Krish believes that he is most alive when he is inside the stadium watching the Calcutta Derby.

Kick it in!

Remember that time when you first heard about adrenaline rush? I learned about it in a different way. Being an avid football (soccer) follower, I get my pulse-rate go insane at Salt Lake Stadium. Unless you already know, let me tell you about a culture that has been rushing through every Bengali vein for the last 85 years. It’s the Calcutta Derby. You may have heard about North London Derby or Milan Derby or El Classico a lot but this inexplicably crazy sporting event is best known for its crowd and their passion. Here, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, the national football club of India, known for their historical victory over British club East York back in 1911 bare feet, meet their arch-rival East Bengal Football Club who are in no way short in International triumphs (the latest being the Asean Cup ’03).

I stay in a place that is just outside the stadium. Naturally football fever has grown within me from my early childhood. I have witnessed every single derby for the last ten years or so. It’s electrifying! If you haven’t been a part of it, you simply cannot imagine what goes inside that oval arena. First of all, on the match-day, you will find every other alley hoisting flags of either of the clubs. Supporters from all over Bengal come to cheer for their teams. Prior to the game, players are welcomed with a deafening roar from the stands. As the game begins the supporters go wild and crazy. The stand is categorized into three parts – VVIP, VIP and Gallery. It goes without saying that the common-man’s gallery gives one a roller-coaster experience throughout the match. The capability of one’s sensory organs gets tested to its limit. Yours eyes will get dazzled by the huge (read colossal) flags, banners, flexes and two-toned jerseys. You will hear drum-beats, horns, shouts, cries, synchronized claps, ‘expert’ footballing comments and tactics from the supporters and a host of Bengali abuses for 90 minutes and more. I know that sounds very repulsive for those who are not that much into football but trust me – it’s worth a shot.

When you will be reading this, I would probably be behaving like a normal man, sitting somewhere peacefully, minding his business – no visible excitement, no sudden show of emotion, and absolutely no possibility of a tear-drop rolling down my cheeks. However, last Sunday when I was inside that ‘beautiful battleground’, I was watching my team go down 0-1 for 70 minutes after an early goal from our rival. My world was collapsing around me, I felt like I am the only person in this world who knows what agony is. I saw the faces of my fellow-supporters, all numb and completely immobile. Even now, when I am typing on the keyboard, I can still feel the numbness that froze my fingers. I saw people looking up at the empty sky, trying to find a divine consolation. All was silent. Clock ticked fast towards to full-time whistle and it was 88 minutes of unmatched anxiety when suddenly the ball crashed into the nets of the opponent and my team had its equalizer. The stand came alive. Alive and mad. Mad from love with which they prayed for the last 70 minutes, waited for that strike that would allow their club to its destiny. I stood there and could hardly lift any of my limbs. Sometimes, joy and happiness benumbs you so much. I knelt down and cried like a two-year old. One of the supporters whom I do not know anyhow, hugged me and I hugged him back like he was a fellow-survivor from a war. The game went on to penalty shoot-out but I was confident that nothing could stop my team from winning. We won and what followed was a thing that’s technically termed as dance but actually was frenzied movement of limbs, punches thrown at imaginary flying objects and rants of triumphant warriors. Believe me, it was magical.
I now remember that this part was to ease the excitement. I don’t know about you but I have just become more excited and anxious to watch the next derby. Personally speaking, coming to Kolkata and missing this is a sin. So if you want to savour the true Bengali culture and experience the spirit of the race, be there.

I am not a Liverpool fan but Bill Shankley just sums it up for me:

“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that”. 

– Krishanu Dutta