May 1999- My joint-family and I were traveling by train to Vaishno Devi. We were crossing Punjab when our co-passengers asked us where we were from. We replied Ranchi and they said Karachi suna hai, Ranchi kithhe hai? (We have heard about Karachi, where's Ranchi?)
Apr-2000 - Ranchi was still in undivided Bihar. I had to travel again, all the way to Mumbai for a quiz. Few passengers in the train and fellow quizzers at BQC did mention how Ranchi had lovely weather, good education in eastern India, movement for independent state and a psychiatric hospital.
Summer 2004- The local media used to cover Dhoni,an emerging player in the sports section. My brother had shown me his pictures in the local newspapers and told me that he generally visits his sister, Jayanti and his brother-in-law who used to stay in the flat opposite ours. I remember seeing a guy with long locks come in and out nonchalantly and recognized him as Dhoni. Still, no attention by the passers -by.
Oct/Nov 2004- I remember watching that India A vs Kenya match in September 2004 on TV. My brother and grandfather were quite excited when Dhoni batted well. There was hope that he will play for the international squad in the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh. My then school JVM Shyamali had invited him for a brief felicitation as he was an alumnus. I remember that day in school assembly. MSD at one point even chuckled with his head down, as the teacher was praising him. Ironically, his cricketing talent was being lauded in front of 700 students who were preparing for IIT JEEs and Medical entrance exams.
May 2005 - One afternoon my grandmother was irritated by a sonorous revving noise coming from somewhere. My grandmother and I rushed out to the balcony to see what it was. We saw a guy with long tinted hair on a red superbike, revving it on an uphill slope almost waking up the entire vicinity. This was after he had scored his 148 against Pakistan. People were happy to see him and I am sure he was flaunting his new bike and wanted us to notice him. He was definitely being noticed by onlookers but no one was hurrying to him for autographs. It must have been around this time,that Dhoni's parents shifted from a small quarter in Mecon colony to a larger bungalow, which now had security guards outside. I remember riding my cycle and going for morning walks and walking past his house.
2007 - Dhoni's brilliant performances on field started getting him global attention.
Most of my relatives who would visit us from outside wanted to see his new house and we were happy to show them by driving around that place.
While the world cup earlier that year was far from encouraging, T20 turned out to be exhilarating. It was a very stormy evening in Ranchi with many areas out of electricity and streets with uprooted trees. Even as it was raining it couldn't dampen the noise of crackers bursting in the town on that September night when India had won the T20 world cup and MSD had lifted the trophy. After this victory, when he visited his sister, I was not at home, but was told that he was mobbed by our neighbouring aunties and kids. He obliged them with pictures and autographs. Phones were not selfie-pixel enabled then, as someone recalls getting his autograph.
2008 - We got a new car and dad drove us 60 km away to a temple in a village that shot into fame because that's the temple Dhoni usually visited.
If you have ever travelled between Ranchi and Jamshedpur you would have noticed a temple next to the highway. It is said that Dhoni would go and pray and take blessings of the Goddess Devri each time he reached a milestone in his career.The small shops around that temple in the village of Tamar have his pictures praying at the temple. It is an example of how a celebrity can boost the economy of a little known tribal village.
2009- I went for another college quiz in a different state, and this time when I had to introduce where I was from.
I simply said "I am from Ranchi, Dhoni's land".
2009 onwards - As they say the rest is history
Dhoni brought small town talent to the forefront. EY termed "Dhoni Effect" as an increasing trend in
consumerism
outside metros that marketers were not able to keep pace with. Ranchi got its cricket stadium. MSD retired from international cricket. While we see the best of talent leave small towns, MSD still calls Ranchi home, spending time in his sprawling farm house. As we all know, he is different.
