Finest Bengali dishes await Pele

Kolkata: Aware of Pele's craving for fish some of the finest bengali dishes, including hilsa and prawn preparations, will be offered to the Brazilian legend for his dinner tonight at a five-star hotel in the city, organisers said.

"Steamed hilsa, popularly known as 'bhapa ilish', along with chingri macher malai curry (prawn cooked in coconut milk) will be served in the dinner," Satadru Dutta, chief strategist of Multicon Group, who is one of the ogranisers, told PTI.

While the five-star hotel was not available for a reaction, it is learnt that Pele may also have his favourite staple - rice and beans.

Dutta, who accompanied the Brazilian legend to the hotel in a SUV, said Pele was surprised to see a "sea change" in the city.

"It looked completely transformed to him. He also inquired about a few words like 'thank you and hello' in the local language so that he can greet the chief minister Mamata Banerjee when he meets her at the Netaji Indoor Stadium tomorrow."

Pele also caught with on the local newspapers and inquired about the ongoing Indian Super League football tournament.

"He was surprised to know that it's only played for two months... 'Why in such a short duration' he asked," Dutta added.

Coming from a 24-plus-hour travel from Sao Paulo via Dubai, the 74-year-old who landed in the city this morning along with his three assistants, chose to take rest in the fourth floor of his Presidential Suite to beat the jetlag.

"No one is allowed to meet him today. He's taking complete rest," Dutta said.

Pele has a hectic schedule beginning tomorrow which will begin with an interaction with media, followed by students of NSHM Knowledge Campus.

In the evening, Pele will walk down the memory lane at Eden Gardens where his team New York Cosmos played out a 2-2 draw in the exhibition match against local powerhouse Mohun Bagan in 1977.

Pele will reunite with the Mohun Bagan's class of 1977 who will be felicitated at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in the 'Legend's Nite' where he will also interact with former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.

Two-time academy award winning music composer A R Rahman and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee are slated to join Pele while tennis star Rafael Nadal is also scheduled to join the show through a video conference.

With the biggest festival of the state, Durga Puja, set to begin with Mahalaya tomorrow, the Brazilian is also likely to inaugurate a pandal later tomorrow.

On the last day of his tour, the 74-year-old will be the guest of honour in ISL defending champions Atletico de Kolkata's first home outing against Kerala Blasters at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Saltlake.

The Brazilian will also be part of an auction dinner tomorrow, the proceeds of which would go to the Chief Minister Relief Fund.

After Kolkata, Pele on Wednesday evening would head to the national capital Delhi where he will witness the Subroto Cup final on October 16.