In Manjeri’s Luzhnikn nearly 1,000 football fans, including those standing, can watch the action on the big LED wall screen.Planning a trip to Moscow to be part of the World Cup football action at Mioscow's Luzhniki stadium spending lakhs of rupees? You are mad! Instead, head to Manjeri’s own ‘Luzhniki’, where you can join a more enthusiastic group of football fans and also have a better view of the football matches at virtually no cost.
The football crazy in Russia as well as Manjeri have much in common, but there are subtle differences. Russians spent crores to build Luzhniki Stadium; the Manjeri football fans found an open space in the town and installed a flex costing Rs 1,500 which served the purpose of the entrance to Luzhniki Stadium, the local version. The Russians organized the World Cup which involved expenses of many more crores. In Manjeri, the spectators could enjoy the games with a better view on a big 150-square feet screen.
In a nutshell, the Luzhniki Stadium in Russia is just a ‘duplicate’; the ‘original’ Luzhniki is right here in Manjeri!
‘The world heads to Russia; Russia to Manjeri’
If you land in Manjeri in the evening and hire an autorickshaw, the driver would obviously greet you with the query, “To Luzhniki, right?...”
You wonder whether an autorickshaw would take you all the way to Moscow’s Luzhniki, but by that time the vehicle would have reached Manjeri’s own Luzhniki. It is where the biggest social gathering of Manjeri town takes place every evening.
‘The world heads to Russia; Russia to Manjeri’, a social media slogan created by the organisers of the mega event in Manjeri, went viral on the social media, attracting hundreds to the ‘stadium’. They included football fans who had reached the town for some purpose and could not return to their homes before the matches, auto-rickshaw drivers, travellers passing along Manjeri, local traders and several others. The seats get filled up in no time. Whenever a goal is scored, the cheers and shouts of the crowd reach all the way to the bus stand.
Manjeri’s Luzhniki has all facilities – a covered ‘gallery’ set up at a cost of around Rs 1 lakh, excellent speaker system and a standby generator.
A little history
The Luzhniki stadium in Moscow was built in 1956 and was initially named Lenin Central Stadium. It was renovated in 2013 and became a football venue of international standards in 2017. There are around 1,300 surveillance cameras at the stadium. The valedictory ceremony of the 1980 Olympics was held here.
In Manjeri’s Luzhniki, there are around 500 chairs. Nearly 1,000 football fans, including those standing, can watch the action on the big LED wall screen set up spending Rs 12 lakh. As freebies, come the illumination, sound system, expert commentary...
A comparison
1. Air distance from Malappuram town to Moscow is 5,976 km; Manjeri’s Luzhniki is barely 100 m from the bus stand.
2. A flight ticket to Moscow costs about Rs 66,000; one can walk to the Manjeri stadium at zero cost.
3. The stadium is on the banks of the river in Moscow; here it is right beside the main road at Chamayam junction in Manjeri – fear no floods.
4. A ticket for the football final at Luzhniki in Russia is priced at Rs 70,500; free entry to Manjeri stadium (donations accepted, but no compulsion).
5. Players would seem like ants from the back galleries of the Moscow Stadium; but in Manjeri’s Luzhniki, they would have the size of two real people on the 150 sq ft LED screen.
