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POSTEDONNOVEMBER11,2015NOVEMBER12,2015BYANDREWFLINT

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ITWASNTMEANTTOBEQUITELIKETHIS.Astiffbreezesweptacrossoneoftheworlds
oldestfootballstadiaonthemostEnglishofAutumndays,givingnohintoftheseismicshift
takingplacehalftheworldaway.Astheshortsubstitutelimberedupnervouslyinfrontofthe
homecrowd,historywasattheverycentreofhismindhewasusedtoplayinginfrontofover
100,000fans,butthiswasawhollydifferentkindofpressure.Completelyunknowntothe
expectantGiggLanespectators,BaichungBhutiahurriedontothepitchknowingherepresented
thefootballingaspirationsofoverabillionpeople.
BuryandWestBengalare,ineverysense,worldsapart;theformerisanindustrialtownafew
milestothenorthofManchester,famousforblackpudding,whileKolkata,locatedinthelatter,is
theformercapitalofBritishIndia,hometoaround15millionpeopleinitsmetropolitanarea.
WhileBuryFCcanboastoneofthelongestevercontinuousmembershipstotheFootballLeague,
theyhaventplayedtopflightfootballforalmostacentury,whereasKolkatahostsoneofthe
worldslargestfootballvenues,theSaltLakeStadium,andcanhonestlyclaimtohaveplayedits
partinchangingthecourseofhistorythroughitstwomostprominentteams,MohunBaganand
EastBengal.
AcontactofthethenBurymanagerNeilWarnockhelpedbridgethegapalittlebyalertinghimto
theavailabilityoftheyoungstarofIndianfootballwhohadarrivedinEnglandlookingforaclub.
AstonVillahadpassedonthechancetosignBhutiaafteratrialinthemidlands,butneedinga
sparktoignitetheirstutteringSecondDivisioncampaignWarnockhadtakenachanceonthe23
yearold,andinofferinghimathreeyearcontractmadehimthefirstIndianfootballertoplay
professionallyoutsidehishomecountry.
Asitturnedout,carvingoutalifeasafootballerinthealienenvironmentoflowerleagueEnglish

Asitturnedout,carvingoutalifeasafootballerinthealienenvironmentoflowerleagueEnglish
footballprovedbeyondthemanwhowouldgoontobecomeIndianfootballsmosticonic
figureheadandalltimetopappearancemaker.Hestuckitoutforthreeseasons,butonly
managed37leaguegames,manyfromthesubstitutesbench,andamerethreegoals.Itwouldbe
shortsightedtojudgehisboldforayintoEuropeanfootballmerelybystatisticsthough;his
presencealonewasamilestoneinraisingtheprofileofIndianfootball,andgavehopetoothers
fromhishomelandofmakingthegradeonanotherlevelandcontinent.
Evenafterhisretirement,[he]continuestobeareveredfigureinIndianfootball,explains
BhargabSarmah,anIndianfootballjournalistbasedinNewDelhi.Manyofushavegrownup
worshippinghim.InfactinhishomeprovinceofSikkim[atinyregionintheHimalayas],andina
fewotherprovincesaswell,manykidstookupfootballonlyafterseeinghissuccess.Thesuccess
ofinspiringagenerationofpotentialplayersinthemostpopulatednationonearthisonething,
buttobreakthemouldandforgeapreviouslyuntroddenpathindoingsowasthemarkofthe
man.
HewasntthefirstIndianfootballertoventureasfarastheBritishIsles,however.In1936,
MohammedSalimhadbeenselectedtorepresentanIndianXIagainsttheChineseOlympicteam,
unofficiallyIndiasfirstinternationalmatch,andwasconsideredtheleadinglightofthesideas
histrickeryandpassingmadeasignificantimpression.Bythetimeofthesecondmatch,however,
Salimhaddisappeared.
HisrelativeHasheemhadreturnedfromBritainforabriefperiod,andhavingseenSalimdance
majesticallyaroundthevisitingChineseteam,persuadedhimtomakethejourneybacktoBritain
withhim.AftercoercingCelticmanagerWillieMaleytotakealookathim,despiterefusingto
wearboots,SalimappearedintwoScottishAlliancefixtures,wherehescoredtwiceandassisted
three,stunningthecrowdwithhisaudaciouscreativity.Homesicknesseventuallytookitstollas
hereturnedtohisnativeCalcuttarechristenedKolkatain2001butnotbeforeleavingan
indelibleimpression.
Bhutiahasgoneontobecomemorethanjustapopularsportsman.Hehasbeenarepresentative
oftwooffootballsmostpowerfulsportsmanufacturers,NikeandAdidas,inthelastdecadeorso
inIndia,ahugecoupforbothorganisationstryingtomakeinroadsintoperhapsthelastgreat
untappedmarketinthesport.
AsaBuddhist,hetookastandindefenceofTibet,whichbordershishomeprovince,whenhe
refusedtorunwiththeOlympictorchbeforethe2008Beijingevent.Althoughherarelycameout
withstrongpoliticalstatementsduringhiscareer,heunsuccessfullyranasacandidatefortheAll
IndiaTrinamoolCongressinlastyearsgeneralelection.HeevenwonJhalakDikhlaaJaa,the
IndianequivalentofStrictlyComeDancing.
Whatsmostremarkableisthatallthiscameoffthebackofasportthatappearstomanyoutsiders
asaninferiorcousintothesportingreligionofcricket.SincehisstintinEngland,therehavebeen
occasionalexamplesofplayersofIndianoriginplyingtheirtradeabroad,butonlythreehave
actuallymovedfromthesubcontinenttoEurope.HarpalSinghstruggledtobreakthroughat

LeedsUnitedadecadeago,eventuallygoingonloantoBhutiasclubBury,whileMichaelChopra

LeedsUnitedadecadeago,eventuallygoingonloantoBhutiasclubBury,whileMichaelChopra
carvedoutareasonablecareerinthetoptwotiersoftheEnglishgame,butbothwerebornin
England.
So,isthetheorythatfootballisaweaksecondchoicetocricketreallytrue?

UNTIL1911,CalcuttawasthecapitaloftheBritishRajinIndia,andwasbuiltuptobethe
cultural,politicalandeconomiccapitaloftheEmpireintheregion.Itwasherethatthefocusof
actioncentredinthe1857rebellionagainsttheBritishEastIndiaCompanysmilitaryrulethathad
dominatedtheregionforexactlyacenturyinitsrelentlesshungertocontroltherichesthatAsia
andthePacificoffered.AfterrulewaspassedoverdirectlytotheBritishCrown,makingQueen
VictoriaEmpressofIndia,acurioussocialphenomenabegantothrive:latesubcontinental
colonialism.
Onewayinwhichtheeliteminoritycasttheirlotasthemastersofthecityandregionwas
throughsport,andinparticularfootball.Academicestablishmentsmodelledonthepublicschool
systeminEnglandsprangupalloverthecity,andtheyallespousedthemanlyvirtuesoffootball
asbothanaspirationaltargetandawaytointroduceanenvironmentwherethemastersbelieved
Britishsuperioritycouldbedemonstratedphysicallyandmorally.
Bythestartofthe20thcentury,Britishrulershadisolatedthemselvesfromthenativepopulation
inanattempttosubjugatelocalBengalipeople,andcontinuedanalmosteugenicalcampaignof
socialclassificationinthehopeofconvincingthemtostrivetoearnfavourwiththeBritish.The
journalistG.W.Steevenswroteaboutthebeliefsthatwerestillpropagatedaslateas1899.Byhis
legsyoushallknowaBengali.Thelegofafreemanisstraightoralittlebandy,sothathecan
standonitsolidly.TheBengalislegiseitherskinandbones;thesamesizeallthewaydown,with
knockingknowsforknees,orelseitisglobular,andlastturninginandlasttheknees,withround
thighslikelikeawomans.TheBengalislegisthelegofaslave.
ThestereotypethatsuitedtheBritishwasthatBengaliswerephysicallyinferiorandlackinginthe
traditionalvaluesofmasculinitythatdictatedthecurrentoftheEmpire.TheArmygarrison
stationedatFortWilliaminthecenreofCalcuttawasinstrumentalinintroducingthegametothe
citybyputtingforthnumerousteamsalongsideotherEuropeansettlersintheearlyCalcutta
FootballLeague,whichwasfoundedin1898;anArmyteamwonallbutnineofthetitlesupuntil
1933.OnsevenofthosenineoccassionsthetitlewasclaimedbytheCalcuttaFootballClub,
whichhadoriginallybeenfoundedin1872toplayrugbybutconvertedtofootballin1894,
donatingthesilvertoforgetheCalcuttaCuptrophyawardedtothewinneroftheannual
EnglandversusScotlandrugbyunionmatch.

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ReadMohunBaganandthefightforIndianindependencehere

Nativeteamswerebarredfromparticipatingatfirst,andaftertheturnofcenturyonlytwowere
permittedinthetwotiercompetition.Clubsdesignatedforcivilservants,merchants,missionaries
andotherEuropeannationalitiesmadeuptherestoftheleague,inaclearlydesignedexerciseto
excludeIndiansofanyreligion.
AsJ.M.BrownexplainsinModernIndia:TheOriginsofanAsianDemocracy,Adistinctiveimperial
lifestyledevelopedamongtheBritishinIndiaItwasalifefreeofmanualexertion,dependent
onIndianservantsforitssmoothfunctioning.Itwasmeticulousinitscodesofdressandmanners,
orelaboratesocialcourtesy,andofappropriatebehaviourinrelationsbetweendominantand
subordinate,maleappropriatedfemale.FromthisdomesticandsocialworldIndianswerelargely
excluded.
ItwasinthisenvironmentthatMohunBaganwasestablishedin1889,althougheventheyhad
someprivilegedbackers.Sincetheinevitabledisbandmentofthemilitaryclubsafter
independence,theyhavebecometheoldestclubstillinexistenceinIndiaindeedinallofAsia
outdatingBarcelonaandACMilanbyadecade.
TheluxurioussurroundingsoftheMohunBaganVillapalaceownedbyKirtiMitrasawlocal
lawyerandfutureheadoftheIndianNationalCongress,BhupendranathBase,setupaclubfor
indigenouspeople,whowouldcompeteinanumberofsupposedlylesssignificantcompetitions
suchastheCoochbeharCup.Initially,materialsuccesswashardtocomebyforthemaroonand
greens,butatleasttherewasaclubtorepresentwithoutbeingdirectlyundertheauspicesof
Britishofficialdom.
Inthisperiod,twoofthefiveoldestfootballtournamentintheworld,theDurandCupandthe
TradesCup,wereestablishedinthecity,whichhadbecomethedefactoepicentreofthesportin
thewholecountry.TheCalcuttaFootballLeaguewasanexpatriatedomain,soMohunBagan
wereforcedtoenteramultitudeofcupcompetitionsfortheirmatches.Thiswasanerawhen
knockoutcupcompetitionswereconsideredtobemoreprestigiousthanleaguesacrosstheworld,
sothebattlebegannotasaregularrivalrywithotherspecificteams,butsimplytogain
acceptance.
GainingapprovalwasahighlycomplexthemethatranthroughsocietyinthestateofBengal.The
rulingelitehadintendedforthesporttoservethedualpurposeofbeinganexponentofvirtues
thattheybelievedwerecentraltobuildingcharacterbothcivilianandmilitaryandalsoto
nurtureacravingfortheiracknowledgementfromthenativepopulation.Thereactionwas
fascinating,asthedifferentstrataofBengalisocietytookvaryingapproachestothecultural
importanceoffootball.ManyintheIndianuppermiddleclassrealisedthatonewaytoforgea
successfulpartoftheimperialorderwastorisetotheunspokenchallengelaiddowntothemand
showtheirwillingnesstoadoptandstrivefortheidealspresented.
ItwasassumedthatIndiansthattooktothesportwereacquiescingtothewilloftheBritish,but

ItwasassumedthatIndiansthattooktothesportwereacquiescingtothewilloftheBritish,but
thereasonswerefarmorenuancedthanthat.Forthevastmajorityoflocalsitwastheidealwayto
expressthemselveswithfreedom,onthepitchatleast.Associationtoclubswasrestrictedtoless
influentialorganisations,andthesystemthathadbeenenforceduponthemwasdesignedto
subjegatethosethatdidntaccepttheoverbearingrulesandresrictions.Somewereenragedat
howtheircountrymensimplyappearedtobendtothewilloftheoccupyingwhitemen,accusing
themoflackingmoralfibreandloyaltytotheirownpeople.Itiscertainthatafairproportionof
Indianstooktofootballwithsuchvigourwithmotivesotherthanjustexerciseandvalues.
ButevenwithintheBengalipopulationitselfthereweredeepfissuresthatwouldleadtothe
actionofMohunBagansgreatestrivals.In1905,Bengalwasdividedonreligiousgrounds,with
thepredominantlyHindupopulationresidinginthewestandMuslimsintheeast.Thegrowing
powerandpotentialofthenewlyformedWestBengal,andCalcuttainparticular,meanttheflow
ofmigrationwestwardsgrewsteadilyasmanysoughtgreaterwealthandopportunities,leading
toanincreasinglyuncomfortablesymbiosisofbeliefs.
Onecriticalmomentunitedallofthesewarringfactionsin1911.Havingbeeninvitedtocompete
intheIFAShieldin1909onthebackofcontinuedsuccessinlocaltournaments,MohunBagan
hadstruggledtomatchtheBritishsidesforthefirsttwoyears.Theirwininthefinalagainstthe
EastYorkshireRegiment,thankstogoalsinthelasttenminutes,washailedasanhistoric
resultthatprovedIndianscouldbeattheforeignersattheirowngame.Itwasallthemore
remarkablegiventhattenofthenativesideplayedbarefootduetotheirbeliefsagainsttheir
suitedand,literally,bootedopponents.
Theattendanceofover60,000celebratedtheresultasthefirsttangibleexpressionoftheirability
andindependence,evenifitwasonlyonthepitch.Regardlessofbackground,Indiansclaimed
thevictoryastheirs,andbecamemoremotivatedthanevertocontinueintheirstrugglefor
recognition.
ThecompetitionitselfwasrunbyapredictablyallBritishboard;theIndianFootballAssociation
hadbeenfoundedin1893toregulatethemyriadoftournamentsthathadsprungupacrossthe
city,andwasseenasawaytocontroltheprogressionofthesportbysettingregulationsover
membershipandparticipation.TheirpremiercompetitionhadjustbeenwonbyIndiansforthe
firsttime,andfansformomentcouldntcarelessaboutthebeliefsofdifferentgroupsofpeople.


Almostadecadelater,theuneasyjuxtapositionofreligiousandsocialfactorsboiledovertoform
anewentity.In1920,MohunBaganfacedJorabaganinaCoochbeharCupmatch,butthelatters
midfielderSaileshBosewasdroppedwithoutexplanationbyclubofficials.BosewasaBangal
animmigrantfromEastBengalandvicepresidentSureshChandraChaudhuriwassoenraged
atwhathesawasdiscriminationagainsthisfellowBangalthatheleftJorabagantoformhisown
clubnamedaftertheregion.
MohunBaganwerenotspecificallyantiBangaltheyhad,afterall,fieldedeightoftheminthe

MohunBaganwerenotspecificallyantiBangaltheyhad,afterall,fieldedeightoftheminthe
famous1911IFAShieldfinalbuttheperceivedfavouritismtheyreceivedfromtheauthoritiesas
awelltodoclubwithsupportfromhighplacesjarredwiththeconceptofaclubestablishednot
justforthepeople,butaspecificgroup.WhenEastBengalappliedforpromotiontothetop
division,whereonlytwoIndianclubswerepermitted,MohunBaganopposedtheirmembership
atthehighestlevel,promptingarallyfromtheirnascentrivalsfanswithflamingtouches.
TheEastBengalMohunBaganrivalryasweknowittodaybeganafterindependence,explains
ChiranjitOjha,asportsjournalistatTheFanGarage.In1947,BritishIndiawascarvedupintoIndia
andPakistan,whichresultedinBengalbeingsplitintwo,leavingahugeHindupopulationin
EastPakistan.Suddenlyamassofpeoplewerewithouthomesandlivelihood.Itwasandmass
migrationofmillions,continuesOjha.Soon,variouspartsofSouthBengalwasoverrunby
refugees.Thelocaleconomywasthrownoffbalanceduetotheinfluxofsomanypeople.Ittook
yearsforthedisenfranchisedimmigrantstofindhomesforthemselvesandsetuptheirnewlives.
Soformanyoftheserefugees,[EastBengal]becamethelastremainingconnectiontothelandthey
lost.
Throughoutthe1950sand60s,EastBengalgrewinstatureastheyclaimednumeroustitlesand
evenembarkedonatouroftheSovietUnionandRomania.Theirforeignforaysprovedsuccessful
astheybeatteamsfromIran,NorthKoreaandThailand,andin2003theybecametheonlyIndian
clubtowinacontinentaltournamentintheASEANClubChampionship.MohunBagandidntgo
without;theyarethemostsuccessfuldomesticclubinIndiahavingcollectedover170trophies,
withtherivalscollecting136.Intotal,theyhaveplayedover300derbiesinallcompetitions,more
thantheManchesterorMerseysidederbies.
Withthislevelofsuccessanaturalonpitchrivalrywasinevitable,butthefirstsignsofhowdeep
theenmityranonlycreptthroughwhentheymetintheIFAShieldfinalin1975.EastBengalhad
goneunbeateninderbymatchesforsixyearspriortotheencounter,andtheythrashedMohun
Bagan50.Afterthematch,aMohunBaganfannamedUmakantoPalodhicommittedsuicide,
leavinganote:Inmynextlife,IwilltakerevengebybecomingaMohunBaganfootballer.
Twoyearslater,thefanaticismofIndianfootballfanswasonshowastheglobetrottingNewYork
Cosmos,spearheadedbyPel,drewacrowdof80,000.Kolkatasportsfansarepassionateand
borderlinemilitantwhenitcomestofootball,Ojhatoldme.Thereisanmarketforfootball,its
thenumberonesportinthecity,andtheonlyonewithaproperfullseasonfanfollowing.The
marketabilityofthesportcanbeguessedfromthefactthattheKolkataderbyremainsthesingle
highestattendedsportingeventinIndia.TheSaltLakeStadium,whichhasanofficialcapacityof
68,000,hassometimesoverflowed.In1997,duringtheFederationCupsemifinalmatchbetween
EastBengalandMohunBagan,thenumberreached135,000.
CrickethaslongbeenthenationalsportinIndia.Theperformanceofthenationalteamforboth
sportsdoesntbearcomparison:thecricketsidehavewontheWorldCuptwiceandhavetopped
therankingsinallformatsofthegame,whereasthefootballersareranked172ndintheworld,
behindtheCookIslands,PuertoRicoandMalaysia,andhaveneverqualifiedfortheWorldCup.

Thatcouldhavebeensodifferentaftertheywereinvitedtotakepartinthe1950WorldCupin

Thatcouldhavebeensodifferentaftertheywereinvitedtotakepartinthe1950WorldCupin
Brazilbutdidnttakeuptheirplace.Atthatstage,theappealofthetournamentwasnotapparent
tothemitwasthefirsteditionthattheyhadbeeninvitedtoqualifyfor,andtheywereentered
automaticallyasMyanmar,IndonesiaandthePhilippineswithdrewfromqualifying.Thearduous
journey,aswellasthefactthattheydidntwearbootsorplay90minutematchesdomestically,
meanttheydeemeditanunnecessarycompetition.
Nowadays,cricketsalariescanbeastronomical.IndiacaptainMSDhoniwaspaid$3millionfora
monthandhalfsworkinthehighlylucrativeIndianPremierLeague,forexample.Footballwas
notevenfullyprofessionalinthe1990swhenBhutiamadehispioneeringjourneytotheglamour
ofEnglishfootball,butitisstartingtocatchup.CurrentnationalteamcaptainSunilChhetriis
paidaround150,000aseasonbytheMumbaiCityFCfranchiseintheIndianSuperLeague,a
glamorouscompetitionbasedoncricketsIPLmodelwithsponsorsandforeignstarsadding
sparkletoapreviouslyuntappedmarket.
Whiletheaddedattentioniswelcomeinonesense,ithasbeenwedgedintoacrowdedseasonthat
bulgesunderanumberoftournaments,chieflythetopflightILeague.Itaffectsthedevelopment
ofplayerssignificantly,astheyareshuntedfromonecompetitiontoanother,asOjhaexplains.
Whatthisdoesisthattheactualclubs,whohaveacademies,realgrassrootprogrammesand
juniorteams,havetheirfirstteamtheirmajorrevenuesourceforcedoutofactionduringthe
thebest23monthsoftheseason.AllthemajorcuptournamentsliketheFederationCup(the
countryspremiercupcompetition)andtheDurandCup(theworldsthirdoldestcup
tournament)havebeenscrappedjusttomakeroomfortheISL.
TheaccumulationofcompetitionsmeansthatlocalrivalssuchasMohunBaganandEastBengal
faceeachothernumeroustimesaseason,butincompetitionsofwildlydifferinglevelsof
importance.Ithasdonenothingtoblunttheferocityoffollowing,however.In2012,Nigerian
forwardOkolieObamawassentoffafterEastBengalhadtakentheleadjustbeforehalftime.
FuriousMohunBaganfansstartedhurlingbricksinanger,oneofthemstrikingtheirownplayer,
SyedRahimNabi,intheface.NabiwashospitalisedandtheMohunBaganteamrefusedtocome
outafterhalftimeas40peoplewereseriouslyinjuredintheensuingviolence.
Theonlyconsolationwasthatitdidntdescendasfarasthetragic1980encounter.A00draw
frustratedbothsetsoffans,whosetuponeachotherinthestands,causingapanickedstampede
whichclaimed16lives.Thepolicingthatdaywasnotabletopreventsuchadisaster,butthe
evidenceofhowmuchthesportmeanttothefanswasgrimlyhighlighted.
ThepositiveimageofmodernIndianfootballwouldbenothingwithoutthelegendaryBhutia.
HolderofIndiasfourthhighestcivilianhonour,thePadmaShriAward,heassiststheAllIndia
FootballFederationthesuccessortothecolonialIFAinawiderangeofadministrativematters,
aswellasestablishinghisownfootballacademy.Evenhefailedtoemergefromhisplayingcareer
completelylovedafterheappearedforbothsidesintheKolkataderby.
OriginallyaproductofEastBengal,hewentontorepresenttheclubonfourfurtheroccassions,
buthefoundthetransitiontoMohunBagancolourstougher.His1997hattrickfrontoftherecord
attendancewillforeverlinkhimtotheredandgoldofEastBengal,andheremainsthederbys
alltimetopgoalscorer.
ForallthediplomacyofaglobaliconandtheglitzandglamouroftheISL,theKolkataderbyis

ForallthediplomacyofaglobaliconandtheglitzandglamouroftheISL,theKolkataderbyis
somethingthatcantbematchedinmanyplacesaroundtheworld.Thebreadandbutterof
Kolkatafootballfansisarivalrythathassurviveddespiteorthrivedbecauseof,dependingon
yourpointofviewthefallofanempire,thedivisionofrace,religionandcaste,andthe
competitionfromtheoverwhelminglypopularcricket.
Putsimply,inspectacularunderstatement,localscallittheBoroMatch,orBigMatch.Few,it
seems,anywhereintheworld,arebigger.
ByAndrewFlint.Follow@AndrewMijFlint
WiththankstoBhargabSarmah,ChiranjitOjha,SomnathSenguptaandArjunKrishnanfortheir
invaluableinsightandhelp.