Kolkata derby: chronicles — Terrace Edition

Words: Pritam Guha

Images: Pritam Guha

Us v Them. East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan. Red and Gold vs Green and Maroon.

The Kolkata Derby is one of the oldest and biggest derbies of Asian football, let alone Indian football.

Mohun Bagan, founded as early as 1889, pride themselves as one of the most successful football clubs in South Asia.

The Mariners’ most notable victory being the IFA Shield victory in 1911 over the British Army’s East Yorkshire Regiment.

©Pritam Guha/ Terrace Edition. Mohun Bagan scarves.

Mohun Bagan became the the first Indian side to record a victory over a British club, a significant moment in India’s struggle for independence.

On the other hand, East Bengal was formed in 1922, as a necessity after the Partition of Bengal.

Post partition, players from the other (Eastern) side of Bengal, struggled to find their place in the starting XI of games due to their identity.

This resulted in the formation of the club with the name reflecting their identity - those from the Eastern side of Bengal who migrated to this side.

For full transparency, I am an East Bengal fan and this derby held special significance for me. East Bengal were on the cusp of winning the league for the first time in 22 years.

©Pritam Guha/ Terrace Edition. East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan. East Bengal flag.

For the first time in a long time, both clubs were in the reckoning to be league winners in the run-in to the Kolkata derby at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan aka Salt Lake stadium.

As things stood then, the winner of the derby would take home the league title.

The game finished 1-1 which meant the league title race would go to the final day of the season.

East Bengal would need a win which they would eventually manage. But this is not about the league title, this about the spectacle that is the derby.

A game which divides Bengal into two significant factions - either you are them, or you are us.

It was electric to see the East Bengal Ultras do their thing and to listen to their counterparts Mariners Arena and Mariners Base Camp respond.