Turning the on-field derby rivalry into cuisine bonhomie, hilsa and giant prawn dishes vied for attention as yesteryear veterans of East Bengal-Mohun Bagan battle reminisced about the days when the entire neighbourhood was split in two camps on the match days.
Sharing the same table with the green and maroon brigade spearhead of 70s Shibaji Banerjee, veteran East Bengal player Goutam Sarkar said, "We had to duck for covers after setbacks in a derby in those days but never did we go for each other's throats. And the forgiving fans would themselves take us back home as there was no rancour."
The duo, accompanied by a present generation descendant who flaunts M S Dhoni's poster at her study but knows about 'Dadu's on-field exploits,", equally tucked into 'Ilish Finger Fry', 'Lau Bhapa Ilish' and 'Narkol Diye Chingri Finger' (hilsa and prawn preparations representing the differing culinary tastes of two sides).
"These days the derby doesnot trigger the same passion and the interest is only synethetic and academic, but yes this is a novle way to sink on-field rivalry through the food route. We didn't have such innovations in our times with only mad fans dangling ilish or chingri after a drubbing," Goutam said at the unique 6 Ballygunjue Place initiative to rekindle the fast-diminishing passion of Bengalees.
Bridging the 'Ghoti-Bangal divide', which parallels the Englishman-Australian rivalry in the Ashes in those days when passions ran high, "there will be on offer delicacies from both sides" of erstwhile Bangla - now West Bengal and Bangladesh, chef Sushanta Sengupta said.
Flags, jerseys and little mementos, including cup and shield replicas recreated the derby ambience at 6 Ballygunje Place, days after the clash of the two Kolkata titans in nearby Yuva Bharati Krirangan.
