The night is sultry, and begging for sweet relief from a gentle breeze at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore. Minutes later, the crowd jumps and screams in unison: The quintessentially Tamil, “Super da!” follows. Japan has missed a penalty and India is now in control as they lead with an impressive counter-attack. At the ongoing Hero Asian Champions Trophy that has returned to Chennai after 16 years, the crowd does not disappoint. Chennai’s love for hockey — granted the city’s relationship with the sport goes a long way — takes a first-time spectator by surprise.
The evening traffic in Egmore honks with a fresh sense of urgency, as vendors dole out India flags on the footpath leading to the stadium. Children get their faces painted with coats of the tricolour, as families gather. A post-work hockey game, especially when India is playing, is a family affair.
When asked for a prediction, Sudha Ramanathan grimaces. The spectator says between crinkling an empty packet of chips, “Romba kashtam aa irukku but of course I want them to win!” — the game eventually ends in a 1-1 draw between India and Japan — She continues, “I couldn’t miss it. After all, it is happening in Chennai. I had only seen these matches on TV before.” Her husband, Ramanathan Subramanian, is hoping to catch all of the India matches this tournament.
The city shares an illustrious history with the sport. Areas like Thousand Lights, Vepery, Triplicane being the hubs, and Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium hosting the SAF Games (1995), two editions of the Champions Trophy (1996 and 2005), an Asia Cup (2007), the India-Pakistan series (1999) and the India-Belgium series (2008). It has also been the venue for numerous domestic tournaments that saw the city come out in droves to support the national sport.
One of the spectators, Shahul Hameed, remembers a particular scene from the last Asia Cup in Chennai, back in 2007. “There was this Punjabi guy who had come all the way to Chennai to watch the game, with his big dholak. You could see him at every match, beating the big drum. I was hoping to meet him this time as well but I have not spotted him yet.” Today, Shahul, an IT professional, has taken a day off from his shift, solely to watch the India-Japan match, and is here with his four-year-old son and six-year-old nephew. “It is my son’s first live hockey match, so it is a special day,” says Shahul, armed with trumpets, flags and dancing children.
Yuvashri Pichandi, a 25-year-old tournament volunteer from Vellore is so glad the sport is finally getting the due it deserves in Tamil Nadu. While Chennai is largely aware of the national game’s ins and outs, remote cities in the State are yet to warm up, says Yuvashri who is professionally training in hockey. “Twenty two of us came as volunteers. All of us are here for the exposure and learning, nothing else!” At the stadium, Yuvashri is in charge of ticketing and VIP seating. “Though I don’t get to talk to the players, I atleast get to watch them from close quarters.”
For Shiva Srivastav, who moved to Chennai from Mumbai only four months ago, an international hockey tournament happening next to her residence was a lucky coincidence. “My mother was the one who told me about it,” says Shiva who played hockey at the university-level while in Mumbai. She says that even the cab and auto drivers seem excited about the tournament. “There’s a nice energy here!
Now, an avid follower who tries to catch most tournaments online, Shiva adds with a laugh, “The first day I came here, I thought there would be no crowd since you generally don’t see that around hockey, but surprisingly, I couldn’t find a seat. Now, I make it a point to come earlier.”
India will play Pakistan on August 9 at 8.30pm. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketgenie.in or fih.hockey for ₹100, ₹300 and ₹400 and at the stadium.
