullal; the busdropped them off at the banks of the Netravati River in the city;and a boat took them across the river to Kasba Bengre.
A short walk from the boat jetty and they arrived at theirdestination, the Government Higher Primary School Kasba Bengre thatwas hosting the annual two-day, inter-school, cluster-level sportcompetition. Thirty schools were participating in the event.
Thanks to Shafi, Syed Madani was one of the last schools to arriveat the venue. But Saifu and his friends did not miss much. Whenthey arrived the opening ceremony was going on and someone wasmaking a speech. So many speeches

As I was taking photographs of the event Shafi whispered,“How long is this speech going to last? I cannot wait tostart the games.” But unfortunately for Shafi and the over600 participating students the speeches went on and on…
The ceremony that started at 9 a.m. finally wound-up at 11.45 a.m.and from there the sports children were taken straight forbreakfast. Between mouthfuls of Puri and Kesari Baath (he likesthat combination) Saifu says, “I started feeling giddy withhunger.” The Puri-Saagu, Upma-Chutney and Badam Milk vanishedin no time – it was time to play!
Everyone rushed eagerly to the picturesque Kasba Bengre sportsfield. “This is like the Galle stadium in Sri Lanka,”remarked one of the teachers. The resemblance was striking –the Arabian Sea on one side, the Netravati River on the other– and in the middle of it the emerald green ground.
The first Kho-Kho match was between Syed Madani and Ombattu KereHigher Primary School, Ullal. In keeping with his reputation Shafiwas the last one to get out. Syed Madani was leading. But then itfell apart.
Kasba Bengre is surrounded by water on three sides. It is alsousually the first stop for the rain before it strikes the mainland.
And so it was. Fifteen minutes into the first match it began todrizzle.
Stronger and stronger, the drizzle turned into a downpour and thenthe skies exploded. The match was called off. It looked like Saifuwas crying but it cannot be said for sure if they were tears orraindrops. But he sure looked angry. When Shafi put an arm aroundhis shoulder he shrugged it off. “It is all your fault. Youcame late. If you would have come on time we could have reachedhere on time and finished this match by now,” Saifu toldShafi.
Shafi did not say anything then but later told this correspondent,“What did I do? The speeches went on for so long.”
The rain did not let up the whole of Monday. It rained incessantlyeven on Tuesday.
Principal of the host school Juliet Pinto later informed that themuch anticipated competition had been called off altogether.



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