'offers' how dangerous is..
In the 1970s, cricket fever was rampant among Karnataka's youth, particularly since five to six players from the state were representing India in international test cricket match series. The likes of batsmen Gundappa R Vishwanath and Brijesh R Patel, wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani, and spin bowlers B S Chandrashekar and E A S Prasanna were in top form. Every young person in Bangalore and across Karnataka took immense pride in this achievement, and playgrounds were abuzz with students playing cricket using tennis balls. Even streets became makeshift cricket pitches, with residents devising rules to accommodate the game, such as declaring a player out if they hit the ball into a neighbor's window. In narrower streets, players resorted to underarm bowling.
I've always been an exception to the cricket frenzy, finding the game too slow-paced compared to football/soccer or kho-kho, which were my true passions. In 1974, I was in my first year of university, pursuing a three-year graduation course after completing 12th grade. In India, we refer to this level of education as 'Degree College.' The two years preceding this, 11th and 12th grade, are known as 'Pre-University College' studies in our state.
Bangalore had a cricket stadium in the Shivajinagar area. The state government undertook the construction of a full-fledged stadium at the request of the BCCI to host the first match of the 1974 international test cricket series between the West Indies and India. Despite the announcement of the test match date, the stadium's construction was not completed on time. The match was scheduled to begin on Friday, November 22, 1974. A video downloaded from YouTube, "INDIA vs WEST INDIES 1974," highlights the high risks faced by visitors entering the stadium. At that time, the Congress governments, both central and state, rarely initiated new infrastructure projects. Even when projects were started, they were rarely completed within the scheduled timeframe. Allegedly, ministers prioritized kickbacks and personal wealth accumulation over developmental activities.
I had my lunch early in the morning and left Rajajinagar around 9:00 am. After considerable effort, I reached the stadium by 10:30 am, having taken a local bus. The direct bus from Rajajinagar First Block to Shivajinagar Bus Stand was route number 75, and it was the only available option. Travel time wasn't a concern back in the 1970s. I recall reaching my home from Majestic KSRTC/BMTC Bus Stand in just 26 minutes - 22 minutes of travel from the starting point to the Rajajinagar First Block stop, plus a 4-minute walk home. Similarly, the travel time from Shivajinagar Bus Stand to Rajajinagar First Block stop was approximately 30 minutes. Although we could get buses from Majestic quickly, we often had to wait in line for a long time at Shivajinagar Bus Stand.
I hadn't even brought a water bottle with me. Moreover, I was unaware of the formalities and protocols set by the BCCI authorities, who had organized the Test Series. I'm not sure, but they probably didn't allow water bottles inside the stadium. The massive crowd, reportedly the largest in policing history, was treated harshly by the police while being managed and verified for valid tickets. A long, serpentine queue formed at the entrance. After struggling for over 30 minutes, I finally made it inside. The stadium was packed to capacity, and I barely managed to find a seat in one of the middle rows of the gallery section. By the time I sat down, I was exhausted and disgusted.
It wasn't the rainy season, but Bangalore had experienced some unexpected showers, resulting in the match being suspended until lunchtime. I felt sorry for those who had been waiting since 9:00 or 9:30 am for the game to begin. On the other hand, I was relieved that I hadn't missed the first over of the match, despite entering the stadium an hour and a half late.
It wouldn't have bothered me to feel sorry for the crowd even if the match had started on time. In fact, I wasn't a die-hard cricket fan back then, and I'm still not one today. I'm not even sure how I decided to attend. I think one of my friends offered me a ticket. The public had to stand in long queues for hours to buy tickets in advance when the BCCI announced the ticket sale dates in the newspapers. One had to personally visit the stadium to purchase tickets. It was no surprise to read in the newspaper that the tickets were sold out well before the match day. Ticket black-marketing was rampant during the 1970s and 1980s. I was thrilled when I was offered a scarce ticket at face value. This must have been the reason I went to the stadium to experience watching international Test Cricket. I probably went to the stadium alone.
The game started late, around 12:30 pm. The scorching sun was directly overhead, beating down on us. The Pepsi company distributed free paper caps, which you can see in the video, worn by most people. I wouldn't have minded taking one if it had been a full-sized cap. I didn't want to promote the company without getting something in return. I recall the intense advertising rivalry between soft drink companies. In the 1980s, I remember Thums Up copying Pepsi's strategy by distributing paper caps with the Thums Up logo to the public entering the cricket stadium, while Pepsi calmly gave away a few hundred free Pepsi bottles.
All the players wore white uniforms, making it extremely difficult to identify anyone from a distance, except for the two captains. Clive Lloyd was recognizable due to his curly hair and glasses, while Pataudi stood out with his long hair. Additionally, the scoreboard was not visible from where I was sitting. I believe there was only one scoreboard in the entire stadium. As a result, I couldn't determine who was batting or bowling. However, I vividly remember that the West Indies were batting and the Indian team was fielding. During my time at the stadium, no one got out. I was unable to see who was at the crease, how many runs the West Indies batsmen scored, who was bowling, or where the fielders were positioned. Nothing was visible to the naked eye, and transistors were not allowed inside.
By 2:30 in the afternoon, I was feeling quite hungry. Some people had brought snacks with them, while others might have purchased food from the sales boys. However, I didn't buy as I usually prefer to eat at home and also I didn't want to pay an extra sum to buy eatables from the vendors. Moreover, the sales boys weren't allowed to move through the crowd, as all the spectators were eager to watch every ball. Such was the craze!
I was thoroughly disgusted after watching the match until tea time. The main reason was that the players wore white uniforms without numbers, making it impossible for me to identify anyone. As the players left for tea, I and the other fans were famished, craving a full meal. Unfortunately, we were left waiting for their return. Fans were playfully throwing leftover food and fruits. I thought to myself, "Enough of this dirty place and this slow match!" I left around 3:30 pm. It took about 15 minutes to exit, and that too with great difficulty. I managed to leave easily because I decided to exit before the final session of the match began. I was disturbed, wondering what would happen to the ticket, which was bought for all five days of the match.
Fans outside were waiting to buy tickets from those who exited. I easily sold my ticket, possibly at face value or after offering a slight discount. I still vividly remember walking for fifteen minutes to Shivajinagar Bus Stand. After waiting for a long time for Bus Number 75 to arrive, I boarded the bus effortlessly, thanks to the organized queue system. I reached home by 5:45 pm. In retrospect, I can confidently say that this was the most horrible experience I had during my youthful days.
..This is nostalgia.
Lesson learnt
