|
Hills hooked on World Cup fever |
|
|
TRIBENY RAI
DARJEELING, June 27: As the World Cup
2010 action at South Africa drifts into
the knockout stage, football lovers here
in the hills have got behind their
favourite teams or switched loyalties as
a couple of traditional football
superpowers have crashed out in the
group stage itself.
Ever since the world’s biggest spectacle
began, people in the hills are speaking
only one language-football.
A series of unfortunate events that
rocked the hills recently had left the
ordinary people in a disturbing silence
but the advent of the quadrennial
showpiece event has lifted the flagging
spirits. The hills again came alive in
festive mood and the past and immediate
sorrows have been forgotten for the
moment.
Colourful flags of different football
countries especially those from Latin
America and Europe compete for attention
with flags of political colour in the
streets. Flags of the favourate teams
hang out from the balcony or window of
houses and it is almost impossible to
miss someone walking in the streets
wearing an Argentina, Brazil, England or
other teams.
“For us, football has always been about
glory, doing things in your style. We
are all excited. The amount of betting
and street football that is being played
shows the World Cup fever here”, said
Siddarth Rai, a college student.
“Though we don't share the same heights
of excitement like that of last year's,
the World Cup has always been a source
of inspiration for local players like
us. We all wish and hope that our
country will be a part of FIFA in near
future”, said Sujit Thamim who is a
member of Friends United Club,
Darjeeling. |
|
|
 |
|
World |
|
|
|
|
|
Sikkim
at Glance |
 |
Area : 7096 Sq Km
Capital
: Gangtok
Altitude: 5,840 ft
Population: 6.10
Lakhs
Topography: Hilly terrain elevation
from 600 ft. to over 28,509 ft above sea
level
Climate:
Summer
Max- 21°C ;
Min - 13°C
Winter
Max -13°C ; Min -
0.48°C
Rainfall : 325 cm per annum
Language Spoken: Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha,
Tibetan, English, Hindi |
|
|
|
Nepali
Publication |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Copyright
© Sikkim Express * Himali Bela, All Rights Reserved.