In a family, full of supporters of the East Bengal Club, a football team in Calcutta, young Gautam Chakraborty was the supporter of the rival team Mohan Bagan Club. His elder cousins and several uncles, though shocked, used to blame the fact on genetics. His mother came from the neighborhood of Shyambazar, a strong bastion of the supporters of the Mohan Bagan Club and thus the connection. But, it was the summer of East Bengal Club. Under the leadership of a quiet but strong mid-fielder Shanto Mitra, the club had a great season. In the season finale, they beat their arch rival Mohan Bagan Club by a score of 2 – 0. Mr. Mitra, subsequently went on to become the coach of the national team.
Manik Paul, an accomplice to the elder cousins, went to the local market to bring back a shad fish (an icon of the East Bengal Club) and decorated it with red vermillion and flowers. That evening, Gautam along with his mother came to visit his cousins. The cousins along with their accomplice welcomed him ringing a prayer-bell along with the presentation of that decorated fish. Oh! The horror! The Shame! Fortunately, his loving uncle was passing by. He immediately gave a piece of his stern rebuke to all the perpetrators, thus rescuing and consoling Gautam. But all this happened forty years ago.
While checking the daily sports news on his computer screen, Mr. Chakraborty, now middle-aged, came to the announcement of the expiry of Mr. Shanto Mitra of old age. He remembered that summer of humiliation along with the greatness of Late Mitra. As a true sports-lover, he signed RIP on the condolence page with a heavy heart.
Manik Paul, an accomplice to the elder cousins, went to the local market to bring back a shad fish (an icon of the East Bengal Club) and decorated it with red vermillion and flowers. That evening, Gautam along with his mother came to visit his cousins. The cousins along with their accomplice welcomed him ringing a prayer-bell along with the presentation of that decorated fish. Oh! The horror! The Shame! Fortunately, his loving uncle was passing by. He immediately gave a piece of his stern rebuke to all the perpetrators, thus rescuing and consoling Gautam. But all this happened forty years ago.
While checking the daily sports news on his computer screen, Mr. Chakraborty, now middle-aged, came to the announcement of the expiry of Mr. Shanto Mitra of old age. He remembered that summer of humiliation along with the greatness of Late Mitra. As a true sports-lover, he signed RIP on the condolence page with a heavy heart.
