Just This Once... Siliguri is set to become the heart of Kolkata

FRIDAY MORNING. The streets around the Kanchenjunga Stadium, Siliguri are looking unusually packed. This is not the slow-moving river of vehicles and humans one associates with a typical working day. The people, in this vociferous pack, are coming from all directions, converging on the arena.

The police are forced to make extra security arrangements around the stadium. But even the lawmen on duty can't hide their surprise. The match doesn't even happen until tomorrow. So what are they here for? Tickets? Nope. Those sold out on Wednesday, within hours of the counters being opened. The paltry 35,000 seats made available by the authorities proved to be a drop compared to the ocean of interest around this fixture.

The reason behind the crowd's unrelenting presence became obvious when a bus showed up. The crowd ran after it, chanting, raising slogans. It's the eve of the Kolkata Derby and both the teams are going to practice in the stadium. The fans have gathered here for that reason: to get a glimpse of the players; their heroes.

The tension in the face of the policemen reaches another level. If there's so much madness around the practice session, what will happen in the match?

At the same time, down south in Kolkata, a few buses are wading their way past the heavy traffic of Park Street. The buses are private chartered vehicles and they are draped in either red-and-gold or green-and-maroon. These are buses booked by fans, who are spending thousands of rupees and missing a workday or two to get to the town in North Bengal that will, just for one day, become the heart of Kolkata. The occupants of the bus seats chant, sing songs about their clubs, and curse at the name of the opponents.  They look out through the window, to see how far they have travelled so far. No one can wait to reach Siliguri and feel the all-familiar Derby heat that holds over them such a sway that they are ready to chase it to the farthest corners of the state.

A little later, East Bengal coach Biswajit Bhattacharya walks out to the turf at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri with his players. The journalists are watching and so are the fans. He turns to Bernard Mendy and has a quick word. The two have reportedly been at odds due to the latter's under-performance. But right before the Derby, both have called a truce.

Biswajit Bhattacharya, a former East Bengal player himself, knows what the Derby means to the club and its fans. He is ready to abandon his ego a thousand times to ensure a good result for the club in this match. Mendy, although new to the club, is very well aware of its significance too. And he is happy to forget everything else and focus on this one particular match that can make or break their season.

A few paces from them, Ranti Martins and Do Dong-hyun are talking to each other. They speak animatedly, with hand-gestures. The subject is definitely related to positioning during set-pieces.

A little later, an enthusiastic crowd of Mohun Bagan fans has gathered at the arrival area in the Bagdogra airport. They have been eagerly awaiting the landing of a particular flight from Kolkata, and the person it is carrying towards them.

The gates open and out comes Sony Norde, back from national duty for Haiti. The fans rush towards him and drape him in green and maroon banners. But their excited faces make way for dread and worry as the player limps heavily on his left foot, barely able to walk.

The supporters fall relatively silent as Norde drags himself through the terminal with a stony determination in his face. He has travelled across the globe to be here for the Derby and he clearly does not want it to be for nothing.

When Mohun Bagan hold their final practice session ahead of the Derby, Norde is nowhere to be seen. Jeje Lalpekhlua and Pronay Halder, also back from national duty, spend some extra time talking to Sankarlal Chakraborty, the assistant coach. The physio Garcia, who usually speaks his heart to fans and media, shuts his mouth to any question from media for today. He smiles a silent apology; just this once.

'Just This Once' could also be the theme for this particular Kolkata Derby. They organizers said it when they moved the game out of Kolkata. The local sports association said it when they issued the majority of the natch tickets as "general", risking a largely unsegregated crowd in this emotionally charged clash of mega rivals. The fans said it to each other when they raised money for the trip to Siliguri and back.

Biswajit Bhattacharya may have said it when he made up with Mendy. It may have been on Sony Norde's mind when he walked through pain in that terminal, unwilling to let go of the slightest opportunity to have an impact on this historic event.

Because it's not often you find both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan neck to neck in the I-League title race, creating a situation where the Derby can act as a launch-pad to rejuvenate East Bengal's title bid or re-establish Mohun Bagan as the undisputed league leaders en route to a second title in as many seasons.

The epic combination of fan madness, players' own struggles, the vitality of a title race and historical significance has created a unique atmosphere around this event; one that's laced with excitement, joy as well as dread and worry.

So what if the Derby is away from Kolkata? Come Saturday, Kolkata is converging on the Derby.