निसर्गराजा!

माझा मित्रा पश्या हे एक महान व्यक्तिमत्व आहे पण ते एक जगा-वेगळ रसायन आहे. तो खरा खुलतो ते निसर्गाच्या सान्निध्यात. ते म्हणतात ना, मनाची शांति वगैरे काय ते, ते मिळत त्याला जेव्हा तो दर्या-खोर्‍यातून फिरत असतो तेव्हा. गेल्या ३-४ वर्षं मध्ये त्यान मुंबई पुण्याच्या आस-पासच्या बहुतांश सगळ्याच गड-किल्ल्यांना भेटी दिल्या असतील. खरतर भेट दिली असेल असा म्हणन चुक ठरेल, त्यानी त्या गड-किल्ल्यांचा अभ्यास केला असेल (बरोबर आहे अभ्यास करण आणि खूप मार्क्स मिळवणा हा देखील त्याचा एक छंद) मला अस वाटत की आयुष्यात काय करायचा हे जानन तितकाच महत्वाच आहे जितक की पृथ्वीतलावर जन्म घेण (ही गोष्ट इतकी महत्वाची असूनही हजारात एखादाच जाणतो). बहुतेक ही अनुभूती व्हायला जीवनाच सर्वांगी दर्शन होणा गरजेचा आहे. पश्यान खूप काही पाहिलाय आन तेच कारण असणार की त्याला काय हव आहे, काय करायाच आहे ते तो जाणतो. मोजक्या शब्दात जर त्याच वर्णन करायचा झाल तर 'एक अष्टपैलू व्यक्तिमत्व' हे अतिशय चपखल बसत मी पाहिलेला एकमेवाद्वितीय अष्टपैलू व्यक्ती. तुम्हा असा यूनिवर्सिटी टॉपर शोधून सापडणार नाही जो दर्या-खोर्‍यांनी, गड-किल्ल्यानी फिरतो, जो उत्तम रेखचित्रे काढतो. ह्यास शाडूची माती द्या, तो एखादी सुंदर मूर्ती बनवेल, ह्याच्या हातात कॅमेरा द्या, तुम्ही पाहत राहाल असे फोटोस मिळतील, पक्षी विषयकही तेवढीच माहिती. खेळ आणि खेळाडूंच्या बाबतीत तसेच सिनेमाच्या बाबतीतही एग्ज़ॅक्ट इन्फर्मेशन असते. एकंदर असा प्राणी पुन्हा घडणे नाही. जे ह्याच्या सहवासात आले ते पावन झाले, अन् त्यातलाच मी एक. लवकरच पुढचा भाग.....

2010; Get hooked up to the television set

So the twenty-ten has arrived. It would be one heck of an year for sports followers. Be it Soccer, Cricket, Tennis or Formula1, there will be lot of action.

Sports biggest event, FIFA world cup is ther this year. June-July, whole world would be keenly following the first world cup in African continent. It must be one of the most eagerly awaited event as it will define who is better player between Kaka, Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi. It would be interesting to see whether the methodical european football has what it takes to overturn the magic of Samba kings. After a long time English team is looking good, they have good combination of youth and experience but coming July will only tell whether that is enough or it requires much more than that to be the champions. Though Argentina struggled in qualifiers, they are my personal favorites, They wil be playing under the guidance of Maradona with Lionell Messi and Carlos Tavez at their disposal, they can change result of any match within last gasping seconds also.

Another mega event of 2010 is T20 Worldcup. 2009 Champions League shows that tournament hosts West Indies are the team to look for in this format. Their performance is always unpredictable but T20 is also equally unpredictable format. Indians will surely go as one formidable team in the tournament, they would like to reclaim their lost title but for that to happen they have to win against South Africans first. This year will also show more or less revolving test championship mace. Three test matches series between India and South Africa would be the deciding point for this mace in 2010.

Fedex achieved career grandslam last year, broke Samprass's record for maximum grandslams but memory of last year's Australian final still haunts his fans, they want the rematch and that would be the first major sporting event of the year. Though the US open and year ending tournament showed the advent of new champion (Del Porto), Federer-Nadal is stil regarded as the game to watch out for. Every Nadal fan is awaiting for his return to usual. He has been one great champion of this game and deserves to win couple of more grandslams in this year.

Last year Cavaliers could not reach NBA finals and in a way we missed on watching Kobe Bryant versus Brain James dual. This year with Shaqueel moving to Cavaliers and Lakers as good as last year, we will surely get to see most awaited dual between NBA MVPs. Though Astana won Tour De France last year, legendary Lance Armstrong failed to win Yellow Jersey. This year his Team Radioshack can turn the tables on current champions Alberto Contador and Team Astana.

Last but not the least, December 2009 brought the best news for Formula-1 followers. Return of Schumacher-Brawn pairing ought to create tougher competition for Mclaren and Ferrari. It is clear now that we will be missing Iceman this year, but you never know F-1 is very dynamic sport. With sleek front tires, ban on refuelling during race and new point system It would be an interesting competition.

Lets hope that this year will bring lots of joy to all the followers of sports making their every experience cherishable.