IN Martinpurwa, a hero is always worth a golf club. And the children of this Lucknow hamlet dont merely use it as a yardstick to measure success. For them golf is the most foolproof way to decide upon their icons. So much so that knowing and playing the game is integral to each and every home in Martinpurwa village across the road from the Lucknow Golf Club.
A tiny hamlet once donated to the poor by Frenchman Claude Martin, founder of the La Martiniere school, during the British reign in the 19th century has today become renowned for producing golfers of repute. No formal coaching, no books to learn from, no matches to visit, they begin their training as caddies in the golf course next door. This area has grown into a neat semi-urban locality with pucca houses, thanks to golfing. Residents Vijay Kumar, Jumman and Rajesh Kumar Rawat, who have all at one time worked as caddies, have earned their fame and reputation on golf courses in various tournaments. In fact, Vijay has become a real-life hero for all the youngsters of this village. He is now number two in the Indian golfing circuit. His mother reminisces how she would often learn that he had bunked school only to be at the golf club working as a caddie to some sahib.
And this rags-to-riches story seems to have struck a chord. Be it eight-year-old Ashish or 14-year-old Santosh, all boys here seem to know the art of growing from a caddie to a seasoned golfer. The little boys here have their priorities clear. A quick breakfast and a jog to the golf club, which is just half-a-kilometre away.
There they stand patiently waiting for the burra sahibs to come. They rush for their cars, pick up the kits with pride and walk alongside them to the turf. There they help the members play-picking balls, signalling where the ball has gone and even trying their hands at the club. As soon as the game ends they wait eagerly for their reward-anything between Rs 20 and 50.
With little time on hand they rush to school. Like other boys of their age they attend school, love soap operas and Hindi films. But golf is their passion. Vijay has developed a tiny patch of green for these enthusiastic youngsters bang opposite his house. Armed with clubs, these young boys enjoy putting the ball at their leisure. Vijay loves to watch them from his balcony.
But its not been a feelgood story all the way. Village elders complain that this single-minded obsession with the game has many boys playing hookey from school. And Vijays mother clarifies that its not always for the sheer pleasure of the game. Its mostly because of the fast money these boys earn working as caddies. This, according to her, has fuelled the rise of gambling.
For Vijay, however, abandoning studies after his twelfth standard didnt mean all that. He played tournaments in Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi. The best, for him, happened, when in 1984, the 17-year-old golfer played the Daniel Cup qualifying match. Four years later he left for Japan to play for the Kiran Cup. His mother proudly says: "This house that you see is all because of Vijays hard work." From a one-room asbestos-roofed house today the golfers family enjoys the luxury of a three-storeyed house with tinted glass windows.
Says Jumman, who is one of the most popular coaches in Lucknow Golf Club: "At least 90 per cent of the children here love golf. Most of these boys want to emulate us." With a yearly income of Rs 1 lakh, Jumman has not only built a house and bought a car, but has also got his sisters married to well-off families.
As evening approaches, and the officials park their cars, little boys push and rush to reach them. They have learnt to discern between golfers and other club members. Says eight-year-old Ashish, who works as a caddie: "I give all my earnings to my mother." But older brother Suraj spends some of it to buy clothes and other sundries and gives the rest to his parents.
Their mother Sharmila Kaushal is happy too. Avers she: "Not only do they help us run a smooth life, but theyre preparing themselves for a better life ahead."
Even if they do not play on international turfs, the elders of this village know that at least the children will be placed in secure jobs. One-time caddies like Manoj Kumar, Bhoop Singh, and Satish Chandra are all placed in government departments.
Golf, for the villagers of Martinpurwa, is surprisingly not an alien and distant preoccupation of the elite. Its very much a means of subsistence, survival and success.
