By Naseeb Karattil,
It’s sure that Lionel Messi or Kakka will be shocked if they pass by Kerala, especially through the Malappuram district. Because, they will find themselves in poster wars here. On the huge hoardings eructed in every nook and corner of the state, the Brazilian and Argentinean players here, challenge, mock, and roar at one another. Not only they, but Ronaldo, Rooney, Fabrigas etc are also pictured as crying for a battle. Yes, it shows nothing but that the soccer spirit of the Keralites is at its height now, and it will go on crossing the boundaries till the midnight of July 11. If the World was waiting for the ‘Jebulani’ to be kicked off, the Keralites were dying to see it. No political party or leader may have got such a huge reception in any election campaign or anywhere else as the World Cup 2010 got in Kerala. Forgetting the past rages, even the people in the most politically sensitive areas here are in a union to hear the roaring sound of ‘Vuvusola’ every evening.
Hamsa Haji, a 71 year old fancy shop owner at Malappuram says: “I like both Brazil and Argentina, but my sons and grandsons belong to five different countries”. Here even a little kid has his own ‘country’ and a hero. Not only the giants like Brazil, Argentina, France or Spain, but even Honduras and Ivory Coast have got fans. Ijas Ali, a player of the Under 16 India team who has got a ticket to go to watch the World Cup says that he wants to meet Fabrigaz of Spain if he gets a chance. For the last 6 months, the Fans Associations of different countries have been campaigning to gather supporters. As the World Cup whistle is blown, in the coming days, it is their turn to shout, cry and clap for ‘their’ countries in groups.
Fans Rallies and Fans Tournaments
On Friday afternoon, just before the first whistle was blown in South Africa, Malappuram where the soccer spirit is at its zenith, was in a suffocation as all the roads and streets were crowded with the mass rallies arranged by fans clubs and associations. The state of other places was not much different from here. Ignoring the heavy monsoon rain that seemed never to break a drop, people, including children gathered in the streets, marched all round the towns and villages coloring their bodies with glittering powders, with drums and sound horns, waving the flags of different countries. All the news channels in Malayalam telecasted the celebrations continuously for hours.
A fans’ rally at Areacode just before the kick off on friday
Fans Tournaments was one of the innovations of this season. Fans of different countries took part in the tournaments in the name of their favourite countries. There was such a match between ‘Argentina’ and ‘Brazil’, in which the national and state players like K.T. Chakko, Asif Saheer, M.P.Sakkeer etc took part even in the last minutes of the welcome celebrations, just before the kick off. Some primary and secondary schools also arranged fans matches for their students.
‘Flex Battle’
You cannot move half a mile through Kerala without meeting a ‘battle’ of huge vinyl flex boards eructed by different fans associations. The boards contain ‘spear-like’ words, showing the penetrating power in Malayalam. Using proverbs and funny expressions they are trying to show off their fancy and craze over their favorite countries, altogether football itself. When Argentina fans eructed a board with a catchword “No ‘Kakas'(‘kaka’ in Malayalam means the bird ‘crow’) will ever fly over our Messi”, the Brazilian fans gave a tit for tat reply – “For thousands of Messis, half a Kaka is enough”. Both of them argue that “we would never play for a second rank”. When Argentineans highlight their coach Diego Maradona, Brazilians will never be back to shoot with “for saving the whole world from nakedness, our Brazilian Messiahs are coming”, ridiculing the statement of Diego that he would run all around the ground naked if Argentina backs the world cup.
The fans of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany are not in lower gears. The fans of France show their disappointment over the tragedy of Zinadine Zidane on their boards. Even the small fishes like Honduras, Ivory Coast, Chile, Serbia etc. have also fans boards claiming “We too are coming, to disturb the sleep of big fishes.”
World Cup Specials
World Cups are more than a national festival for Keralites. So in every World Cup, they are eager to bring innovations in the celebration. This time also was not different. Motor vehicles like cars, autorikshaws and bikes spray painted in Argentinean and Brazilian flag colors is common nowadays. Fans will round the suburbs in them spraying the spirit of football. Just as in a political campaign, other vehicles including taxis will move waving their flags. Two young men from Puthanathani, in Malappuram district introduced a World Cup juice. Those who enter their shop can drink juice of their choice in the colour of their favourite team’s flag, in flag-stickered glasses. Some people changed their house paints into their team flags. Jaseer Karanath, a state player and a great fan of Brazil who painted his house in green and yellow is their forerunner. The wall papers of their mobile screens are none other than their favourite players .Waka.. waka.. is the common music that comes from every shop.
Muslim girls cry for their favourite teams in a fans’ match in Malappuram
Media, political parties and other organisations and some business groups are also boosting the spirits. Some channels have started public relation campaigns by conducting soccer journeys throughout the state with DSNG units for live telecast. Football film festivals, football food festivals, exhibitions, prediction contests etc are being held all over the state. Newer additions are expected as the World Cup has started.
About The Spirit
Kamal Varadoor, sports columnist and treasurer of the Kerala State Working Journalists’ Union (KUWJ) says: “Even though there was a great soccer spirit in Kerala earlier, it is only after the World Cup ‘86, when Diego Maradona became a hero, that the World Cup spirit here became serious. And in later years, the introduction of the cable television spread it. Now it has turned into an unprecedented mode.”
However, the foot ball spirit has brought a great harmony among people. The politically sensitive coastal areas here enjoy a ‘soccer security and peace’. For one month more there won’t be national or political barriers anywhere. People will mingle with their fellow fans and enjoy the “Waka..Waka..” together. It may be ironical that the Indians shout for the England’s win forgetting the past colonial days. Rahmath, a freelancer who is on the way of making a documentary of this spirit underlines the statement “It is the power of football”.
Is It a Protest?
Kamal Varadoor finds a sign of protest in this heavy soccer spirit. He adds: “Once we had a number of national level football tournaments here. But when the national authorities made “foul plays” in the section and ignored them, the Kerala soccer was thrown out into the back seat. That’s why people here give more importance to the world soccer and foreign league footballs. I am sure that if our authority will move on with a ‘will’, avoiding the pressures and persuasions, Indian Football team will play in any of the near World Cups. We have a lot of talented players who can fulfill the dream.”
Kamal’s words are on the basis of the developing domestic and junior football in Kerala.
All of the people in Kerala and the whole nation are waiting for the day on which India gets a chance to play in the World Cup. That’s why some boards in Kerala, credited as the Indian Fans Association, with the pictures of the current Indian football team expect… “One day, we too will get a chance to dance.”
Yes, let’s too wait for that day to come.
[Photos by Rahmath Areacode]