Bats Have Been Around In Their Present Form For About 50 Million Years, So They Were: Fill & Download for Free

Mesoamerica's Batman- CamazotzCamazotz Maya style Batman suit created by Mexican designer Kimbal, Batman Exhabition, 2015. Source:Kimbal DesignSome 2,500 years ago, and even before DC Comics introduced us to Batman[1][1][1][1] , the ancient Maya worshiped Camazotz, an ancient god that had the body of a person and the head of a bat, one of the most dominating dieties in the pre-Hispanic pantheon. Curiously, that description may sound awfully similar to a character most of us are familiar with, seeing him in movies, series, and comic strips.Camazotz, (meaning ‘death bat’ in the Kʼiche’ Mayan language of Guatemala) originated deep in Mesoamerican mythology as a dangerous cave-dwelling bat creature.[2][2][2][2] Beginning around 100 BCE, the cult of Camazotz worshiped an anthropomorphic monster with the body of a human, head of a bat. Camazotz is also one of the four animal demons responsible for wiping out mankind during the age of the first sun.[3][3][3][3]Amongst the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, the bat was associated with night, death, and sacrifice, and was later adopted into the pantheon of the Maya Quiche tribe.[4][4][4][4]Legends of the bat god were later recorded in Maya literature.One of the few original drawings of Camazotz (Camazotz: the Maya Batman)Long before Dracula, there was Camazotz, spirit of death in the form of a bat. Camazotz is the servant of the Lord of Death, leading the nightly arrival of twilight, the time when bats emerge from their caves. He lived in bloody grottoes and other dark places that people tried to avoid for fear of disturbing him.[5][5][5][5] It has been found that the Nahua horseshoe-shaped temples of the Aztecs were dedicated to the worship of the bat god.[6][6][6][6] Their altars were made of pure gold and oriented towards the East.It was believed that the bat god had power to cure any disease, but also power to cut the divine cord of life that unites the body to the soul.[7][7][7][7] Nahua priests invoked the bat god when asking for health.[8][8][8][8] The tzinacan (bat) was sketched upon steles, codices, hearths, basins and Mayan vessels holding the livery of the God of the air.[9][9][9][9] He is shown with a nasal appendage and triangular teeth that protrude downwardly from the commissures of his lips.His mouth is characteristic because of its canine and inferior, incisive teeth covered by his tongue, that always appears protruded in the Zapotec urns. He has big, well-formed ears, and protruding from them in the shape of leaves appears the tragus made of jade. He has short fingers on his paws that point towards the heights, in order to utilize the suckers on the palm of his hands (the suckers that serve the bat when it hangs itself from smooth surfaces), and his nasal appendage is in the form of a mounted chair or leaf.[10][10][10][10]California Leaf-nosed bat Fact SheetBecause his nose is described as being like a flint knife, there is some speculation that Camazotz is a leaf-nosed bat, as for example, the false vampire (Vampyrum spectrum), the largest bat in the Western hemisphere.[11][11][11][11] This has led to conjecture about the source of the myth. Some believe the ancient peoples based him on the common vampire bat or on Desmodus draculae, a much larger species, both leaf-nosed as well. Both of these species inhabited the area of Oaxaca, Mexico in 100 A.D. when a bat deity was first mentioned in a cult of the Zapotec tribe.[12][12][12][12]In the beginning, bats in pre-Columbian cultures were not associated with evil.[13][13][13][13] They were believed to be powerful creatures, spirits and even gods. In most of Pre-Columbian codices such as for example, Codex Borgia, bats (having human form or personality) are depicted as involved in human sacrifice.[14][14][14][14] For example, in the Tajin pre-Columbian stone sculptures of Veracruz, vampire bats are depicted as gods and are also mentioned in epic myths and in the book of creation, Popol Vuh.[15][15][15][15]Jade mask depicting the Zapotec bat god found in the ruins of the pyramids of Monte Alban.(Mask of the Bat God)The Zapotecs believed bats represented night, death, and sacrifice. This was likely due to the fact that the bats would inhabit the caves around the sacred cenotes, which the Mesoamericans believed were portals to the underworld.[16][16][16][16] It would be a very chilling sight at dusk when the bats would swarm out of these ‘portals’ and begin drinking the blood of the other animals. The god is also commonly depicted holding a sacrificial knife in one hand and a human heart or sacrificial victim in the other.[17][17][17][17]Camazotz was eventually adopted into the mythology of the K’iche’ (or Quiché) Maya in Guatemala, though they merged him with their god of fire, Zotzilaha Chamalcan.[18][18][18][18]The Popol Vuh, the book of the council ‘or’ book of the community’, is a compilation of mythical, legendary and historical narratives of the K’iche; the Mayan people inhabiting modern-day Guatemala.[19][19][19][19]Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué : The twins who created timeCamazotz first appears in the Popul Vuh as a bat man/ angelic figure that descends from Heaven in order to decapitate the wooden humans of the second creation of the gods Tepeu and Kukulkan, for being imperfect and having no feelings.[20][20][20][20] In creation myths, Zotzilaha was the name of the House of Bats in the underworld where the hero twins were forced to spend the night by the lords of Xibalba.[21][21][21][21] This chilling place, was a frightening cave that was located in what is now Alta Verapaz, near Cobán in the Republic of Guatemala.[22][22][22][22]The legend is that the hero twins slept inside their blowguns as protection from the bats (referred to as Camazotz). However, when the bats went silent, Xbalanqué asked Hunahpú to check if dawn had come and Hunahpú did so by poking his head out of the tube. But, in fact, it was not yet dawn and one of the bats took the opportunity to swoop down and rip away Hunahpú’s head, leaving him decapitated. Xbalanqué was left inside the tube, questioning what his brother was seeing and why he had gone so still without receiving any answers. The bat then took the head of Hunahpú to the ball court of the Xibalba lords to be gruesomely displayed and used as a ball while the lords rejoiced in their assumed victory. Later in the Popol Vuh, a messenger from the underworld in the form of a humanoid bat (believed to be Camazotz) appears to broker a deal between humanity and Lord Tohil, the patron god of the K’iche’.[23][23][23][23]In this deal, mankind promised their armpits and their waists in exchange for fire which is how the ritual of cutting open a person’s breast in sacrifice came to be.[24][24][24][24] Some myths claim that, during the day, Camazotz would turn into a stone statue and therefore could only move at night, but this has not been confirmed.[25][25][25][25]Artist’s illustration of a Chonchon. ( CC-BY-SA)Bat-like demons and monsters are common in South America and Central America. Another example of such a story is the Chonchon in Peru and Chile, which is thought to be created when a sorcerer, known as a kaku, performs a magical rite causing his severed head to sprout giant ears and talons at death.[26][26][26][26] The giant ears become wings.This ubiquity of giant bat monster legends leads many archaeologists to propose that the monsters have a basis in encounters with a real animal - such as the vampire bat. The vampire bat is favored because of its historical association with bloodletting and sacrifice.[27][27][27][27] It is, however, possible that the legends could be derived from a giant bat that was present during the Pleistocene or early Holocene– one which may still exist today.Bats are considered to be menacing creatures in many cultures. Nocturnal and associated with the night, bats are often associated with death. Many common species also have a relatively bizarre appearance, which makes them all the more off-putting for humans. It doesn’t help that there is a species that actually sucks blood (the vampire bat, Desmodus Rotundus ).Desmodus Draculae (Desmodus Draculae)In 1988, a fossil of a vampire bat was discovered in the Mongas province of Venezuela. The bat was larger than the modern vampire bat by 25% and was dubbed Desmodus Draculae . It is more popularly known as the giant vampire bat.[28][28][28][28]Sites containing examples of it have been found in the Yucatan, Belize, northern Brazil, and Venezuela. In 2000, a tooth from D. Draculae was found in Argentina - much farther south of the modern range of the Desmodus genus.[29][29][29][29] It is difficult to date exactly when D. Draculae went extinct, or if it went extinct at all. All of the sites have been dated so far to between the Late Pleistocene and Late Holocene.[30][30][30][30]The latest age found for a D. Draculae site is 300 BP (circa 1650 AD).[31][31][31][31] The latest age in central America is hard to ascertain, but it is probably either Late Pleistocene or Holocene. These dates make it very possible that D. Draculae coexisted with humans in South America and Central America, and humans could have come into contact with D. Draculae, though towards the Late Holocene they would have been vanishingly rare.[32][32][32][32]Bat sculptures, Codex Style vase, and polychrome plate, an introductory corpus of Maya representations of anthropomorphicized bats of the Late ClassicIn addition to this evidence, there have been mysterious sightings of giant bats or bat-like creatures. One of the earliest sightings dates to 1947 when J. Harrison claimed to have seen five large flying creatures which were described as giant bats (though some people also claimed that they were living pterosaurs).[33][33][33][33]Harrison’s birds were brown, featherless, and beaked, with a wingspan of 12 feet.[34][34][34][34]In the early 1950s, a Brazilian couple claimed that they encountered a bat-like creature in the same valley that fossils of D. Draculae were discovered in Brazil.[35][35][35][35] One night in the early 1950s, they were walking through a forest outside of Pelotas, Brazil, when they saw two large “birds” in a tree, both of which alighted on the ground.[36][36][36][36] Although reported as winged humanoids, the proximity of the sighting area to the Ribeira Valley, where the Brazilian specimen of D. draculae was found, forces one to wonder whether the Reals’ “birds” were actually bats.Another incident occurred in 1975 when an outbreak of animal mutilations hit Puerto Rico. A farmer said that he was repeatedly attacked by two grey bird-like creatures.[37][37][37][37] These creatures were also seen by others throughout the mutilation outbreak. Another sighting occurred in the mid-1970s in Texas, when a farmer asserted that he had encountered bald bat or pterosaur-like creatures with short beaks and gorilla-like faces.[38][38][38][38] Three toed prints of this creature were also said to have been found.Comparisons of the fossil skulls of Desmodus draculae (left) with the Common Vampire Bat, Desmodus rotundus . (Illustrations by Jan Freedman , based on the Figures in Morgan et al. 1988)The common vampire bat, D. Rotundus has an eight-inch (20.32 cm) wingspan.[39][39][39][39] Since D. Draculae was 25% larger, it would have required more blood and probably would have attacked larger animals - and possibly even humans. It is undoubtable that an attack by a rare giant bat would give rise to legends of supernatural monsters.Prior to the spread of people and domestic livestock, it is thought that vampire bats (here we're mostly talking about the Common vampire Desmodus rotundus) most likely fed on capybaras, tapirs, peccaries, deer and birds, though we also know that they sometimes feed on fruit bats and reptiles.[40][40][40][40] Populations that live on islands off the Peruvian and Chilean coasts feed on seabirds and sealions. Now that the Americas are full of millions of cattle, horses, donkeys, pigs and chickens however, vampires have largely switched to these domestic prey, and it is said that the majority of modern colonies now feed entirely on the blood of livestock, particularly cattle, horses and donkeys.[41][41][41][41]Vampires have done well thanks to this modern influx of domestic animals: it is estimated that between 500,000 and two million head of livestock are lost each year due to vampire bats, equal to between 50 million and a quarter billion dollars.[42][42][42][42] Deaths are not caused by the bat's feeding activities, but by the diseases they transmit, most notably rabies, murrina and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE). During the 20th century, Common vampire bats appear to have increased in numbers as the numbers of livestock ranches grew, and it also seems that vampires have been moving northwards since the 1950s: in 1967 a Hairy-legged vampire Diphylla ecaudata was shot dead in Texas[43][43][43][43] , making it the only vampire yet reported from the USA in modern times.Vampire bats evolved in a world very different from today's. Central and South America was once home to a whole community of native megafauna that the bats probably fed on—big, warm-blooded animals like mastodons,gomphotheres, giant ground sloths, giant armadillos, toxodons, with strong heat signatures for hungry bats to zero in on.[44][44][44][44] But all of those began to rapidly plummet into extinction about 15,000 years ago.If vampires do so well when confronted with abundant big mammalian prey, it is tempting to speculate that vampires were more abundant, and perhaps taxonomically more diverse, in the past than they are today.[45][45][45][45] As is known, the Americas are largely devoid of the megafaunal assemblage that characterized them until just a few tens of thousands of years ago. Could this speculation be true?Left: Mayan Bat Effigy; Right: Pre-Columbian Maya bat god sculpture in Museo Popol Vuh in Guatemala City. (Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages)Despite the tantalizing fossil evidence, and the strange stories about encounters with giant bats, there isn’t any indisputable evidence at the moment that D. Draculae was common enough to be encountered by ancient inhabitants of South America and Central America on a regular basis, or that the giant vampire bat is still alive today and could thus be the creature reported in giant bat sightings.Nonetheless, the fact that the fossil evidence suggests that D. Draculae may have coexisted with humans for thousands of years in the Americas[46][46][46][46] and the ubiquitous legends of bat-like monsters all over south and central America does make it a plausible connection.Although the mentions of Camazotz in the antiquity are meager, in the modernity it enjoys certain popularity. His most recent appearance is in the Hellboy movie of this year, directed by Neil Marshall.[47][47][47][47] And it’s also one of the monsters that Hellboy faces, in 2010 Mexico comic book.To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Batman in 2014, Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment, challenged artists to develop a new suit for Batman. The batman sculpture depicted above was created by an artist named Kimbal. He explained in his gallery that he designed Batman's bust with references to the Mayan's own "bat man," a god in ancient Mayan mythology. The colors and shapes of the decoration are inspired by the ceramic braceros found in the temple of the foliated cross in the archaeological ruins of Palenque, generating a piece that pays tribute to our pre-Hispanic past.[48][48][48][48]Footnotes[1] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/07/22/batman-at-75-highlights-in-the-life-of-the-caped-crusader&ved=2ahUKEwi21-nkkc7iAhUHca0KHUOtBVgQFjABegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw2oomiTkr0xZn5FQSktq_qa[1] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/07/22/batman-at-75-highlights-in-the-life-of-the-caped-crusader&ved=2ahUKEwi21-nkkc7iAhUHca0KHUOtBVgQFjABegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw2oomiTkr0xZn5FQSktq_qa[1] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/07/22/batman-at-75-highlights-in-the-life-of-the-caped-crusader&ved=2ahUKEwi21-nkkc7iAhUHca0KHUOtBVgQFjABegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw2oomiTkr0xZn5FQSktq_qa[1] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/07/22/batman-at-75-highlights-in-the-life-of-the-caped-crusader&ved=2ahUKEwi21-nkkc7iAhUHca0KHUOtBVgQFjABegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw2oomiTkr0xZn5FQSktq_qa[2] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[2] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[2] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[2] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[3] Decapitating Demons May Be the Oldest Fearsome Entities of Ancient Egypt[3] Decapitating Demons May Be the Oldest Fearsome Entities of Ancient Egypt[3] Decapitating Demons May Be the Oldest Fearsome Entities of Ancient Egypt[3] Decapitating Demons May Be the Oldest Fearsome Entities of Ancient Egypt[4] Aztec statue of Zapotec-Aztec bat god, 300-900 A.D., Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh | PBS LearningMedia[4] Aztec statue of Zapotec-Aztec bat god, 300-900 A.D., Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh | PBS LearningMedia[4] Aztec statue of Zapotec-Aztec bat god, 300-900 A.D., Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh | PBS LearningMedia[4] Aztec statue of Zapotec-Aztec bat god, 300-900 A.D., Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh | PBS LearningMedia[5] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[5] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[5] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[5] Camazotz: “Death Bat” Vampire God In Ancient Maya Beliefs | Ancient Pages[6] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[6] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[6] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[6] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[7] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[7] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[7] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[7] The Aztec Empire: Society, Politics, Religion, and Agriculture - History[8] Aztec Pantheon[8] Aztec Pantheon[8] Aztec Pantheon[8] Aztec Pantheon[9] New Aztec history facts[9] New Aztec history facts[9] New Aztec history facts[9] New Aztec history facts[10] The Bat God[10] The Bat God[10] The Bat God[10] The Bat God[11] American Leaf-Nosed Bats: Phyllostomidae[11] American Leaf-Nosed Bats: Phyllostomidae[11] American Leaf-Nosed Bats: Phyllostomidae[11] American Leaf-Nosed Bats: Phyllostomidae[12] Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in World Art[12] Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in World Art[12] Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in World Art[12] Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in World Art[13] http://Read K. 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Mesoamerican Mythology A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals [14] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.academia.edu/11718147/Narrative_and_Ritual_in_the_Codex_Borgia&ved=2ahUKEwiwpp_6ls7iAhUKMawKHTkrB5AQFjAQegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0k2WNKJjIOtGWgg_fHaMxM[14] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.academia.edu/11718147/Narrative_and_Ritual_in_the_Codex_Borgia&ved=2ahUKEwiwpp_6ls7iAhUKMawKHTkrB5AQFjAQegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0k2WNKJjIOtGWgg_fHaMxM[14] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.academia.edu/11718147/Narrative_and_Ritual_in_the_Codex_Borgia&ved=2ahUKEwiwpp_6ls7iAhUKMawKHTkrB5AQFjAQegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0k2WNKJjIOtGWgg_fHaMxM[14] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.academia.edu/11718147/Narrative_and_Ritual_in_the_Codex_Borgia&ved=2ahUKEwiwpp_6ls7iAhUKMawKHTkrB5AQFjAQegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0k2WNKJjIOtGWgg_fHaMxM[15] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/uf/e0/04/10/40/00001/olmossparks_i.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj6g5aul87iAhVBQ6wKHfaiAO0QFjASegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1Q4lcqY7DsaE-9BdamxgTv[15] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/uf/e0/04/10/40/00001/olmossparks_i.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj6g5aul87iAhVBQ6wKHfaiAO0QFjASegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1Q4lcqY7DsaE-9BdamxgTv[15] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/uf/e0/04/10/40/00001/olmossparks_i.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj6g5aul87iAhVBQ6wKHfaiAO0QFjASegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1Q4lcqY7DsaE-9BdamxgTv[15] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/uf/e0/04/10/40/00001/olmossparks_i.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj6g5aul87iAhVBQ6wKHfaiAO0QFjASegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1Q4lcqY7DsaE-9BdamxgTv[16] Insectivorous Bat Activity at Cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico[16] Insectivorous Bat Activity at Cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico[16] Insectivorous Bat Activity at Cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico[16] Insectivorous Bat Activity at Cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico[17] Maya Hieroglyphs of the Bat as Metaphorgrams[17] Maya Hieroglyphs of the Bat as Metaphorgrams[17] Maya Hieroglyphs of the Bat as Metaphorgrams[17] Maya Hieroglyphs of the Bat as Metaphorgrams[18] Angelica Tonatzin[18] Angelica Tonatzin[18] Angelica Tonatzin[18] Angelica Tonatzin[19] https://maya.nmai.si.edu/the-maya/creation-story-maya[19] https://maya.nmai.si.edu/the-maya/creation-story-maya[19] https://maya.nmai.si.edu/the-maya/creation-story-maya[19] https://maya.nmai.si.edu/the-maya/creation-story-maya[20] THE CREATION MYTHS![20] THE CREATION MYTHS![20] THE CREATION MYTHS![20] THE CREATION MYTHS![21] Camazotz: The Mayan Bat God | HistoricalMX[21] Camazotz: The Mayan Bat God | HistoricalMX[21] Camazotz: The Mayan Bat God | HistoricalMX[21] Camazotz: The Mayan Bat God | HistoricalMX[22] Bat sculptures, Codex Style vase, and polychrome plate, an introductory corpus of Maya representations of anthropomorphicized bats of the Late Classic[22] Bat sculptures, Codex Style vase, and polychrome plate, an introductory corpus of Maya representations of anthropomorphicized bats of the Late Classic[22] Bat sculptures, Codex Style vase, and polychrome plate, an introductory corpus of Maya representations of anthropomorphicized bats of the Late Classic[22] Bat sculptures, Codex Style vase, and polychrome plate, an introductory corpus of Maya representations of anthropomorphicized bats of the Late Classic[23] Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué : The twins who created time[23] Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué : The twins who created time[23] Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué : The twins who created time[23] Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué : The twins who created time[24] Bats and the Camazotz: Correcting a Century of Mistaken Identity by J.E. 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F. J., and E. P. Tonni. "A giant vampire (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the Late Holocene from the Argentinean pampas: paleoenvironmental significance." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 160.3 (2000): 213-221.[32] http://Pardiñas, U. F. J., and E. P. Tonni. "A giant vampire (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the Late Holocene from the Argentinean pampas: paleoenvironmental significance." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 160.3 (2000): 213-221.[32] http://Pardiñas, U. F. J., and E. P. Tonni. "A giant vampire (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the Late Holocene from the Argentinean pampas: paleoenvironmental significance." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 160.3 (2000): 213-221.[32] http://Pardiñas, U. F. J., and E. P. Tonni. "A giant vampire (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the Late Holocene from the Argentinean pampas: paleoenvironmental significance." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 160.3 (2000): 213-221.[33] Ghosts and Demons: The Lost Things[33] Ghosts and Demons: The Lost Things[33] Ghosts and Demons: The Lost Things[33] Ghosts and Demons: The Lost Things[34] Tumblr[34] Tumblr[34] Tumblr[34] Tumblr[35] Tumblr[35] Tumblr[35] Tumblr[35] Tumblr[36] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/122016-JFWM-093.S2&ved=2ahUKEwjc3-Tyj87iAhVEmK0KHVy3C1oQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2nx6St6dhFbvWKx1t5cr_l[36] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/122016-JFWM-093.S2&ved=2ahUKEwjc3-Tyj87iAhVEmK0KHVy3C1oQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2nx6St6dhFbvWKx1t5cr_l[36] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/122016-JFWM-093.S2&ved=2ahUKEwjc3-Tyj87iAhVEmK0KHVy3C1oQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2nx6St6dhFbvWKx1t5cr_l[36] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/122016-JFWM-093.S2&ved=2ahUKEwjc3-Tyj87iAhVEmK0KHVy3C1oQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2nx6St6dhFbvWKx1t5cr_l[37] Cattle mutilation for 40 YEARS stumps FBI and farmers[37] Cattle mutilation for 40 YEARS stumps FBI and farmers[37] Cattle mutilation for 40 YEARS stumps FBI and farmers[37] Cattle mutilation for 40 YEARS stumps FBI and farmers[38] Terrorizing Big Bird - Harlingen, Texas - True Horror Stories of Texas[38] Terrorizing Big Bird - Harlingen, Texas - True Horror Stories of Texas[38] Terrorizing Big Bird - Harlingen, Texas - True Horror Stories of Texas[38] Terrorizing Big Bird - Harlingen, Texas - True Horror Stories of Texas[39] Desmodus rotundus[39] Desmodus rotundus[39] Desmodus rotundus[39] Desmodus rotundus[40] Liquid lunch - vampire bats feed on invasive feral pigs and other ungulates[40] Liquid lunch - vampire bats feed on invasive feral pigs and other ungulates[40] Liquid lunch - vampire bats feed on invasive feral pigs and other ungulates[40] Liquid lunch - vampire bats feed on invasive feral pigs and other ungulates[41] Giant extinct vampire bats: bane of the Pleistocene megafauna[41] Giant extinct vampire bats: bane of the Pleistocene megafauna[41] Giant extinct vampire bats: bane of the Pleistocene megafauna[41] Giant extinct vampire bats: bane of the Pleistocene megafauna[42] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/96/1/54/5409657/gyu002.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjasOKlrNDiAhVEWK0KHYR4BaEQFjAWegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw03jkAiabGC2nqpWYDdLIDn[42] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/96/1/54/5409657/gyu002.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjasOKlrNDiAhVEWK0KHYR4BaEQFjAWegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw03jkAiabGC2nqpWYDdLIDn[42] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/96/1/54/5409657/gyu002.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjasOKlrNDiAhVEWK0KHYR4BaEQFjAWegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw03jkAiabGC2nqpWYDdLIDn[42] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/96/1/54/5409657/gyu002.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjasOKlrNDiAhVEWK0KHYR4BaEQFjAWegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw03jkAiabGC2nqpWYDdLIDn[43] Observations of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata) in captivity[43] Observations of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata) in captivity[43] Observations of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata) in captivity[43] Observations of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata) in captivity[44] What a Vampire Bat Can Teach Us About the Economics of Friendship[44] What a Vampire Bat Can Teach Us About the Economics of Friendship[44] What a Vampire Bat Can Teach Us About the Economics of Friendship[44] What a Vampire Bat Can Teach Us About the Economics of Friendship[45] Essays on Wildlife Conservation ~ MarineBio Conservation Society[45] Essays on Wildlife Conservation ~ MarineBio Conservation Society[45] Essays on Wildlife Conservation ~ MarineBio Conservation Society[45] Essays on Wildlife Conservation ~ MarineBio Conservation Society[46] http://Czaplewski, Nicolas J., Jean Krejca, and Thomas E. Miller. "Late quaternary bats from Cebada Cave, Chiquibul cave system, Belize." Caribbean Journal of Science 39.1 (2003): 23-33.[46] http://Czaplewski, Nicolas J., Jean Krejca, and Thomas E. Miller. "Late quaternary bats from Cebada Cave, Chiquibul cave system, Belize." Caribbean Journal of Science 39.1 (2003): 23-33.[46] http://Czaplewski, Nicolas J., Jean Krejca, and Thomas E. Miller. "Late quaternary bats from Cebada Cave, Chiquibul cave system, Belize." Caribbean Journal of Science 39.1 (2003): 23-33.[46] http://Czaplewski, Nicolas J., Jean Krejca, and Thomas E. Miller. "Late quaternary bats from Cebada Cave, Chiquibul cave system, Belize." Caribbean Journal of Science 39.1 (2003): 23-33.[47] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hellboy.fandom.com/wiki/Hellboy_in_Mexico_(story)&ved=2ahUKEwjBxoWpmc7iAhVKR60KHehUDzYQFjAKegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw1S3VUw8wGunbEbrTmyctg8[47] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hellboy.fandom.com/wiki/Hellboy_in_Mexico_(story)&ved=2ahUKEwjBxoWpmc7iAhVKR60KHehUDzYQFjAKegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw1S3VUw8wGunbEbrTmyctg8[47] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hellboy.fandom.com/wiki/Hellboy_in_Mexico_(story)&ved=2ahUKEwjBxoWpmc7iAhVKR60KHehUDzYQFjAKegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw1S3VUw8wGunbEbrTmyctg8[47] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hellboy.fandom.com/wiki/Hellboy_in_Mexico_(story)&ved=2ahUKEwjBxoWpmc7iAhVKR60KHehUDzYQFjAKegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw1S3VUw8wGunbEbrTmyctg8[48] Behance[48] Behance[48] Behance[48] Behance

This is probably because the said 90s actresses were loved and adored more for their physical beauty and youth, and sadly not for their acting prowess. I have always felt that Indian cinema has two categories of female cine artistes - the heroines and the actresses.The ‘heroines’ were not expected to act much. Nobody would take them seriously. They were just support factors for their male counterparts and to gyrate to silly dance steps in dream sequences, and play the hapless victim who gets abducted by the evil villain so that the ‘hero’ can come and save her from the baddies. More emphasis was given to the way they were presented on screen. Their introduction scene had to have the obligatory wind in the hair slow-mo shot, with the hero falling head over heels in love with her at that instant.Now, what happens is that, the audience does just the same. They develop the same feelings for the ‘heroine’ as the hero portrays. She becomes the girlfriend of their dreams…a perpetually young and beautiful helpless creature who has to be taken care of and then she will dance with them around trees and give them shy looks, even if they look like a chimp with broken teeth in real life.You don’t need to pay to fantasize, anyway. Why do you think senseless movies fare better than sensible ones? Because senseless movies often depict the actors with a larger-than-life image and they portray the actress as a dimwit who has no clue about what the hell is going on around her.Although I am not entirely sure why this happens, I am tempted to believe that a lot of men like to see women portrayed that way…dull, pretty and who depends on them to know if it is night or day now. *rolls eyes*This clueless nature looks cute when they are young. When they get older, looking/behaving as clueless as they did in their 20s makes them look like idiots.Sridevi did a role like what she did in ‘Sadma’. Can she do it now? Maybe she can. But will she be considered adorable? No. So, the way a person is perceived changes with their age. What seemed cute in their 20s might seem obnoxious when they do the same thing in their 40s.Many of the actresses who ruled celluloid in the 90s have given some sterling performances in movies that went largely unnoticed. Why did they go unnoticed? Because ‘acting’ is the job of ‘actresses’ not heroines! A movie like ‘Coolie No. 1’ became one of Karisma Kapoor’s biggest career hits. An astounding movie like ‘Zubeidaa’ went kaput at the box office.The only saving grace is that it won a National Award for best film the year it was released. If that isn’t sad, I don’t know what is! I could quote numerous examples like this.We have come 20 years ahead after the 90s. In 20 years, age would have taken a toll on these ladies and it is only common sense that they cannot do roles that portray them as 20 year old college girls. Don’t we hear a lot of these actresses being referred to as ‘Aunties’ (even if they look like a million bucks)?I often wondered why. Once some random Indian guy had been kind enough to explain somewhere on some comment thread that all Indian women above 35 are considered to be aunties. Stupid logic, I know. But apparently, that’s how it works. Don't believe me? Go to Google images, punch in ‘Indian aunties’ and see the results. Apologies in advance for the excessive cellulite show!So, our dear menfolk don’t really want to see ‘aunties’ doing romance on screen. They pay to see only a young shapely body and a pretty face who can only talk cute! It’s probably a subconscious thing that women over 35 in India are supposed to be at home helping with their kids’ homework and planning dinner…and not thinking of things like love and romance.Well…meh! :-/But the producers and directors know what the audience wants and they are prepared to give it to them. Cast a 22 year old heroine opposite a nearly 50 year old man and nobody bats an eyelid.Do it the other way round, and all hell breaks loose!Like I said, people pay to be able to fantasize. The idea of a man being able to romance a girl old enough to be his daughter gives people a weird high! And though these male and female artistes start out at the same time, the men stay on longer because they get to practice their art for a longer time. They don’t get called uncles after they reach 35…or 45 or even 55 for that matter! The shelf life of an average Indian actress is much much lesser than that of a male artiste, even if she has not suffered much in the looks department.So, in order to remain relevant and to have a job, most of these ladies move over to serious cinema or even theater after their glam days are over. They act in more and more meaningful cinema and finally get the tag that they have always yearned for…an actress! I am very proud of what the 90s actresses are doing today. The accolades they earn are well deserved…Meanwhile, the men continue to romance younger and younger girls. Look at the case of south Indian actress Meena, for instance.Over her time in the industry, she has acted with Malayalam superstar Mammootty as his daughter, as his girlfriend, as his wife and as his mother!*facepalm*Honestly, I don’t think this is going to change anytime soon. The silver lining on the cloud is that the female artistes are freed from the clutches of the glamour world a lot earlier and that they get to concentrate on acting as an art rather than a medium just to show off their shapely waist.

“Nasser Hussain actually called me a Bus driver :) was good to take them for a ride.”Mohammad Kaif tweeted this a year ago after being asked about the talk he had with Yuvraj Singh during one of the most iconic partnerships of Indian cricket history.India Tour of England, 2002.As many as Nine finals India had lost on a trot before English Summer of 2002. A new looking Team India was on the path of emergence under Dada’s fierce leadership, but somehow the Ghost of Finals kept haunting them one after another.Months before this tour, England had visited India for an ODI series of six matches. Sehwag an opener was born in the series and India was 3–1 ahead before England snatched two close games from the Jaw of defeats and squared up the series tally with 3–3. Despite Dada’s two valiant knocks in the last two matches, Visitors won by 2 and 5 runs leaving millions of Indian fans’ heartbroken.Flintoff’s shirtless run during the winning moment at Wankhede was an act which Indian fans, who worshipped the game like a religion, had to watch it in utter silence and digest it with gruesome agony.Sourav Ganguly had tears in his eyes during the presentation ceremony after the match.The pain was too severe to move on. We fans did move on to some extent but one man couldn’t.Six months later, India was on English soil for a triangular series with Srilanka being the third team. Sachin, batting at number four, hit a couple of centuries in league matches and India was yet again in another final.This time the arena was England’s own hallowed turf which is historically known as The Home of Cricket, The Lord’s.Natwest Final, July 13, 2002, Lord’s.Every inch of Lord’s was occupied, about to witness one of the most thrillingly topsy-turvy ODI ever played.It was getting dark here in India and thousands miles away Nasser Hussain called it right while the coin spun in the air, and since then for the next 4 hours it was the English skipper who controlled the game. Having opted to bat first, he became the fourth English wicket to fall, after scoring his maiden one-day hundred, in the 48th over.The moment he completed his century mark, he pointed his number 3 on the back to lay all the criticism regarding his batting position to rest.There were many players those days who had mastered the art of scoring big against India. Marcus Trescothick, one of those names, was quite dominant right from the beginning of the inning and went on to score 109.They both hammered Indian attack all around the park and put 185 together from only 177 balls which was the highest stand for any wicket for England in one-day cricket against India at that time.Andy Flintoff strolled out to the middle and added to the Indian agony. He provided the final touch with 40 off 32 as England piled a mammoth total of 325, highest ever in a Lord's final.It’d been 30 years since ODI format of the sport had been launched and no Country had ever chased a total of as many as 325 in the history of the game. It was a time when scoring 300+ used to be like sealing the match. It was a time when Cricket used to be Cricket and a target like this was indomitable because of the fact that pitches didn’t use to be flat enough and battles between the bat and the ball used to be evenly poised.325 of those days was simply 425 of today’s.History needed to be altered if India had to avoid their 10th consecutive final defeat.No body gave India a chance with so many obvious reasons.Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag walked out to the middle.Tell you what? Sourav Ganguly was out there in some kind of mood. He was on murdering spree, stepping back to slash through cover whenever Alex Tudor and Flintoff offered him even a tiniest bit of scope outside the off stump. His flat booming six over the point off Flintoff in his very first over was a pure piece of carnage.After 12 overs India was on 80–0 despite Sehwag’s not-so-Sehwag type of inning of 22(37). Ganguly had already smacked 9 fours and a Six during his 52(36). Batting with his patent fluidity, chest-out, brisk walk, and steely glint in his constantly blinking eyes, Dada made the English skipper recount his fielders on the ground. They deployed a couple of more men on off-side but he kept piercing them with ultimate precision.Sehwag was outscored by a huge margin of runs and strike rate in a partnership with the Indian Captain. He needed to do what he often did before it’s too late as they were chasing a target which was never ever achieved in the history of the game.But you can’t keep a character like Sehwag quiet forever, can you? In 13th over bowled by Ronnie Irani, England's most consistent bowler in the series, Sehwag showcased his true-self and whacked 4 fours in 5 deliveries to get the Indian crowd off their feet.100 was raised off 13.1 overs and the entire India hoped. Hoped for a miracle.Guess what? Within an hour, every bit of our hope was crushed. All the excitements were mercilessly butchered, ball by ball and minute by minute. Firstly Dada (60 off 43) was castled by Tudor after an attempt of expensive leg side smack, and then four more wickets followed quickly.Giles got through Sehwag, who tried to play the most delicate of cuts down to third man to a delivery that didn't have the requisite width. Dinesh Mongia was adjudged caught behind against Ronnie Irani.Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar found themselves at the crease having to chase 200 runs in about 31 overs. An ideal situation for them. But Rahul Dravid chipped Irani offering a catching practice to the mid-wicket.And the last nail in the coffin arrived when Sachin Tendulkar seemingly had a death wish, exposing all his stumps and going after Ashley Giles. England team went berserk.(146–5 after 24 overs. Last hour of 11 overs produced 46 runs at cost of 5 top order batsmen. A done and dusted case for India.)The moment Tendulkar threw it in the towel, dirge played in the drawing rooms here in India among people watching it on TV. Dirge played on roofs in villages among fans like me who were glued to Radio listening to live audio commentary.Same old story! 10th consecutive final and here we Indian fans were again trying to gather every bit of courage to accept yet-another-trophy-dream fading away.Nine Finals were already lost, so we will overcome through another disappointment — We thought.We were even bowled out for 54 in the last final. If we could move on with that, we would easily forget it as well. — We thought.We tried to somehow console our hearts and minds for one more time. It was such an enduring task to be an Indian cricket fan those days. Countless of heartbreaks amidst some lifetime glories, yet we prevailed. We were trying to be ready for another one.Millions of them switched off their equipments and went to the bed. While some including me still stuck there hoping for don’t-know-what.It was probably the best decision of my life as a cricket fan. 12 year old me, sleeping under the moon on the roof of my native house while My Dad snored beside me, kept the radio glued to my ears.When 21 year old Mohammad Kaif, playing his 18th ODI, walked out to bat, situation was hopeless as many Indians had already started leaving the stands. Those faces, who sat there despite disarray, emptied out of all colour and smiles, stared at Kaif and 20 year old Yuvraj.And there began a revolutionary piece of Partnership. While the past haunted the Indian fans, the two youngsters rewrote the manual on limited-overs chases. With the field spread out, they just picked gaps in the field and ran the singles. Yuvraj, a natural stroke-player, kept getting boundaries occasionally and that allowed Kaif time to settle down.The game seemed up when they both came together and started their counter-attack. Yuvraj began opening as he lofted Giles into the stands over the mid-wicket fence and Indian crowds were back screaming. 200 was up after 34 overs.They continued to magnify the singles into twos and run for singles that seemed non-existent. English skipper changed his field in almost every over, trying desperately to stop those two utterly determined kids who had steered the ship out of tumultuous waters.The real thrill began when Kaif started opening up as well. The moment he smoked a Darren Gough delivery over extra cover for a steaming boundary, it wafted a new kind of breeze around Indian fans.India hoped again!Three consecutive boundaries from Yuvraj off Flintoff in the 38th over brought up his half-century and the asking rate fell below the seven-run mark for the first time since Tendulkar's departure.They kept the chase alive through their century partnership, though deep within we Indians thought this would be another astonishing fightback in vain as it could be over anytime within matter of a few deliveries.They were regularly finding a boundary in each over and Nasser Hussain could not breathe properly. He tried Collingwood and it costed 10 runs in an over. He brought back Irani and Yuvraj pulled back to find another four.From a position of no hope, the 121-run partnership between Yuvraj (69) and Kaif (50) had rekindled the flame for the Indians. India required 69 off the last 10 overs which was eminently feasible now with the two young batsmen set. Indian fans in the stands there in Lord’s and here in India did not move a bit in an anticipation of History being made. Heart-beats were on the verge of achieving its peak as it looked highly possible for India mathematically.Only concern was that there was no recognised batsman ahead in the line up. The fear of losing a wicket was constantly running into the Indian minds and there came the shock of despair as Yuvraj, looking to paddle Paul Collingwood, got a top-edge and ended his life changing innings in the most ridiculous way possible.He was devastated. He did not want to leave the ground. He almost cried while walking out. He went to the pavilion and couldn’t remove his pads. He was in complete disbelief of what he had done.58 required from off 48 deliveries.Though Kaif looked unfazed by his dismissal. The very first ball of the next over he hit for a flying maximum to keep Indian fans believing. Under intense pressure Harbhajan supported Kaif quite well. He even slogged one handed six off Collingwood to show the world that something special was meant to happen. Fans were going nuts.38 off 36 needed now.They both couldn’t hit a single boundary in 45th and 46th over yet added 13 runs. Kaif ran hard and made Bhajji run even harder.25 runs required from 24 balls.Their front pacer Darren Gough returned in 47th over and even he couldn’t turn the tide for his team. Kaif said, ‘enough of running’ and smoked two booming fours. One of those went like a flash over the cover fielder.Kaif's blade had almost settled the match for India as 14 was required from 18 balls.Nasser Hussain handed the ball to Andrew Flintoff. And my goodness, within matter of 3 deliveries he changed the entire course of the match.Firstly, he nailed the stump to send Bhajji back to the balcony, and then dismissed Kumble on duck to pull the game right into Host’s favour. Kumble was furious after Steve Bucknor’s caught behind decision but he had to leave.Zaheer Khan walked out to the middle and Indian fans’ worries grew even further as he took a single on the last ball of Flintoff’s over.8 wickets down with 11 runs required from 12 balls and Zaheer Khan on the strike. Talk about tension, nerve and pressure, it was simply inexpressible.Sourav Ganguly sat undisturbed, calm and quiet (before the storm) on the corner of prestigious Lord’s balcony witnessing his young guns fighting for their Nation’s pride.Gough delivered the 49th one and thankfully Zaheer khan stole a single on the first ball of the over. Kaif ran for a couple as 5 runs came in five deliveries. India was crawling on the right path.Kaif was on the strike of the last ball of penultimate over and 6 was needed. He gave his bat an almighty swing as the high-speed ball took the edge and ran away towards the boundary. Flintoff ran his heart out to reach to the ball but couldn’t cut it off.Over was finished with Zaheer Khan facing the next one but India was 2 runs away from the History. Indians were proudly elated. Some were crying and others were pumping their fists in joy.Back then on Live radio, they delievered commentary 15 minutes each in English and Hindi alternatively. I couldn’t understand English back then but I did hear and understand “FOUR”. The moment I heard it, I screamed in a pure excitement and my Dad beside me woke up thinking that something had happened to me. Crazy moment!Though Dada didn’t move a bit.Talk about fate as a feeling of déjà vu immediately appeared as Flintoff ran to deliver the last over with the aim of defending 2 runs. Zaheer, under relentless pressure, couldn’t do much for first two deliveries. Tension rose further and there came a brutal decision of Steve Bucknor as he denied calling a wide. Zaheer almost begged for it with no response from Bucknor at all.2 needed off 4.Zaheer tapped the ball to cover. It wasn’t a run on an usual day but, by no means, it was a normal day. As soon as he made the contact with the ball, he ran.An evening-yellowish-sun shone on them as they both ran their hearts out as if their lives were dependent on it.The cover fielder gathered the ball and aimed at striker stumps.Kaif jumped to save himself while Zaheer running and looking behind noticed that there was no back up for the throw.He screamed at Kaif to go for the over throw run.Kaif got up and ran again.They ran for the final run while millions of Cricket fanatics all around the globe held their breath to witness the World Record being made in the most remarkable fashion one can ever imagine. Look at the Flintoff bending down with hands on his knees. He was the first among Englishmen to know that it was over.I exhaled a huge sigh of relief, smiled as a couple of tears welled up.The moment two runs were completed, it was time for the Madness.It started from the jump of Mohammad Kaif (87 Runs, 75 balls, 109 minutes, 6 Fours, 2 Sixes). Look at the gap between him and his shadow.Then camera moved to the Balcony and made the world witness something which was termed as a face of an emerging India. It went on to inspire an entire generation and changed the way outsiders looked at Indian players and their fighting skills.With a single act of this reckoning force, The Indian Cricket was changed forever. They were Lions at home and remained Lions abroad.It didn’t stop there. Ganguly ran downstairs and jumped on Kaif while others followed him.Kaif fell on the ground under him but Ganguly didn’t care. He just piled upon Kaif going through an immense emotion.In-came running Rahul Dravid and he jumped on them too.It was a revolution they said and they were dead right about it.Ganguly got up and hugged everyone. Then Yuvraj lifted Kaif and gave him a lovely tour of the ground.Sourav Ganguly arranged our National Flag from somewhere and made a victory lap around the Lord's while Nasser Hussain and his troops and thousands of Englishmen watched them sliently.Days like this make loving sport worth every second, the pain, the emotion and the joy. Facing a task of World Record, the manner and character Team India showed and created a kind of excitement and anticipation of something amazing going to happen that I have never witnessed before or since.On the verge of losing 10th final in a row, the way they displayed an absolute refusal to lay down and die, the sheer determination not to concede another final, it was a privilege to witness this sporting magnificence.All these phenomena I lived by listening to it on a Radio and not for a minute did the excitement subside. I mean seriously, on a Radio!Amazing time, Amazing days, Amazing team, Amazing sport. Thank you Team India for all the memories!Cheers!