The Ethos of Bengali Football
The history of the ‘city of joy’ is enriched with its people, their spontaneous flow of emotions and their limitless love for their favourite sport – football. Petty club rivalry, especially between the two giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal has been an important part of the Bengali community’s ethos for years. The rivalry between the two teams is often stretched beyond the fields of football and reaches the root of the Bengali community, which can be broadly classified in two parts, namely – Ghoti (natives of West Bengal) and Bangal (natives of East Bengal, now in Bangladesh). Moreover in kolkata, whether or not one is a football enthusiast, they will be a supporter of any one of these teams because it is not only about football or the three points in a match. It’s about the superiority of each of the clans and their prestige.
Mohun Bagan’s Rise to Prominence
Mohun Bagan which is the oldest football club in all of Asia, created history by winning the IFA shield in 1911 by defeating the East Yorkshire Regiment. This was more than a football match victory and was considered as a fight for India’s glory and independence from the British Raj. Even today, fans proudly boast of their glorious past.
The Rise of East Bengal
The inception of the idea of another club (read East Bengal) was prompted when Sailesh Bose, an immigrant player was excluded from a jorabagan line-up against Mohun Bagan. It was founded in the year 1920 and was popularly hailed as ‘Lal-Holud’ army. It is since the launch of the National Football League, that the club has remained in the top category.
Derby Fanaticism and Emotions among Fans and Players
The high voltage derby between these two teams is filled with a rush of adrenalin, not just amongst the players but fans at large. Even though, football still remains far away from the limelight in India as compared to cricket, the hardcore rivalry that is put up on display on the eve of a Mohun Bagan and east Bengal derby is hard to ignore. The sad event of 1980 where there was a stampede at the Eden Gardens that killed eighteen odd people was a dark day in the history of Indian Football. Fanaticism, just doesn’t stop there, when one’s talking about the two team’s high voltage derby match. In 1975, East Bengal thumped down Mohun Bagan 5-0, which was the highest margin win ever between the two. A die-hard Mariners’ fan committed suicide and in his note, the last lines were
“In my next birth, I will take the revenge by becoming a Mohun Bagan footballer.”
In addition to that, 2 years ago, East Bengal also gave two goals against Mohun Bagan. To cite examples of a couple of other fanatic supporters, we can take mention Bapi Majhi, a 46 year old man, who is a regular to all Mohun Bagan matches. He has been watching each match of his favourite club for the last 3 decades. He did not take up a job because that would prevent him from being present at the marches and cheering for his team. Bapi, who is a tea stall owner and a resident of paikpara, frequents the various states of India, wherever his favourite team plays.
Another classic example is of Jamuna Roy who is a small time candy seller in Maidan area. She is fondly called ‘Logenze mashi’. She is a regular to all derbies and is also quite popular among players.
Summary
On a concluding note, to this never ending club rivalry it can be said that it is only in the differences of these two clubs and their history does, the ethos of Bengali football thrive. Though ISL has bridged the camps, yet at every derby the ‘Ghoti’, ‘Bangal’ clash is hard to be overlooked. May healthy competition continue and may that give new life to the new breed of footballers.