(Top): Snehasish Ganguly tries his hand at the dhamsa. (Centre): The chalk goddess and her children. (Above): Two mothers, two daughters. Pictures by Pabitra Das

As the convoy of 11 cars set off from the gate of Bengal Club on Mahashtami morning, the curtains went up on the search for the CESC The Telegraph True Spirit pujas for 2004.

The judges had their task cut out ? identify the greatest concern for visitors and commitment to society among the six pandals that had been shortlisted after visits to each of the 115 pujas that had participated in the contest.

Stop I (Pallisree Sarbojanin, Ultadanga): The linear and abstract idol in chalk created quite an impression on the mother-daughter judge duo of Moon Moon and Raima Sen. ?Chalks have no future, like eunuchs. That is the reality on which we have based our idol,? came the explanation from the organisers, who have recently married off, with leftover puja funds, a girl from a needy family. ?We also plan to start a school,? said committee member Subhas Das.

Meanwhile, the crowd was building up for a glimpse of the celebrities. ?Is that Ria or Raima?? was a debate that raged well after the cars had come and gone.

Stop II (Chaltabagan Lohapatty, Maniktala): Thanks to the organised traffic management, there was minimal confusion, though the pandal is by a thoroughfare. The puja continued uninterrupted before the magnificent towering idol, clad in a sari from a Gariahat shop, as the judges, led by pollution control board appellate authority chairman Gitesh Ranjan Bhattacharjee, quizzed the organisers on safety aspects. Not a single person left the priest?s side for a close-up of screen goddess or cricketer. ?We are waiting for anjali,? chorused Jaiswal cousins Shreya, Nancy and Survi.

Stop III (25 Palli, Kidderpore): Both Raima and Red FM station head Jimmy Tangree were bowled over by the reception to the beat of the dhaak and the dhamsa played by tribals from Jhargram.

Going back in time to Gondwanaland, Snehasish Ganguly revealed as much prowess with the dhamsa sticks as he used to with the bat for Bengal.

?I regularly play the dhaak at our local Player?s Corner puja,? he smiled, watching Raima match steps with the tribal women, a la Mamata Shankar in the closing frames of Satyajit Ray?s Agantuk.

Stop IV (Kalighat Milan Sangha): A village chandimandap, neat and homely, has emerged on the para playground. As soothing strains played on the microphone, Ranjit and Ananda Chitrakar from Pingla proudly displayed their pata paintings. Moon Moon chose a couple to take back home that left the duo beaming. ?We have seen her films in Bharati cinema, about three km away from our village,? they stated. Amiyagopal Banerjee, the doctor at the club?s round-the-year dispensary, too, stepped out of his chamber. ?There were many patients today, as well,? he said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Stop V (Shib Mandir Sarbojanin, Mudiali): Walking by the medical helpdesk run in association with a local nursing home, the judges were transported to moments from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay?s novels recreated at the pandal. Crowd control seemed the only problem for the puja, that had laid out a bhog platter for the community. Both Jimmy and Snehasish tasted the bhog while checking out the facilities.

Stop VI (22 Pally, Northern Park): A dilapidated fort, with an ambulance waiting in a far corner. In the dark chambers within, a storm was raging in light and sound. The idol was the best on the tour. ?Perhaps such darkness should be avoided to minimise risk. The three live pigeons kept at the foot of the fort deity, too, should be spared,? the judges said in one voice.

Back at the Bengal Club, it was time for a lot of arithmetic as the scores were added up. What finally scored was consciousness, growing by every True Spirit year.

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