On July 29, 1911, the gentlemen to the right lifted their first IFA Shield as Mohun Bagan defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment by two goals to one. Founded in 1889, Calcutta’s Mohun Bagan are Asia’s oldest football team, and to this day a major force in Indian soccer, along with perennial in-town rivals East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. Calcutta remains a hotbed of Indian football, with the most famous clubs and the most ardent and knowledgeable international football fans.

A memory: Midway through the US-hosted 1994 World Cup, I learned that my grandmother was ill and unlikely to survive. I flew to Calcutta from Boston, where I had attended two 1st-round matches and one 2nd-round (the Nigeria-Italy of tragic memory). For two weeks, my father and I held death watch in the family house. Our sole distraction was the World Cup matches that beamed in to the ill-tempered black-and-white television at ungodly hours of the night. In this nether state we saw the heroics of Romania’s Georghe Hagi, Sweden’s unlikely run, and Branco’s 30-meter free-kick that broke the Brazil-Netherlands tie. At 8 a.m. the armada of doctors would appear. They too had risen at 3 to watch the games. We’d analyze Colombia’s strange collapse or Brazil’s atypically dull style as they hovered over my grandmother, our own drama sadly easier to predict than, say, the fact that Brazil would beat Italy in the final on, of all things, a missed Roberto Baggio penalty.

Minutes away as I write this, Germany and Costa Rica will kick off this year’s tournament. In Calcutta, LCD and plasma television sales have doubled, says the Telegraph. The paper provides its readers with an invaluable feature on World Cup viewing tips which will be useful to sepia aficionados worldwide.

It covers dress:

The price may be a little steep at Rs 2,700, but Adidas is seeing team jerseys of Argentina, Germany, Spain and France fly off the shelves in city stores. Ditto for Nike jerseys of Brazil, Portugal and Holland, priced at Rs 2,495.

Posture:

The TV set should be at eye level, at a distance of at least five to six feet. Sit upright in straight-backed cushioned chair with head and lumbar support….

That Calcutta is becoming more conscious of the cramp and the cringe is clear from the queries reaching gyms about what to do during World Cup viewing.

“An erect posture should be maintained while sitting for such long hours because if the posture is faulty back trouble is inevitable. Reclining chairs are not advised,” says Divya Himatsingka of Gold’s Gym.

Exercise:

“Stretches and lower-back exercises are a must to keep fit through the Cup month. Get up at brief intervals and take a short walk; at half-time do some stretching to prevent stiffness,” says Sabyasachi Roy of Addlife, the gym planning to distribute a special-exercise plan among patrons watching the World Cup.

Hydration:

Dietician Shalini Agarwal prescribes no more than two cups of tea or coffee for a 90-minute match. “Too much of tea and coffee will mar whatever chances you have of catching some sound sleep,” warns Shalini. Her recommendation: iced-tea flavoured with ginger or fresh lime with soda.

If that isn’t your cup of tea, mixologist Irfan Ahmed picks beer as the safest drink to cheer the Cup. “Or go for Sangria, an ideal summer beverage, red wine flavoured with citrus and fresh juice.” If your team wins, keep tequila shots handy, says Irfan.

Diet:

Dietician Shalini Agarwal lists some finger food to keep munching during the matches while keeping those extra calories at bay:

– Sprouted bhel (puffed rice, sprouted grams, mint chutney, tamarind chutney, onion, tomato and chaat masala)
– Microwave popcorn (low-fat variety, of course)
– Home-made potato chips
– Home-made burgers.

And this life-saving health warning:

Cardiac patients should be extra careful about going crazy over goals scored — and missed.

Bhel, tequila and stretches: Ladies and gentlemen of the Mutiny, I’m ready! WILLKOMMEN ZUM FUSSBALL and may France Brazil Ivory Coast the best team win!