Kerala’s Kettungal village exhibits love and gratitude to their ‘second home’ this World Cup

By Irfan Ahmed Nazir

Kerala’s love and affection for international football is not something new. Since television arrived in Kerala households in the 1980s, there has been a widespread fanbase for international football teams in the state. It is evident during the FIFA world cup seasons. The football fans display the national flags of the teams they support and giant cut-outs of their favourite players in every nook and corner of Kerala streets. Most people have supported Brazil and Argentina since their breath-taking performance in the 1980s and the 1990s. In the last decade, there is also popular support for Portugal, Spain, Germany, and France.

This year’s FIFA world cup is more significant for Keralites as it is happening in their ‘second home.’ Since the oil boom of the 1970s, there has been a large influx of migrants from Kerala to Qatar and other Arab Gulf countries. According to Kerala Migration Survey 2018, 1.85 lakh Keralites live and work in Qatar. The remittances from Qatar have helped many Kerala households to lift out of poverty and enhance their standard of living. For this reason, Enamavu-Kettungal village in the Thrissur district of Kerala shows its love and gratitude to Qatar as the country hosts the world cup this year.

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Enamavu-Kettungal is 20 kilometers away from Thrissur city. The village was impoverished, relying on fishing and agriculture for living before the exodus to the Gulf. The Gulf migration and remittances lifted Kettungal’s social and economic status. Large villas replaced huts and traditional tiled-roof houses. The expatriate families also gained access to better living standards, including good education and healthcare facilities. The village’s link with Qatar is said to have begun seven decades ago when a native, Abdul Aziz, traveled from Kettungal to Qatar in 1952. Today, around 350 people from Kettungal are residing in Qatar.

As Qatar is honoured to host the first FIFA world cup in the Middle East, the people in Kettungal take pride in it and express their love and gratitude to the country that fed them. On the inauguration day of the world cup, the village organized a grand rally of 2,000 people and events that exhibited India-Qatar ties. The walls of shops and houses are painted maroon and white, the colours of the Qatar national flag. The auto rickshaws also carried the stickers of the Qatar flag.In addition, there are large cut-outs of the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and the father emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

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The walls and banners carry the inscription, ‘We Love Qatar’ and ‘We Support Qatar.’ In addition, there are also praises for the Qatar emir. For example, one banner reads: “A man became Hero, hero became Creator, that creator is His Highness Sheikh Thameem bin Hamad Althani.” Interestingly, expatriates from the UAE have also displayed the image of the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan beside the Qatar emir, showing the UAE’s support for Qatar. Besides, some shops have exhibited the UAE flags and the portrait of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum. It shows the affection of the expatriates towards the rulers of their respective Gulf countries. A banner also carries the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Qatar emir, signifying India-Qatar friendship.

Nevertheless, the people of Kettungal haven’t forgotten the traditional football teams they support during the world cup. There are large cut-outs of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, and other renowned players on the roadside. They have also displayed the flags of the national teams they support. In addition, the locals have arranged a large screen at the ‘Hayya Kettungal’ ground to show the football tournaments and a cafeteria for refreshments. They are also organizing a daily football prediction competition.

Enamavu-Kettungal is a testimony to the strong India-Qatar relations built on a people-to-people connection. The love and gratitude the village shows to their second home, Qatar, reflects how the Gulf migration has deeply influenced their lives. The FIFA World Cup 2022 will conclude with the finals at Doha’s Lusail Stadium on 18 December. However, Kerala’s love for football and affection toward the Gulf will continue to thrive.

(Author is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He tweets at @irfannazir_in. Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position of the author’s institution or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.)