Nothing excites Bengalis more than a good joust between rival schools of thought. In happier and gentler times the battle would be joined between football clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, the winner of the match determining the price of prawns or hilsa. The war of fish and football is of course a fall-out of the fabled rivalry between bangals and ghotis, that is among Bengalis whose roots lie east of the Padma river (the bangals) and whose roots are in the west (the ghotis). Mutual condescension is gently expressed in suitably fishy style.
Football crazy Bengalis have also been known to take up cudgels on who is the better footballer, Maradona or Pele, Ronaldo-da or Messi-da, heated arguments that transport Read More
