Kali Leads India to Cricket Victory (and Political Peace?)

[Guest guest]

India narrowly won today's epic cricket match against Pakistan -- but

the goodwill generated by the game could be the real victory.

 

One the eve of the match, some Indians prayed to Kali for success:

 

CALCUTTA: Hundreds of people crowded a famous temple on Friday to

pray at a famous temple of the Hindu Goddess of destruction, Kali, in

Calcutta on the eve of the Indian cricket team's match with rival

Pakistan.

 

Priests of the famous Kalighat temple organised a day-long religious

ceremony to invoke the Kali's powers for protection and strength to

the Indian team, who are touring Pakistan after 15 years.

 

"We want to ensure India's success in the historic tour of Pakistan,"

said Ajoy Banerjee, a priest of Kalighat temple. "Priests will hold a

special prayer Friday night before the Goddess Kali to pray for

them." —AFP

 

However, this epic, which ran following the matches, suggests that

Kali's answers to these prayers might have been more expansive than

the priests expacted:

 

KARACHI (Reuters) - "Cricket was the winner," the pundits said on

Sunday after an epic match between India and Pakistan that would have

been unthinkable two years ago, when the countries were on the brink

of a fourth war.

 

But the benefits of the opening tie in India's five-week tour of

Pakistan go beyond bat and ball as both countries seek to use the

groundswell of goodwill to resolve differences that have blighted

their relations since independence in 1947.

 

In a region racked by tension and war, tens of millions of people sat

glued to their televisions on Saturday, and rejoiced at one of the

most treasured benefits of peace in cricket-mad South Asia.

 

India won narrowly, but that was not the lasting image from the

contest. Images of Indians and Pakistanis sitting side-by-side in

Karachi's packed 33,000-seater National Stadium to watch one of the

best games in the sport's history had the combined population of more

than one billion people licking their lips for more.

 

It was the first game in India's cricket tour of Pakistan, the first

such exchange between the rivals in more than 14 years. Four more one-

day contests are to be held and three five-day test matches.

 

"The ramparts built around the older generation are being eroded,"

said political commentator Tanvir Ahmed Khan, a former Pakistani

foreign secretary.

 

"This is a kind of public celebration of a new mood. If the leaders

can exploit it, then it could become a factor in normalising

relations."

 

Perhaps it was no coincidence that Pakistani President Pervez

Musharraf spoke on the same day as the cricket match of the need to

settle the dispute over Kashmir, which has triggered two of three

wars between the nuclear-armed rivals.

 

He has been accused by hawks in Pakistan of selling out over the

divided Himalayan region, but in an address to an Indian audience

late on Saturday, he warned of the consequences of sidestepping the

core issue.

 

"We must persevere...if there is no movement towards a solution, I am

afraid everything will slide back to square one," Musharraf said.

 

"The composite dialogue scheduled for May/June this year should augur

well for our future relationship," he said, referring to a round of

broad bilateral talks.

 

ROADMAP

 

The uneasy neighbours held their first formal talks in more than two

years in February and agreed on a "basic roadmap" for peace.

 

Their officials are due to meet shortly after the Indian cricket tour

winds up in mid-April to discuss a range of issues that have

bedevilled relations, including Muslim-majority Kashmir.

 

India blames Pakistan for fomenting a Muslim rebellion in Indian-held

Kashmir that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1989.

Pakistan calls the insurgency a "legitimate freedom struggle", but

denies aiding the militants.

 

The threat to the peace process by Islamic militant groups in

Pakistan opposed to Musharraf's policies on Kashmir and Afghanistan

was underlined by the huge security operation put in place for

India's cricketers.

 

About 5,000 police were deployed in and around the stadium on

Saturday, and cities from Rawalpindi in the north to Lahore in the

east can expect similar measures to ensure the tour, and with it

bilateral relations, are not derailed.

 

Musharraf outlined the economic benefits of peace between India and

Pakistan, ranging from cheaper energy via a Central Asian gas

pipeline to lower defence spending. In his address he proposed both

sides reduced the size of their armed forces.

 

He and others also recognise the power of people-to-people contacts,

through renewed air, rail and bus links and now the lifting of a

suspension on sporting ties.

 

Hundreds of Indians in the crowd seemed surprised at the warmth of

their welcome in Pakistan.

 

"This is my first time to Pakistan," said Munir Ahmad, an Indian

Muslim from Bangalore, during the game.

 

"We definitely got a different picture than the one we were expecting

after we landed. We see the people here are very friendly and humble,

and the atmosphere is great."

 

URLs: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_13-3-

2004_pg7_35

 

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp;:405460ce:8db0e4ccd2dcf

11f?type=topNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4562122