KOLKATA: “A sports match between two rival teams from the same area.” That’s how Oxford dictionary defines the term derby.When it comes to derbies, it is just not any other match. It goes beyond the Beautiful Game. Emotions and passions run high and for a certain period of time, the city is divided into two rival factions. It is embedded in the culture of the area. Rivalries have come about because of socio-economic disparity as well as place of origin.There are so many footballing rivalries across the globe. While many millennials and football aficionados will immediately turn their thoughts to the traditional hotbeds of Europe and South America and name the likes of the North London Derby or the El Clasico, few will look to Asia, and even fewer to India.
However, the rivalry between Kolkata’s East Bengal and Mohun Bagan deserves a place on the must-see list for those football cognoscenti with a global view.Now 97 years old, the fixture is a highlight on the annual fixtures list. The derby holds the record for the largest sporting attendance in India.
You cannot talk about the Kolkata Derby without tracing the history of the contest. And it is an interesting one. Mohun Bagan is one of oldest clubs in the world, having been inaugurated in 1889.
Like many great rivalries, a schism, albeit in this case an indirect one, led to the birth of a local challenger. In 1920, the Jora Bagan club took to the field against Mohun Bagan without star player Sailesh Bose, much to the chagrin of club vice-president Suresh Chandra Chaudhuri. Such was the industrialist’s displeasure, he decided to form a new club and thus East Bengal was born.
As Chaudhuri and his co-founders hailed from East Bengal, now modern-day Bangladesh, the club was traditionally supported by immigrants from that area.
Mohun Bagan represents the native people (known as Ghotis), while East Bengal is primarily supported by immigrants from the eastern part of pre-independence Bengal (known as Bangals). This has largely changed over the decades with a lot of cross-ethnic support.It is not just about the 22 players on the field. Stories of fans are intertwined with the fixture. Bapi Maji, one of the most well-known supporters of Mohun Bagan, will regale you with tales from the fixture.
He is one among the millions of fans of both clubs across the world. “On days when the derby is in the evening, we cook ilish (Hilsa – symbol for East Bengal). It brings my team good luck. That’s what I believe in,” Bapi says. He even met the love of his life through the derby! He owns a small tea shop in Paikpara. He keeps the shop closed on Derby days, obviously!Sourav Dhar, a major East Bengal fan, has another interesting anecdote to share. “We live in a joint family. My uncle, however, is a Mohun Bagan fan. My mother usually cooks. But on Derby days, he does not even eat with us!” Former players are also not far behind. Bagan legend Satyajit Chatterjee, who holds the record for the most number of derby appearances, calls the Derby a ‘rite of passage’ for all Bengali football fans.
“Without the Derby, there is no Indian football. It is the grandest stage of them all. Supporters of both clubs wait with bated breath for the Derby dates to be announced. Even prices of Chingri (prawn – Bagan symbol) and Ilish vary depending on the result of the contest!” There is a deep-rooted desire to vanquish the enemy as Bapi calls them. There have often been fights and skirmishes between both sets of supporters and on-field disruptions.
One of the most famous incidents occurred after the IFA Shield final in 1975 when East Bengal beat Mohun Bagan 5-0. Bagan fans were raging and Subrata Bhattacharya and Prasun Banerjee had to escape from their own fans on a boat. But the worst came when Umakanta Palodhi, a Bagan fan, killed himself. His last wish, expressed in his suicide note, was that he wanted to be reborn as a Bagan player.
“I still shudder when I think about that day. It was scary for us. I could not show my face to my neighbours. Such was the passion among fans,” Bhattacharya recounted.
But at the end of the day, they are the same people. A die-hard fan like Bapi admits to that. “I’m a colon cancer survivor. I asked for monetary help on Facebook and both sets of fans were incredible. Even my club contributed `1 lakh while East Bengal too stepped in with `50,000.”
But the times are changing. The Kolkata Derby has been hit hard by the modern times. The advent of the Indian Super League has challenged the once mighty behemoth. The money involved in the ISL compared to its poor cousin — I-League — is there for all to see. From glitzy promotional activities all around the country to constant bombardment of advertisements in print and online media, it is clear that the ISL is ruling the roost. The youth’s love for European football is yet another factor.
“There is so much football on offer. The production values of ISL is vastly superior. As a neutral, or a young kid, you will get immediately attracted to ISL,” Bapi says ruefully. Social media presence and merchandising is another factor. While ISL clubs have dedicated social media feeds and tons of club merchandise on offer, both Kolkata clubs are lagging far behind.
Both legacy clubs have been playing the history card for a long time. With the uncertain climate surrounding Indian football and both its leagues, Sunday might just be the last time both clubs face in other in the I-League. “The ISL spends a lot of money but most clubs are yet to build a solid fan base. Without any money, the Derby sees a huge turnout. You cannot ignore history. But the fact remains that ISL is the place to be. Both clubs deserve to play in the biggest league in the country,” a passionate Bapi demands.
Something both clubs and their top brass have kept on repeating for the last year. “Even cricket has failed to dislodge the Derby from the hearts of the people. The Derby will always be the biggest footballing match — for players and fans alike. The Derby will endure,” Satyajit summed it up.
1957
For the first time Derby was held outside Kolkata on 28th December, 1957 in the semifinal of Durand Cup at New Delhi. The first meeting ended goalless but East Bengal won the replay 3-2 on 30.12.57.
1997
Bhaichung Bhutia scored the first hat-trick in the Derby when he scored 3 goals in East Bengal’s 4-1 triumph vs Mohun Bagan in the Federation Cup Semi Final at VYBK on 3rd july 1997.
68 appearances
Satyajit Chatterjee (Mohun Bagan) has played the maximum Derby matches (88). For East Bengal, Tarun Dey holds the record of making 68 appearances in the Derby.
5East Bengal have won the Derby back to back maximum of five times, a record.