In Temple City, a hockey pilgrimage

Hockey came home. The 2018 Russian call with England may have a derisory consequence, but in the current context, it fits perfectly.

For most players, a hockey tournament in India is more than just a sport: it's almost a spiritual journey. And a competition in Bhubaneswar, a world cup not less, looks like a homecoming. "It's a life experience to play here," said Argentinian star Gonzalo Peillat, Cristiano Ronaldo's equivalent to world hockey.

Bhubaneswar is not the birthplace of hockey. But talk to the people and they will spend hours convincing you that this is where their soul lies. Hockey is not just a way of life for them; it's life, especially for those in the tribal belt. That's why Hockey India has shown the courage to stage an event of this magnitude in a city that has never seen anything like it. "Sixteen countries are going to Odisha, imagine yourself!" Said Bijoy, a motorist. "All because of hockey. If not, why would they care about this place?

This World Cup is a mix of sport, society and politics. The state has spread to the world like no other host before them. They have been innovative and aggressive, not something you usually badociate with the sport. Hockey tournaments around the world are generally underestimated. But Bhubaneswar broke the mold with bling.

In recent months, the organizers have deployed buses revealing the "best kept secret" of India in London, Berlin, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur and Breda to try to seduce tourists. The sparkling golden beaches of Puri have been sold as hotspots for holidaymakers and amusement parks have been laid out throughout Odisha, mainly in hockey belts like Rourkela and Sundergarh.

Athletes from all walks of life supported the event. The biggest Bollywood celebrities will perform at the opening ceremony. The city itself has undergone a deep facelift, the walls adorned with murals depicting the global stars of the female and male game.

On Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik posed with the trophy and sixteen captains at the Mukhteshwar Temple, while Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera participated in a hawan in the stands while Argentina and Canada were playing a practice match. "All the necessary efforts have been made to make sure everything goes well, it takes divine intervention to make sure everything goes well," said one of Behera's security guards.

There is not only effort, a lot of money has been spent. The Odisha government claims to have spent nearly 100 billion rupees to renovate the stadium and mark the tournament. Expenses are not limited to branding.

Magical Makeover

The Kalinga Stadium underwent unrecognizable transformation. Four years ago, while holding its first tournament – the Champions Trophy – it was a worn-out and devoid of character. Now it looks clbady. The two brand new stands, sumptuous locker rooms and sparkling VIP display cases give the stadium a trendy look.

You can feel the atmosphere even when it is empty. It's hard to imagine what will happen when local stars Birender Lakra and Amit Rohidas go around the charge. In fact, this is not the case. "It's going to be crazy, huh?" Wonders Australian legend Ric Charlesworth. "They did an amazing job with the stadium."

It's refreshing. But it is also debatable. Moderate objections were expressed as to the extent of government spending. There is also political connotation, with many locals suggesting that the current BJD government is trying to score crucial points for brownies by projecting the World Cup as its own success: the many palisades in Patnaik scattered throughout the country. city ​​do not try to hide this bit. The other argument may be that hockey, finally, is doing well. For too long, the sport has groaned at the thought of receiving maternal treatment. Of course, the ladder and cups of the hockey world can not be compared to football or cricket. But there is a difference. With football, nations often feel that they have been used. FIFA's sanitation and sanitation strategy takes away identity from the host city.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH), for its part, does not interfere. So far, they have only been involved in the technical aspects. Of course, it is beneficial to the organizers that the FIH President, Narinder Batra, was the head of Hockey India not long ago and continues to exert considerable influence even today. With this Bhubaneshwar background, the tournament already has so much to offer that it would be a pity that sports stars do not weave their magic. The scene is ready for the biggest names in the game – for Peillat, Florian Fuchs, Mink van der Weerden and others, although India hopes to quell them.

Maybe a new-generation superstar will emerge in the form of the Spanish Enrique Gonzalez, among the few who still practice the art of dribbling endangered, or even Dilpreet Singh, the young Indian who has turned a lot of heads with his opportunistic finish. Australia continues its third consecutive title, an unprecedented feat. A few years ago, it seemed like a distant possibility, but they did not just survive the transitional phase, they came out stronger. But their task will be made difficult by a Dutch reborn team and a Belgian team always ready to justify its label "generation in gold".

If past tournaments are a model, anything is possible. One thing is certain: if the temple city is the spiritual home of hockey, the players will be its main priests for three weeks.