By Ashok Thapa
KATHMANDU, June 29 (Xinhua)-- Most streets in this Nepali capital city used to be deserted even during early evening hours.
But not anymore. Since June 12 when the 2014 FIFA World Cup opened in Brazil, most of Kathmandu's streets have become lively and animated with Nepalis, young and old, watching eagerly soccer games played by their favorite teams thousands of miles away.
Wearing jersey representing their desired teams, these football fans can be seen around television sets or projectors showing the live games.
World Cup games telecasted live from Brazil generally reach Nepal's television sets from 9:45 pm to 3:45 am due to the time difference between the two countries. The two countries have also a wide gap in geography, religion, culture and a way of life. But these differences did not stop the Nepalese from staying long hours into the night just to watch the games in Brazil.
Although in a high-altitude country, Nepalese have lately been interested in football. In fact, the Nepalese government has encouraged the local football players to train for international competitions. "Among all sports, football is the most interesting and among all football competitions, World Cup is the largest and most popular one,"Bikram Majumdar, a senior web designer for a Kathmandu based private institute, told Xinhua.
According to him, he cannot afford not to watch World Cup after a four-year-long wait. Majumdar, a diehard fan of Argentina, has been following the games since the very first day, no matter how much trouble he feels the following day due to limited rest at night.
With the growth of media especially cable channels, technology and information communication in the poor South Asian country, the craze for World Cup games among general Nepalis has gone phenomenal in recent times. Unlike in the past, many Nepali women, ranging from students, professionals and housewives, now also watch the World Cup games, shouting and rooting for their favorite teams. "Gone are the days when this sporting event was purely a man's affair. We women are now equally interested in the games,"said Anuradha Sharma, a professional.
She said she never missed Argentina's games, adding that she always get excited and thrilled every time she watches the tall and husky Argentina players running in the football field as they aim for a goal. The 26-year-old Sharma, however, does not watch the games in public squares like some of her compatriots but at her own home with her family.
According to Suresh Neupane, a social thinker and critic, apart from joy and excitement, people have yet another reason to watch football games. "The best thing about football games is the swiftness and romance that it carries,"he said."People follows the game because they have the desire to have the same swiftness in life and see their own life's alter ego in the games."
Neupane, an avid supporter of Germany's team, said that a football match has a message to people, that even a simple mistake is unpardonable. "In real life, this is also true because a simple mistake can cost you your career or even your life. This is the major strength of football games,"he said.
Ajay Phuyal, a sports journalist, said that with the impact of globalization and the advances of communications technology, the mania for football in Nepal will never stop now. "It rather will keep on increasing with every next edition of World Cup,"he said.
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