Sports
Most people in
Kolkata have two 'religious' - the faith in which they
were born, and their choice of support for one of the three big football teams
in the city - East Bengal, Mohan Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting.
Since everyone
celebrates everyone else's religious festivals, all the fanaticism is reserved
for the 'football-faith'. It is not only football - though it has an edge - that
people follow, they are cricket-crazy too. The world's greatest players have
spoken about the experience of playing before an almost 100,000 strong, very
vocal and equally appreciative crowd at Kolkata's Eden Gardens Stadium.
Racing too is very popular and an ideal afternoon can be spent at Kolkata's
excellent racecourse. Kolkata boasts of the world's second oldest golf courses
at the Royal Kolkata Golf Club and the unique Ladies' Golf Course. There are
other good golf courses at the Tollygunge Club and the Army's Fort William.
Hockey also has its following. Kolkata South Club is the venue for many a
stirring national and international tennis battle and has been the nursery from
which many of the country's tennis greats have sprung. Squash, badminton,
basketball, volleyball and indoor sports also attract large crowds.
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