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In Kolkata, football is more than simply a game. It's a way of life. The city is known as the ‘Mecca of Indian football’ since its passion for the sport shines through every time there is a match. Particularly when it comes to the two-storied teams, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, the fervour is unparalleled and birthed a unique phenomenon where two cultures and culinary traditions went head to head.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
History Of The Kolkata Derby
Often called the ‘Kolkata Derby’, the energy, madness, and rage are unbeatable. Fans fill the stadium, streets buzz with excitement, and every goal feels personal. It’s an emotion every football lover in Kolkata lives for. Football ruled the state, from clubs to gullies. The enthusiasm for the local competitions matched that of the national ones. Prominent figures in the circle include Amal Dutta, Chuni Goswami, Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Prasun Banerjee, and Sunil Chhetri. The major game between these two teams, whose rivalry dates back over a century, is the Kolkata derby.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
People moved to Kolkata from East Bengal, which is now Bangladesh, as a result of the state's partition. Bengali locals were referred to as ‘ghotis’ because of their unique dialect, food preferences, and support for Mohun Bagan, whereas East Bengalis were referred to as Bangals because of their dialect as well as culinary tastes, and support for the East Bengal team. During football games, tensions between these two Bengali factions were at their height. The level of intensity was comparable to that of a match between India and Pakistan. Bangals were enamoured with Ilish (Hilsa), particularly those from the Padma River, whereas ghotis loved chingri (prawn). Over the years, the differences have narrowed down with a lot of Bangal–ghoti marriages. The offspring of those marriages are known as batis, mostly as a joke or just in conversation to explain your lineage.
Obviously, food always plays a very important role here. Football club culture flourished here, and with that, addas, discussions, game strategy and anything and everything. The two teams have their own grounds in the city where they practice. It is also open to fans to visit and explore the history of both teams. What really strikes a chord is that both the club grounds have a canteen that serves some really popular Kolkata street-style dishes. But no matter how much one might love food, as an East Bengal fan and as a Mohun Bagan fan, the loyalty also comes through in food. Fans, almost like a pledge, will not step foot into the rival team’s club grounds. But if you aren't a fan of either of the teams, you can definitely try both canteens:
Mohun Bagan Canteen
The Mohun Bagan Club canteen's mutton stew and toast have always been a favourite of former Mohun Bagan football player Subrata Bhattacharya. He shared many times that the stew is still delicious and complimented Kaju, the canteen manager, for maintaining a clean and hygienic environment. Chuni Goswami, his predecessor, reminisced about speaking with teammates Arun Ghosh and PK Banerjee over tea and food and also appreciated the ghugni, bread, and omelette served there. Even now, players who often adhere to rigorous diets frequently like the food from the canteen. Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian Football team, particularly enjoys the toast and chicken stew that is served there. With more than 8,000 members, the club is 135 years old. The public is served by its canteen, which is open Monday through Saturday, in addition to players and officials. The chicken stew is produced similarly to the mutton stew, which is created using milk, a small amount of onion and ginger paste, and lots of veggies. But the mutton version is more well-liked. Sourav Ganguly once enjoyed the stew and lemon tea here, and veteran footballer Chuni Goswami was a fan of the ghugni and fish fry. Kajuda says their focus is always on serving fresh, light, and non-spicy food cooked with very little oil, something that makes the canteen truly special.
Address: Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, Gostho Paul Sarani, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal 700021
Timings: 7 AM - 8 PM
Cost: INR 200 - INR 600
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East Bengal Canteen
With more than 11,000 members, this 103-year-old club is the only one in the Maidan area with a public restaurant. It also boasts a new restaurant. Monday through Saturday is when the canteen is open. The most popular items here are cheese chilli toast, club sandwiches, and pasta. The menu offers a variety of omelettes, and players typically favour pasta and chicken stew. Football secretary Rajat Guha claims that players like Katsumi Yusa and Arnab Mondal have relished the cheese chilli toast, spaghetti, and chicken stew. The café serves players' favourite stews, that is, vegetable, chicken or mutton, depending on practice matches and finals. Ghugni, bread salad, and dhaniya chicken are some well-liked foods. Visitors adore it since the majority of the food is mildly spicy. Former Indian hockey player Leslie Walter Claudis enjoyed the chicken rolls here, while Baljit Singh Saini was fond of the chicken stew.
Address: East Bengal Football Club, Leslie Claudius Sarani, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal 700021
Timings: 7 AM - 9 PM
Cost: INR 200 - INR 500
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Both the maidan canteen and club are blooming in the respective team colours. When you walk into Mohun Bagan’s ground, it’s green-purple representing MB, while EB burns in red-yellow across its club grounds. If you ever want to visit and experience how a sport can divide an entire city in two halves, make sure you book tickets to a match that's being played between these two iconic teams at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
