How times have changed!

South Africa: Circa 1893.
Scene: Railway platform Pietermaritzburg railway station.

A train is halted unceremoniously, by the then white majority, and a two legged Indian, “black dog” all suited and booted like an Englishman, was unceremoniously thrown out, onto the platform as he was traveling in the first class.
Traveling on business, from Durban to Johannesburg, as an educated, qualified lawyer, who was then, the first so-called “coloured” lawyer admitted to the Supreme Court.
Traveling with a valid a ticket.
As he was then recognized to be as good as a two legged “Black Dog” thanks to the colour of his skin! It was not white, like the other fellow travelers’ was.
Therefore, he qualified to be shoved and thrown out. And he was!

There he was lying, on the platform.
A human being, with his pride hurt to the hilt.
Prejudice towards his skin colour had showed him this day.
He resolved here, that he would put an end to this evil.
He did so.
Through sheer grit and determination, in times to come.

South Africa Circa: 2009.
Day one. April 18.
Scene:Inaugural Match of IPL: Mumbai Indians versus Chennai Kings.

The match has begun.
Sachin Tendukar, an Indian, recognized and respected by the world as an all time great player, is in full form and flow, and in command of the situation as well.
He is also the Captain of the Mumbai Indians.
Runs are flowing from his bat, despite his age.
The T20 format is ideally suited for the younger players it is said.
He is proving that myth wrong!

Suddenly, the game gets held up; as a four legged “Black Dog” enters the field and holds up the play, for a good 10 minutes!

A game that is being aired all over the globe, with millions of viewers glued to their TV sets, comes to a grinding halt!
The world sees a real four legged “Black Dog” holding up the proceedings.
Efforts are underway quickly to get rid of the “Black Dog”!
Committees designed by organizers for such exigencies, get into the act!

The dog is neither lassoed nor is it thrown out!
All efforts fail.
Patience is not lost.
TV Cameras continue to record and report.

Finally, the “four legged black dog” is respectfully removed from the scene by a white Lady.
Using the lure of a cookie.

Not a hair of that genuine “Black Dog” was ruffled in the bargain.
It was lovingly and caringly, removed, by a white human being, in a dignified manner.
The commentator too ironically remarked, ‘removed through the VIP stands’ exit!’

Wow! What a change!
All of us as humans, witnessed and enjoyed that change as it happened.
In these past 100 plus years change has indeed, happened.
Happened for the good: to the whole world.

Apartheid has melted away completely.
How many of us remembered MKG in those tense 10 minutes?
In this light?

The respect that the dog commanded, made my mind rush back to the events, sited above.
As a comparative of life then, and life now!

Come to think of it:
The commentator himself used the word “lassie” and never uttered the words “dog” or a “black dog.”

The dog in question, indeed, had its day!
A field day, on a billion dollar field.
It never bought a ticket for this field day, and it was not thrown out!

Thanks to the humbleness of MKG. Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi.
The Father of the Nation.
India.
India:The owner of IPL.
IPL as an event.
An event that has millions glued to the TV all over the world, and billions of dollars being churned too, in the bargain.
Not to forget the joy that cricket, as it is, brings, to one and all!
Globally.

Cricket is indeed a modern religion that binds one and all.
It also encompasses kindness towards other creatures, as was well demonstrated by this one well viewed incident.
It remains a gentleman’s game!

All said and done: One fact gets established for sure, now that we have all seen the incident happen.

But for MKG; the four legged “black dog” would have been gagged and thrown out of the stadium, if not shot!

Under the full glare of TV cameras.