Chaibasa, India – As the world celebrated Spain’s second FIFA World Cup victory and soccer’s Goat, who headlined the month-long tournament, a remote village in India also got in on the action, albeit with an indigenous feel.
To coincide with the FIFA event, residents of Tirilbasa village in Chaibasa, a tribal district in eastern India’s Jharkhand state, have organized a soccer tournament from July 14th to July 17th in which teams from 64 nearby villages will participate.
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But the highlight of the Rangira Star Tirilbasa Tournament (‘Rangira’ means ‘colorful’ in Hindi), besides the relatively large prize money, was the herd of goats handed out as trophies to the best-performing teams.
The final was played on Friday, with NCS Maudi defeating Kumbalam 1-0, in a dramatic turn of events that foreshadowed what would happen between Spain and Argentina two days later in New York.
NCS Maudi took home a prize of 15,000 rupees ($156) and three male goats (locally known as “kashi” because they were castrated when they were young). Runners-up Kumbalam won 12,000 rupees ($125) and two kashi, while third and fourth place Cobra FC Nimdi and Garbasa FC each won 9,000 rupees ($93) and one kashi. There are also cash prizes for Man of the Match, Man of the Series and Best Goalkeeper, but no oaks.
NCS Maudi captain Sachin Devam, whose team arrived on two-wheelers for the match, told Al Jazeera that they had to arrange for an autorickshaw to transport the goats to their home, 10 km away.
“This is the team’s first win. I want to celebrate with everyone in the village,” he said with a big smile. “It’s going to be an oak picnic.”
“Kassi is an important part of our culture.”
This year was the fifth edition of the Rangira Star Tirilbasa tournament.
Organizers say they have brought in popular commentators and referees accredited by state football associations to ensure compliance with guidelines and to “avoid fights as players may become aggressive on the field,” according to the FIFA rulebook.
However, the rest of the setting is very different from traditional games. Rather, it is adapted from the ancient tribal traditions of the Ho people, native to the Chaibasa region.
The Ho people, numbering over 1 million people across India, are genetically Austro-Asiatic and consider themselves forest-dwelling tribes (or Adivasi in Hindi). In their language, the word “ho” means “man” or “people” in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand, one of India’s poorest states despite being home to some of the country’s largest coal and mineral mines.
AustroAsian tribes such as the Santals, Hos, and Mundas organize their traditional, religious, and sporting activities like close-knit communities. Football events are an opportunity to invite your fellow tribe members to celebrate your bond.
For the Ho people, no celebration is complete without oak. These animals are used as sacrifices during religious events and rituals, and their meat is divided among the members of the community.
“Kasi is part of the award because it is an important part of our culture. Their meat is delicious and everyone loves good mutton. Most teams slaughter goats, but some keep them as livestock or trophy prizes,” Manish Khudada, 18, from Tirilbasa and one of the tournament organizers, told Al Jazeera.
Kudada has saved the black oak that he won in another soccer tournament in February, but his friends joke that he is fattening up the goat for a feast. Oak goats are highly valued for the quality of their meat. Goats can be seen everywhere in Chaibasa, especially at the weekly Tuesday market, where baby goats can fetch up to 8,000 rupees (about $83).
“Without kashi, our celebrations will be half-hearted. Even if at a wedding the organizers serve double the amount of chicken and no kashi meat, the villagers will be upset,” Raj Keshri, a goalkeeper for the Tirilbasa team and one of the organizers of the tournament, told Al Jazeera.
“So we decided to offer cash and a goat as prizes. Players can keep their money, but with Kashi they can also celebrate their wins with the whole village.”
The Ho practice what is known as the Munda Manki governance system, under which a hereditary village chief protects all social, legal and customary rights of the people. Their tribal norms and customs take precedence over the Indian government’s panchayat and police systems.
The Rangila Star Tirilbasa tournament will be conducted at the “ek munda” (“ek” means “one” in Hindi) level. This means that the members of the team must belong to the same village. Each team has 9 players instead of 11, and at least 6 of them must belong to the same village to participate in the tournament. Organizers say this rule is strictly adhered to to foster a sense of unity among the players.
The rules of the game have also changed. There is no offside and players are free to score from anywhere on the field.
Sudarshan Tiu, who plays for Garbasa FC, told Al Jazeera: “A match like this gives an opportunity to players like us from small villages who don’t get a chance to play in open tournaments where there are a lot of experienced players.”
Tournament commentator Subir Kumar Tanti travels extensively through the Kolhan region during the monsoon football season, when most of the male members return to their hometowns for cultivation and agricultural festivals.
During Friday’s final in Tirilbasa, his high-pitched, lyrical commentary echoed through the speakers, helping the audience grasp the fast-paced action on the soccer field.
“The Rangira Star Tournament reflects the culture of the Ho people, and the oak goat as a prize makes this tournament even more unique. Tournaments in the region follow suit, and few tournaments prefer to conduct their events in a professional manner with trophies and medals as rewards,” he told Al Jazeera.
The tournament provides entertainment for the villagers, who come and go from the grounds throughout the day, squatting on the side of the field or finding a spot in the trees.
Nearby stalls sell fried dough balls, potato chops, yellow peas, hooch and more. The men sit in a circle and drink a fermented rice beer called “Madia” while taking a break between games. Locals say it helps them stay cool in the humid climate.
On the night after the match, there is also a catch-the-rooster game where spectators can bet money.
Keshri, the goalkeeper for the Tirilbasa team, explains the spirit behind the quirky name of the tournament: Rangira Star Tirirubasa.
“This name was chosen because it embodies the identity of our village. ‘Rangira’ (colorful) represents our ambition to do something unique and ‘star’ represents talent. Through our football tournament, we hope that Tirilbasa will become a breeding ground for local talent.”
The tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand has been a sporting powerhouse for decades. It has produced internationally award-winning field hockey players and athletes, the most famous being former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The state government is helping local soccer and hockey clubs like Rangira Stars with financial grants, resulting in the rise of the next generation of soccer players. Many such clubs, including Rangira, also organize tournaments for women’s teams.
But more than a decade ago, Chaibasa wasn’t on the sporting map.
The area, located among remote forests and hills, was cut off from mainland India by the Maoist insurgency, a tribal-led armed rebellion against the Indian state over large-scale deforestation and the sale of land to private companies for mining and related activities.
It was not until 2011 that the government regained control of Chaibasa from the Maoists. Still, until last year, civilian vehicles avoided plying the roads that cross the district at night. Commercial buses operated from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the area remained on the government’s list of “warning zones”.
In March this year, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah declared an end to the Maoist armed insurgency after a series of top commanders were killed or arrested by security forces in Jharkhand and surrounding states, primarily Chhattisgarh.
As the violence subsided, Chaibasa transformed into a bustling town. Shops selling pizza, burgers and laptops have popped up alongside the offices and warehouses of mining companies that extract coal and iron ore. Christian missionary schools and universities dot the region, providing educational opportunities for tribal people.
Sports activities are also thriving, with Chaibasa quickly emerging as a soccer hotspot, producing players such as female midfielder and forward Malati Munda.
Munda, who gained national fame through local tournaments, ended up playing in a league in Kolkata, the capital of neighboring West Bengal state, where soccer is very popular.
“I didn’t have any coaches to guide me or give me training. No one had even heard of me. After I came to Chaibasa town for higher education, I met some brothers and sisters who taught me and improved my game,” Munda told Al Jazeera.
Weekly local tournaments have given Munda the experience and skills to improve his game. They also brought rewards. “I’ve played in a few matches like that and won some cash, and of course Kashi,” she said with a laugh.
Munda currently plays for the Home Guards, a paramilitary force in Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi, a route many players from poor families take to secure government jobs in India.
Harish Hembram from Chaibasa started his career as a soccer content creator by covering local matches and uploading the videos on social media. His YouTube channel currently has over 211,000 subscribers and is live streaming major matches across Jharkhand.
“Soccer has always been popular in the village, and many people like me watched the matches at other venues. I started uploading videos for the fans who couldn’t go to the matches. But soon the videos gained high viewership and I started a YouTube channel. Now organizers call me to cover tournaments,” he told Al Jazeera.
Hembram said he earns about 20,000 rupees ($208) a month from his YouTube channel alone. He moved to Ranchi where he also opened a sports shop selling footballs, jerseys, shoes and other accessories. Many Chai Basa players also visit his shop.
Chaibasa’s grassroots football culture defies the stereotype that India is not a footballing nation.
Sandeep Menon, author of Sacred Grounds: A Journey Through People’s Football in India, says he has discovered and documented football subcultures across India. Although India does not feature prominently on the world football map, the country’s love for the sport is “unparalleled”, he said.
“At the grassroots level, soccer is played with great interest across the country. And everyone has their own version of the game, making it deliciously adaptable depending on the availability of space, local geographical environment, weather and social conditions,” Menon told Al Jazeera.
Menon said hyper-local village tournaments like Rangira Star Tirilbasa attract young players and provide an opportunity for overnight fame. “It takes a huge emotional investment to play for and represent a village,” he said. “For some players, soccer becomes their identity and pride.”
