Mamata felicitates IPL champs Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL win is big, but biggest hit yet to come: Shah Rukh Khan
Kolkata Knight Rider's co-owner feels he win is slowly sinking in but there is always something even bigger round the corner. Says he believes in sports and always knew hard-work would pay off.

Mamata Banerjee riding on Knight Riders' victory?
The 'City of Joy' got together today to celebrate the victory of Kolkata Knight Riders, the newly-crowned IPL champions. From packed streets to a packed Eden Gardens, tens of thousands of fans came out to show their support for the team; leading them from the front was none other than Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Kolkata celebrates Shah Rukh, KKR at Eden Gardens
Crowds swelling outside Eden Gardens, inadequate police deployment. Fans break barriers, lathicharged.

No reports of any major injuries

Meanwhile there is a mild lathicharge outside Eden Gardens

Kolkata celebrates Shah Rukh, KKR at Eden Gardens
It was a day the KKR will cherish for a very long time

And the national anthem marks the end of the ceremony.

And now Juhi thanks Ms Mamata Banerjee, players and Ms Banerjee asks them to win it again.
"Bengal proud of you, All the best and Keep it Up," says Mamata Didi.

Some more jigs from SRK, Juhi, Rituparna Ghosh, Jeet and Deb

The team takes a lap with the trophy amid loud cheers. A fan jumps in to the ground to hug SRK

Ms Banerjee asks the team to take a lap of honour at the Eden Gardens...

And they do the needful with the KKR anthem being played in the background. The fans in the stands can't stop waving

She now asks Gautam Gambhir, SRK and Juhi to cut the 'SanCake' (A delicacy that is half Sandesh and half cake) with KKR's slogan - Korbo Lorbo Jitbo

And now Mamata presents a gold chain to Khan 'Dada'

Players are being presented with gold chains

Tollywood stars Jeet, Deb and Rituparna Ghosh are also present at the ceremony

More than 1 lakh people have gathered at the Eden Gardens

More shawls and gifts for KKR players

Ms Mamata Banerjee addresses the gathering at the Eden;  says the Kolkata Knight Riders have brought pride to West Bengal.

70,000 fans up on their feet for the national anthem

As Kolkata celebrates the KKR win, has it forgiven SRK his Sourav Ganguly episode?

Mamata Banerjee has joined them on stage.

A clearly ecstatic SRK is regaling the 70,000-strong crowd with impromptu jigs.

The team is at the Eden, where Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla have broken into dance.

KKR captain Gambhir thanked Kolkata for their support

A few minutes earlier, Mamata said: I extend a warm welcome to KKR on behalf of entire Bengal. 

At Eden, local bands have filled the stadium with music. Kolkata is celebrating.

The KKR players have also been gifted gold chains with lockets which say 'Bengal Loves You'

The team is leaving Writer's Building, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee felicitated the team.

At Eden Gardens, 70,000 people are waiting for their champs to arrive.

The team is now boarding the bus as they are now heading to the Eden Gardens. The bus is thronged by hundreds of fans and mediapersons

And there is Mamata Banerjee, surrounded by members of the victorious Kolkata Knight Riders team, beaming as she asks first SRK and then KKR captain Gautam Gambhir to speak.

And now Mamata felicitates Yusuf Pathan. No foreign players are there

Juhi Chawla, co-owner of KKR touches Mamata's feet.

SRK, Juhi and Mamata jointly hold the trophy

Also joins him his partner and Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta

And here comes Shah Rukh Khan.

And now the players being graced with shawls

Mamata acknowledging the Knights with bouquets

The players have come on to the stage at the Eden Gardens where the banner reads Knights have become Kings..Now that's subtle!

Mamata's sari has a mauve aanchal. KKR colours?

Players pose and chat with Mamata Banerjee

And Ms Banerjee is beaming with pride

And the team has arrived too... Gautam Gambhir hands over the trophy to Ms Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee arrives at Writers Building
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee arrives at Writers Building

One thing is certain, the win has got the KKR team the acceptance of the Kolkatans, who initially struggled to associate with the team since their Prince, Sourav Ganguly, was given a cold shoulder by the franchise last year.

"Not all the hype about the IPL has to do with cricket. Lot of hype about the IPL is due to Bollywood, music, cheerleaders," says Mr Bhimani.

Mr Bhimani, meanwhile, says they have just won a club title and not won it for the country.

Singers at Eden Gardens singing 'Chak De India'. Should it have been 'Chak de KKR'?

He also says that though it is a great achievement for Kolkata, people are going overboard with the celebrations as it's not an earth shattering event.

Kishore Bhimani, renowned cricket writer says the ceremony has made for an occasion to get along

Fans from far away districts, for e.g Murshidabad, have also come.

Since it's a free entry at the Eden Gardens, almost 70,000 fans are in the stadium.

The Kolkatans, who are not on the streets, are waving to the team from their balconies and windows. Great sight!!

Some foot-tapping Bangla numbers for the fans at the Eden Gardens who are waiting for the champs. And here's the parade route:

Hazra Crossing - Jaduababur bazar- Exide Crossing - Red Road - AIR station - Eden Gardens - that's going to be the route for the parade

While the cricketers are basking in the glory and fans are celebrating their success, the security personnel have made sure things are well under control

Kolkata has never seen anything like this despite boasting of being one of the biggest cricket loving cities.

Bouquets and flowers being thrown at the players

Cricket fans have swarmed the Kolkata roads with banners and placards for the champions

NDTV cricket experts analysed Kolkata's win. Watch it here

Meanwhile here's a recap of how KKR won the IPL 5.

So far there is no sight of Kolkata Knight Riders team owner Shah Rukh Khan

The KKR team is expected to reach the stadium by 1 PM

Mr Jagmohan Dalmia, former BCCI president and CAB president, has arrived at the Eden

And the fans are dancing in the stands

And at the Eden Gardens a local singer is crooning numbers from SRK's movies

Interestingly many fans are moving along with the team bus

The Hazara street is filled with fans who have turned out in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the victorious team. The blazing sun is no deterrent to these cricket fans

The trophy is being carried by Kolkata pacer Laxmipathy Balaji

Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir is waving to the Kolkata Knight Riders fans

Garlands and flowers are being hurled at the players

11.20 AM: The players have lifted the trophy on an open bus

Live Blog: KKR's victory parade begins; Mamata to felicitate IPL champs

Here are the live updates of the IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders' victory parade and felicitation ceremony in Kolkata.

11.04 AM: The ceremony has begun at the Eden Gardens. Performances have begun. The stadium is abuzz with cheering fans, music and frolics.

10.45 AM: While most of the fans are there to cheer the KKR team, many have come to catch a glimpse of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh, who had promised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that if his team won the IPL he would come back to thank Kolkata, will handover the trophy to her.

Ms Banerjee will greet the team with a 'Sandesh' cake at a felicitation ceremony which will follow the open bus procession.

10.38 AM: The Kolkata Knight Riders team, the champions of IPL 2012, will start their 6-kilometer victory rally from Hazara Crossing to the Writers Building. They are on their way. Unbelievable scenes on Kolkata streets.

10. 34 AM: The fans are turning out in large numbers and have started to fill the Eden Gardens that seats 60,000 people. The entry is free today for the KKR fans. It is expected to be filled to its capacity as the fans have been trickling in since midnight.

10.26 AM: The people of the City of Joy have swarmed the road to welcome their heroes. The procession will be followed by a grand felicitation of the team at the Eden Gardens.

The ceremony has begun in Eden Gardens

While most of the fans are there to cheer the KKR team, many have come to catch a glimpse of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh, who had promised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that if his team won the IPL he would come back to thank Kolkata, will handover the trophy to her.

Ms Banerjee will greet the team with a 'Sandesh' cake at a felicitation ceremony which will follow the open bus procession.

The Kolkata Knight Riders team, the champions of IPL 2012, will start their 6-kilometer victory rally from Hazara Crossing to the Writers Building. They are on their way. Unbelievable scenes on Kolkata streets.

The fans are turning out in large numbers and have started to fill the Eden Gardens that seats 60,000 people. The entry is free today for the KKR fans. It is expected to be filled to its capacity as the fans have been trickling in since midnight.

The people of the City of Joy have swarmed the road to welcome their heroes. The procession will be followed by a grand felicitation of the team at the Eden Gardens.