In 2002 when I met Saraswathy (in pic), Ramakrishnan's wife, she felt her husband was being childish. She had said, "I never used to watch cricket; but he was crazy about cricket. But I did not expect him to be so crazy as to name Lord Ganesha as Cricket Ganesha! Slowly, when India started winning matches from hopeless situations, I also started believing in Cricket Ganesha."
Now, she is an ardent follower of Cricket Ganesha. From last year onwards, it is she who performs pujas every morning. In fact, she is the one who recites 10 of the 108 mantras written by her husband every morning. Only during the weekends, the "main pujari", gets time to do the puja to the Lord.
"I am only the substitute pujari. Now, I have become very attached to Cricket Ganesha. It was the NatWest series that made me realise His powers. As the match was going on, at the instance of my friends I went and did puja. When we won the series, I felt His power."
Ever since World Cup 2007 fever started, her students (she takes private tuitions) have been urging her to do special pujas every day. "Whenever there is a match, they tell me: Teacher, you do special puja and somehow see that India wins."
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