Book Review: A social history of Indian Football: Striving to Score

 A social history of Indian Football: Striving to Score by Boria Majumdar and Kausik Bandyopadhyay

Today I am writing about a book recently I winded up reading. Why did I like and enjoy this book?  My answer is a little perplexed, but one is very apparent, after my graduation I have not read any book with such an enthusiasm and felicitouse. After coming to Germany it was not at all my concern to read something out of my area of research. I went through two three American novels (Falling Man by Dilio) and some culture studies books. But when I saw this book at the South Asian Studies Dept. Library I felt I must read it. Those days the Euro cup was in its ecstasy. My favourite teams Deutschland and France were enjoying their easiest first round victories. I took the book, but it took me time to open it. For two weeks I have not even touched it. By the time, in Euro Cup, Germany fell down hit by Bellaolli’s two goals in the semi final and Spain again revenged Italy to satisfy the German (and to me, of course!). When all ruckus ended I started reading my usual books, Post Modern Theory, Society and Culture and all others. But suddenly I got a chance to beat a football for a kick or two, I felt so nostalgic and remembered my country. In that occasion, this book came as a soft hand to pat on my head. Really when I was reading it, I felt I was in a big maidaan playing football before a huge crowd. The ceaseless sounds of the supporting fans were everywhere. I usually read it in the Potsdam Library, and most of the time either I burst into laugh or made unusual movement with my legs as if I were  in  the Salt Lake maidaan in Kolkatta.

What is the special with this book? It delineates the earlier days of Indian football. As cricket, football also was infixed by the British. They explained this foot game as a moral tool. Football teaches the physical exercise, loyalty to the master, discipline, team spirit and a tight time schedule. As part of civilizing mission, football suddenly became a cane to teach the Indian schools about the colonial morality. The circular available in the archives have clearly shown the civilizing mission of Briton through the aired ball. It also was a tool of Whites to prove their physical strength and prowess. Every time only the British teams won in the ground, but once this notion fell upside down when Mohan Bagan foiled the British packed team in 1911. In that day football instantly became a symbolic gesture of nationalism. That moment Britain unproved whatever they were proving as a solid truth. See  the feeble, weak, effeminate Indian team played with their bare feet against strong, powerful, masculine Britain with their strong booted feet! But when India proved they could easily defeat the Briton, it led a serious discrimination from the Briton, every time they tried to discriminate Indian team or were not ready to play with it.  The 1911 victory was celebrated by all, newspapers wrote editorials on that great victory. But the British historian used that victory as a success of British imperialism!. One British historian wrote, Indians should be very grateful to Britain in this victory, because of Britain gave them enough confidence and mental strength even to defeat their masters. So I was in such a colonial football ground, there I saw the two teams literally fought each other with a weapon called football. Hence Mohan Bagan suddenly puffed with the nationalist spirit.

Then in 1920s, the picture slightly changed and the ball became a weapon used against the two religions. The poor ball which we see in ground is not the Football, but it changed as a round shaped weapon carries ideologies, political propaganda, religions symbols. When Muhammedan Sporting Club became a passion in 1920s, the ground became a battlefield of communal violence and serious discrimination on religious ground. In the book, one chapter very seriously asked why Mohammed Salim, one of the pioneer footballer of anytime was neglected in football history. Not Butia, but Mohammed Salim went to play in an English Club! But both he and his team Muhammaden Sprt Club were written off from the pages of history book. Surprisingly he played with his bare feet even in England!

Salim’s confidence encouraged Hashim (his coach) to speak to William Maley, the Celtic Manager: ‘ A great player from India has come by ship. Will you please take a trial of his. But there is a slight problem. Salim plays in bare feet.’

Maley laughed, the idea of a bare footed armature from India competing against Scottish professional was difficult to believe. But Hasim was persistent and the Celtic manger finally agreed to give him a trial. However, he emphasized the need to seek permission from the Football Federation for someone playing bare feet. If the federation gave their permission, he would give Salim a trial. Permission was eventually granted and Salim was asked to demonstrate his skill before 1000 club members and three registered coaches. He had never faced a trial like this before, and was understandably nervous. The coaches took him different corners and asked him to demonstrate his skill in six different ways. When salim finished his demonstration, they were astonished. Salim, the shy Indian, then asked Hasheem to seek permission to demonstrate three further styles of play. Eventually, they were convinced that an exceptional talent had arrived in Scotland. In his first match for Celtic against Hamilton, he was in great form. In fact, he was exceptional and Celtic won the match 5-1. In his second match against Galston, Celtic won 7-1 and his performance led the Scottish Daily Express of 29 August 1936, to carry the headline: ‘ Indian Juggler – New Style’. Salim was also offered a professional contract to paly in Germany.

The book again showed that how then the football became a tool to show the regional rivalries when East Bengal team was formed. The persistent opponents Mohan Bagan and East Bengal traced back in 1930s. Moham Bagan represents the Ghatti Hindus and East Bengal represent ‘Bangali’ Hindus. The ground became a battlefield for fighting for sub-regional and religional pride with a weapon called football. Above all football in Indian soil grew up, flowered and seeded. And in a certain moment, first time in history Indian team qualified for World Cup 1950! India did not go to play in world cup, because the FIFA laws did not allow anybody to play with bare feet.

The book then examines the growth of Indian states in regional and state base. It checks also the status of women’s football in the country. For getting more clarity it describes the story of ‘;Bend it Like Beckam’, a film screened in 1990s. And once when a women football match about to start, a team did not find enough players, at last their coach with her brocken leg agreed to stand under the post! If you go through the book, you will go through a number of incidents which shows the enthusiasm and over joy of fans to their clubs/ teams. I am only giving you some hints of only certain stories explained in the book. A supporter of Moahn Bagan committed suicide after a debacle of his team against east Bengal. He wrote in his suicide note: ‘I am taking my life now, only to reborn as a footballer in my next janam to avenge this defeat’.

An old man came very late to the ground, and the match was about to start. He was repeatedly asking whether the match started or not. Some acquaintances in the ground asked why he was late that day, he said: ‘ my son passed away today. And I came here from his funeral place to watch this match. After the match between East Bengal and Mohan Bagan the fans were traveling in the tram in Kolkotta, a toddler was overrun by the same tram. Somehow he managed to get it but he did not notice his toe was taken away by the tram. A toe in the road and a pool of blood in the tram later realized him that he lost his toe!

And when his favourite team posts its fourth goal, a man in the gallery broke his heart over the ecstasy!

To wind up this note I quot a description from the book:

‎'Mohan Bagan took Bombay literally by storm. One of the big banyan trees at the South - East corner of the Cooperage ground still bears witness to that terrible tornado. A huge branch with a load of 50 enthusiasts crashed to the ground when the Indian team took the lead against the Durham Light Infantry in the final match. It is said that this was the result of a burst of cheering'