velu Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 The afternoon sun is at its harshest in Chennai, as it always is during May. The Chennai Super Kings players arrive at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chepauk and get set for another match in the most testing of conditions. Right opposite the stadium, despite the scorching heat, H Saravanan, arguably their biggest fan, is busy with his own preparation: getting his body covered in yellow paint with the name 'Dhoni' and the number '7′ written in bold across his chest. Three years ago, Saravanan was threatened by security personnel when he went to the team hotel with a hope of meeting MS Dhoni. Now, he travels with the Chennai team for all their Indian Premier League matches, interacts with the players like he's a part of the side and even leads their victory lap after their final home match. Saravanan is the Chennai version of Sudhir Kumar Chaudhry, the Sachin Tendulkar fanatic - that rare fan who almost sacrifices their own life to follow their heroes. Saravanan, like Chaudhry, hails from a modest background. His father is an autorickshaw driver and mother a housewife. But, unlike Sudhir, who abandoned his family and job to dedicate his life to follow Tendulkar and now the Indian team, Saravanan has a stable job as a warehouse in-charge at a construction material company in Chennai. By his own admission, Saravanan is "nowhere close to Sudhir", but stresses that Dhoni and Chennai are his "life and biggest priority". "Sudhir is great. He has done a lot and he's definitely an inspiration," says Saravanan, even as the painter carries on with his job. "I'm nowhere near and I can't even be compared with him. But Tendulkar already has such a fan and I wanted Dhoni also to have one such fan. More importantly, I wanted to be that fan." Initially a fan of Tendulkar, Saravanan's admiration for Dhoni started after India's victory in the 2007 World T20. It took an accident in 2010 and a World Cup victory under Dhoni in 2011 to inspire him to make the leap to being a super-fan. "My only ambition then (2007) was to get an autograph from Dhoni," he recalls. "But I didn't know where and how to proceed with it as he had no connection with Chennai and I had no connection with cricketers. Luckily for me, in 2008, he came to Chennai through the IPL and I sensed a chance." At first, Saravanan was just like any other fan, only his face painted while supporting Chennai. "I met with an accident and injured my leg in December 2010 and was stuck to bed for six months. It forced me to watch every single match of the 2011 World Cup and the IPL. India won the World Cup and Chennai won the IPL, so it was a double boost for me and my love for Dhoni grew rapidly. I wasn't there for 1983 World Cup, so this really moved me. I badly wanted to do something in return for Dhoni." The injury forced him to miss the 2012 IPL as well, but his passion didn't wane. In 2013, he started painting his entire body, and instantly became a hit among spectators in Chennai. Friends and relatives mocked him, but Saravanan had already become a mini-celebrity in the stands, with people queueing up to take pictures with him. Lack of funds and Chennai's home matches moving out of the city were major roadblocks, but Saravanan worked his way around both and gradually became an official fan of the franchise. A fellow Chennai supporter created a social media profile in his name and after repeated requests, the franchise officials agreed to take him along for a couple of matches in Ranchi during the Champions League Twenty20 2013. "That was the first time I went away from Chennai to watch a match," he says. "Again in 2014, there were no matches in Chennai. I had become a fanatic by then and couldn't imagine the possibility of missing Chennai's matches. Kasi Viswanathan, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association secretary, helped me a lot and the franchise took me to all matches during the India leg of the tournament. It cost me Rs 50000 in 2013 but the franchise takes care of most of my expenses now and I have seen all Chennai matches in India from then. "I missed only one match," he admits, "because I got engaged that day. The first time I met my fiancee, I told her very clearly that this is my life and my biggest priority. Everything else comes after this." Saravanan's routine starts five hours before a match. He rents a room opposite the stadium and gets his friend, who is no professional painter, to completely paint his body in yellow. On an average, around 15 small bottles of paint are used and Saravanan has to stand throughout the painstaking process. He does not sit even during the match to avoid the paint peeling off and consumes only water during the whole period, which comes to around 11 hours. Finally, it all seemed to pay off, when at an event in Bangalore last year, he met his idol. "I went fully painted as I wanted him to see me like that first time," he says, the pride in his voice evident. "Suresh Raina, Brendon McCullum and Ravindra Jadeja walked in front of me and I was looking at them, when Dhoni suddenly came from behind. I was speechless and immediately fell at his feet. He lifted me and spoke something, but I couldn't understand anything as it was all in Hindi. I have a language problem with him and the only thing I know is that he calls me 'yellow man'. "I share a good rapport with some other players too. R Ashwin often asks me with concern why I do all this and why I spoil my body, but, luckily, I've not had any allergy or skin problems until now. I'm not scared of it." In a tournament where squads and loyalties are fluid, Saravanan is an exception. Is all this worth it though? "Definitely. I don't expect anything for what I do," he says. "All this is only for happiness. When fans call me Dhoni when I walk on the street with the paint on, I feel happy ... I'm Chennai's Dhoni. He's Ranchi's Dhoni." little long .. in short .. inspired by sachins biggest fan :two_thumbs_up: http://www.ibnlive.com/cricketnext/news/meet-saravanan--the-chennai-super-kings-fanatic-546351-78.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desi Cartman Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 The first time I met my fiancee, I told her very clearly that this is my life and my biggest priority. Everything else comes after this. :facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamy Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 :facepalm: At least he made things clear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketics Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 :facepalm: At least he made things clear Well the Hindu religion does say that community and other services come before any other own task. Even if you are having to delay religious rituals for service which could help someone, it is fine :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWall Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Looks yuck!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fineleg Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 :facepalm: Yet she married him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desi Cartman Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Well the Hindu religion does say that community and other services come before any other own task. Even if you are having to delay religious rituals for service which could help someone' date=' it is fine :).[/quote'] How is helping anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temujin Khaghan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No other city and its people fell so madly in love with their franchise. Chennai and CSK is a real love story. sad, that because of the actions of their owners, it will eventually be disbanded... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakk Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 :hatsoff: aur ek velu hai fake fan :headshake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulbul Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 :hatsoff: aur ek velu hai fake fan :headshake: wohi Velu hai :giggle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulbul Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No other city and its people fell so madly in love with their franchise. Chennai and CSK is a real love story. sad, that because of the actions of their owners, it will eventually be disbanded... :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakk Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 wohi Velu hai :giggle: kya baat kar rahe ho :omg: velu :hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debutant Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Velungi :hatsoff: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detonator Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No other city and its people fell so madly in love with their franchise. Chennai and CSK is a real love story. sad, that because of the actions of their owners, it will eventually be disbanded... I have always wondered about the hero workship culture here in chennai and TN. I have interacted with Rajini fanatics and other fans , I noticed that they are a happier bunch most of these fanatics aren't jobless, the laidback attitude, decent economy to run their lives. Similarly, I also think that the states with less poverty rates and higher media exposure (like TN, AP and even Kerela) indulge in hero worshipping. The same cannot be said about poorer states like bengal, orissa or karnataka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulbul Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 ^if you kick all your poor people to neighbouring state obviously you will be rich :giggle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detonator Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 ^if you kick all your poor people to neighbouring state obviously you will be rich :giggle: Poor people always migrate to other states, it happens all over India, but what kind of logic is that? So you are saying the poor people from other states are from TN? :hysterical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velu Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Bangbro logic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWall Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 wohi Velu hai :giggle: Undwerwear Velu???? :omg::hmmm::hmmm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detonator Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Bangbro logic Oh now I get it :giggle: I do know about the blind hate of anything tamil related by kannidigas. dood forgot that the reason for 1991 bangalore riots was that the Tamils occupied a lot of higher posts in govt, dominat economic status, owned significant real estate (which is still applicable). It's not said by me, but many political leaders during the riot. Of course there are poor people, but it's not even 1/10th of kannadas. Obviously bulbul will say "we rich!! you patheic tamils are poor!!" :giggle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulbul Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 @Deto,you only started subject now you are upset :cantstop: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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