A challenging game: Girls in Kolkata juggle housework and football

I live in the Rajabazar locality of Kolkata, West Bengal. Since childhood, I’ve been passionate about playing football and cricket. Although these sports are traditionally considered ‘boys’ games’, I have been playing since I was around 10 years old.

We are a group of five or six friends who share a love for football. However, we face challenges in playing almost every day. Some of our families were against us playing. Those who did agree imposed conditions: if girls played, they had to wear full clothes, could not stay out late, and so on. Most of us had to play football wearing trousers or slacks. Additionally, the biggest condition—which all of us continue to follow—was that we had to fulfil our household responsibilities before going out to play.

Initially, there was no separate ground for girls in the neighbourhood, so we played with the boys. But soon, people in the area started talking. They would say, “These girls have grown up and are still playing on the ground. Football is not a game for girls.” They even taunted our families, asking them how they could allow us to play outside.

Facing similar problems brought us closer as friends, creating a deep bond and sense of understanding among us. This unity helped us support one another in dealing with other challenges as well. In one instance, we faced significant opposition because we spoke out against a child marriage taking place in our community. This incident was covered by the local media, and it was after seeing the coverage that the iPartner India team paid us a visit in 2019. We requested them to teach us to play football professionally. Through the organisation, we learned about gender, sexual and reproductive health, and football. Finally, our football team was formed under their ‘One Team | One Dream’ project.

I have been on the team the longest. Still, our coach has to convince my family to let me play, saying, “Ayesha plays well; if she receives proper coaching, she can win tournaments.”

He has also promised them that I will return home on time. Despite this, my family only agreed when I told them I would finish all the housework before leaving. So, every day, I wake up in the morning, help my mother with the housework, cook food, and then go to play football. When there is a match outside the city, my friends and I support one another with our chores: They complete these tasks until I return from the tournament, and I do the same for them. But because of these difficulties, many girls have stopped playing football altogether.

However, things are gradually changing. Now, more than 60 girls come to practise football. Our new team plays in the Mallikpur area of South 24 Parganas district three times a week. We also train at residential football camps. Due to household chores, we can only practise for four to five hours. The coach says that if we want to become national-level players, eight hours of daily practice is necessary. But our families are not ready to accept this yet.

Ayesha Parveen plays football in Kolkata.

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