Monday, January 10, 2011

My first rugby match after leaving school - "something’s never change"



The world celebrates New Years Day because theoretically, it indicates change. A new year is supposed to offer re-invigoration, reinvention, vitality and a fresh start. It’s meant to bring an exiting unfamiliarity to the next 12 months; a 365 day window which brings in new additions or even takes away somewhat of our lives.

Walking down “Isipathana Mawatha” on a match day there are no remnants of that unfamiliarity. There’s little change. There’s little reinvigoration and reinvention despite what the Municipal Councils boards proclaim, there’s little regeneration either .But there’s little wrong with that. “Isipathana Mawataha” is my road-the road I amble down every time I go to watch my beloved alma mater play. “Isipathana Mawatha is our road –the road inhabited by hundreds of like minded others who make their journey to support our school. The pavements are recurrently pounded upon with “kottamba seeds” from the trees overhead. After that come the feet; hundreds of them, dressed in different brands and colours, but moving in the same direction. The feet belong to tall lads, fat lads, and thin lads. The feet also belong to some women and children as well. All have different stories to tell, but all move towards the same direction.

Some; very few that is, are making this journey for the very first time. Others have their soles imprinted upon the route; such is the regularity of their trek down this road which leads to the school and also Havelock Park, Our home grounds, our Fortress. Regardless of who it is, it’s a good thing the walk never changes. Without those hundreds “Isipathana Mawatha” would be just like any other street- a footnote in the A-Z of Isipathana, or even a three-wheel drivers short cut to Baseline Road. But it’s not. Instead, it’s a place that contributes to the recollections of so many different people and subsequently makes up part of our schools glorious Rugby history. The idea of so many different people embarking on the same journey with the same intention is a powerful one-not just for our Rugby team but for any other rugby team as well. Because of that our School on the corner is not simply a center of education, the “Isipathanaramaya” temple isn’t just temple of worship, and the small tea boutiques that decorate the route are not merely places to refresh you with a nice cup of tea. They become part of match day memories - a visual representation of the dedication and commitment in supporting our team.


It matters not if you start your journey from the top of Dickmans Road or the bottom of Park Road. The shops you pass, the people you see and the conversations you hear will always be there weekend, week out during a Rugby season at Havelock Park. For me it was my first rugby season and my first match after leaving school. It may have been a new year of sorts but it was the same stroll to the ground and same atmosphere. The same congregation of uncles waited outside the school gates, waited for their match going mates of 10 years or more to enter the ground. Further down the road stood a rabble of children out side the entrance, not one close to 15 years disappointed every time their request for spare tickets couldn’t be met. A double cab drove past me with five Peterites in the back, prompting me to question my decision to walk in the rain. As I finally reach the main entrance I look around and see the college Main gates at a distance, the gracious site of the school temple in the junior school section. A few steps further and I see the flagpole with the college flag resting on it graciously, at the top as if it was taking a moments rest from fluttering profusely on a rainy and windy day. Hairs stood on the back of my neck, just as they did the first time I saw it; just as they did the last time I saw it.

I met up with some of my fellow batch mates and we entered the ground and almost immediately  the smell of cigarettes wafted through the air. As I walk through the crowd towards the Dressing room a small boy with his dad excitedly asks if “Rizwan and Ashan” will play.But sadly they did not on this day. Near the terrace steps two 45 year olds whom I guessed, together have witnessed the Triple Crown winning side of ‘98 and other unique milestones achieved by our school ponder the same with the faint odour of their pre match pint enhancing their breaths. With a loud bang of crackers the clash of “Pathana versus Peters” gets underway. The Peterites proved to be to good for our “Greens” to handle. Two hours later hundreds of Supporters leave the grounds, Pathana fans disappointed, dejected while the Peterites ecstatic after what they witnessed from their respective sides.

Post match hundreds of fans walk up towards Havelock Road and on their way littering the way with the now old tickets. A small peterite with his dad exclaims how good their side was today. In the end it matters not whether St.peters beat Isipathana or Isipathana breaking Trinity Hearts 5 years ago at this very ground. The result is irrelevant. The important thing is that our fans walked that road. We’ve witnessed the Abdeen’s, the nawaz’s, the saranga’s – even our current captain Prasad Devinda can’t last forever as hard as he may try. But the one thing that hasn’t and won’t change is the walk down “Isiptathana Mawatha”. The exited chatter of a youngster heading to his first game doesn’t stop, nor the grumblings of our Old boys who come to support our team every time they stomp the grass of Havelock park. The congregation will always wait outside the school gates; even the smell of mouthwatering “amba achchaaru” or “Annaasi” is as evocative as it was a year ago.

For a school rugby side we will experience changes in our team which is nothing new. After the senior players leave a new set of juniors will take the role of carrying forward the college flag. Irrespective of that, this stretch of road is our road- the road supporters have walked down for months, years and decades, and will walk down until it leads to no where. That will never change. Just as “Isipathana Mawatha” Pathana rugby would not be as special without those willing to make that walk. The heroics of Brian Ingram, Hisham Abdeen, Tuan Bhoran,Dilroy Fernando, Shamly Nawaz are enhanced by the support, and the support is enhanced by what those legends did for our school. Games like trinity in ’05, or even Royal in ‘10 live in the memory because both players and supporters combined through adversity and helped each other. It’s the “Pathana Spirit” demonstrated in abundance once more.


There’s a saying which claims you can’t judge a person until you walk a mile in his shoes. For me the walk down "Isipathana Mawatha" is the best walk a Pathana rugby fan could wish for.

AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER, EVER CHANGE!

Strive With Determination!