Top 3 social engagements in Kolkata football

The football in Kolkata has also experienced other social engagements from Southern Samity, Aryan FC, Customs, Bhowanipore and others.

Kolkata, Indian football's traditional hotbed has seen some of the greats from Indian football evolve in the meadows of Maidan. The area is filled with passion and has seen the great game of football mature through the years. In Kolkata, football season is like a season of festivity and the supporters are the real charm of these events. People here, not only enjoy their football, but they actually live the sport with all their heart and soul. They consider their club as their mother and treat her that way.

People in Kolkata are very passionate on and off the field and the passion is backed with their emotions attached to it. The clubs follow different rituals and fan engagement rituals for the supporters to connect and stay with their mother club.

Bar Puja at East Bengal and Mohun Bagan

Bar Puja at East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Grounds

The Kolkata Maidan celebrates the historic Bar Puja on the very first day of the Bengali New Year. The club officials gather at the club tents along with supporters to celebrate this auspicious and historic festival. The ritual is basically worshipping the goalpost at either end. It was earlier used to officially mark the starting of a new football season.

However, nowadays the current season usually extends beyond this day, but the tradition of Bar Pujo continues in the Maidan. Both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal celebrate this day at their club tents and pray to the Almighty and hopes for glory in the near future.

The festival is celebrated on the first day of Bengali new year know as Poila Boishakh. People generally wear new clothes and pray for a better year. Similarly, the supporters do exactly the same, but instead of praying for themselves they pray for the clubs' welfare. The tradition has been going on for ages and the current generation of officials are also carrying the baton of culture and history forward for these grand old clubs of India.

Red Letter Day (Mohun Bagan) and East Bengal Foundation Day

Mohun Bagan Athletic Club was established in the year 1889. It is the first-ever Indian club to have won the IFA Shield defeating East Yorkshire Regiment 2-1 on 29th July 1911 to create history and make the whole world sit up and take notice of the Indian struggle for freedom against imperial British occupiers.

Mohun Bagan Day celebrations at the century-old club

The Government of India released a postage stamp in 1989 to commemorate this famous victory and to honour the club and it's Immortal Eleven for the fight for the oppressed country. This is the only postage stamp in India based on a club. The Ccub was also declared as the "National Soccer Club of India."

29th July is a Red-letter Day in Indian History and a great day for the Club as well and is celebrated as Mohun Bagan Day each year.

Neighbours East Bengal also celebrate an auspicious Foundation day on August 1. Indian hockey legend, Dhanraj Pillay was felicitated by the Kolkata giants for his indispensable contribution to Indian hockey in 2017. The lifetime award was given to Nayeemuddin and Subhash Bhowmick. Both are extremely great personnel and have helped the Red and Gold reach the pinnacle of glory and success.

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Iftar at Mohammedan Sporting Club

Dawat-E-Iftar at Mohammedan Sporting Club (Courtesy: Mohammedan SC)

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The forgotten great club of Kolkata Maidan is Mohammedan SC who are now plying their trade in the I-league 2nd Division. The Black Panthers also have a annual ritual during Eid and days of celebration where they felicitate of their great legends with the Shan-e-Mohammed title. Last year, this lifetime achievement award was awarded to JB. Latifuddin Najab for his indispensable contribution to the 126-year-old club.

All of the officials along with media personnel are called and they celebrate the auspicious day where they felicitate a legend of their club and also pray for a better season next time around.