Nabin Sangha

New Alipore-Putiary

From Gujarat to Egypt, from artistic to quirky, from near-perfect efforts to complete disasters — there’s a cross-section of pujas in the area.

Suruchi Sangha, the star puja of New Alipore, has a lot going for it, including basic facilities and the décor, showcasing seven art forms of Gujarat. The highlight, however, is Putiary Sarbojanin Durgotsav, which has done it by the book, providing for firefighting equipment, first-aid and ambulance, well-maintained toilets and drinking water. More than 10,000 flutes have been used for decoration.

No one has been left out here. The passage to the pandal — through a 42-ft-long flute — has a ramp built for the physically-challenged. Apart from distributing clothes and books to the needy, the club is treating homeless, mentally ill patients.

Keeping the true spirit alive is new entrant Sahapur Sarbojanin. It has used bamboo to present its theme of women’s empowerment. Paschim Putiary Unnayani Sangha, which has used patachitras, and United Club, which has focused on the Harappan civilisation, deserve mention, along with last year’s three-star winner Pally Unnayan Samiti, which has turned out to be the oddball on the route. The puja has used 125 accessories made of steel to decorate not only the pandal but also the idol.

But not all pujas were up to the mark. Netaji Sporting Club, on Roy Bahadur Road, recreated a pyramid but had almost no safety precautions in place. There was very little space to move in the pandal.

Suruchi Sangha

Kidderpore

Kidderpore’s 25 Palli is a good example of a safe, meaningful and happy Puja. Its elaborate concept is difficult to understand, though. The black gates signify sin, the hollow sun, erected over an earth pierced by trishuls, faces exquisite idols. Apart from the aesthetics, power overload protection, toilets prominently marked on a map near the entrance and a soundproof generator fetches the puja points.

Kidderpore Palli Sharadiya did not have first-aid or drinking water supply ready at 10am on Sashthi. “We will have doctors at the help desk,” said a member of the puja committee. The next stop, 74 Palli, was dimly lit. Its bamboo-and-straw structure had been sprayed with fire-retardant chemical. “Our theme was inspired by a photograph of an Ethiopian village,” says artist Sunil Pal.

Kidderpore Sarbojanin tries to recreate a zamindari puja. An assistant secretary of the puja committee was sent for training in handling fire. Alipore Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee was inspired by the number seven. “We chose the power of seven as the theme since the year is 2007,” said Nemai Das, the secretary of the committee. The pandal, made of pith and plywood, has been protected from fire with chemicals and extinguishers.

The theme of Kolahal Goshthi is toy cars, from four-wheelers to chariots. Paramhansa Deb Road Sarbojanin drew inspiration from Thakumar Jhuli. It had adequate measures for fire-related emergencies and waste management.

Badamtala Ashad Sangha and 66 Palli lived up to the ideals of a True Spirit Puja, with toilets, drinking water facilities, crowd management systems, safety precautions, in addition to exquisite pandals. Solar energy is being used for lighting and preparing bhog at 66 Palli.

Kashi Bose Lane

Barisha

Barisha Janakalyan Sangha’s theme is “rupantar (transformation)”. Pieces of cloth and winnowing fans (kulos) have been used here to striking effect. There is enough space inside for senior citizens to rest their feet, but the steps to the pandal didn’t feel sturdy enough and the toilets stank.

At Purba Barisha Sitalatala Kishore Sangha the goddesses look every bit the mother figure. Terracotta has been used to great effect to create rustic charm. The spirit is true, with the disabled being welcome and shown around with attention and care. The tubewell will quench thirst, but with a drain nearby, one would hesitate to go for a cooling drink. The sign of the garbage dump reads: “Please do not throw garbage here”!

Barisha Shakti Sangha deserves mention for warmth and courtesy. Here, Durga’s mount is not a lion but a tiger. The goddess wears a tant sari.

“We have drawn inspiration from the Banadevi puja in Bankura,” said puja committee member Tarun Mukherjee. The sign at the entrance needs to be highlighted.

Barisha Tapoban has a female creative mind behind the cards-and-chess theme. Subhra Kundu, the artist, explains: “We wanted to do something different and indoor games is a new concept.” The dustbin is a long walk from the centre of activities.

Udayan Palli Sarbojanin stood out with its interiors done up in bamboo and lamps made of gourd shells emitting a soft glow. The toilet was clean, but there was no volunteer in the first-aid area.

Barisha Club has been creative with ceramic. The idols in bronze finish are minimalist but sport pretty jewellery.

At Barisha Tapan Sangha, there was no helpdesk. The Barisha Yubak Brinda idols are colourful and show characteristics of Maithili paintings.

Reaching the Paschim Barisha Sarbojanin pandal requires a steep climb. The interiors are soothing in pastel with green elements in abundance. The Durga embodies shakti.

Salt Lake’s FD Block

Salt Lake-TangraBeleghata

Most pujas in this belt have tried to go eco-friendly. Salt Lake’s AB Block Abasik Sangha has replaced plastic chairs with bamboo benches and plastic cups with earthen cups. “The area around the pandal has been lined with greenery to encourage visitors to plant more trees,” said Sabyasachi Saha, an executive committee member of the block.

DA Block has taken the re-use-and-recycle concept a step further. “We are using old cardboard boxes as dustbins. It sends out the right signals and works out cheaper, too,” smiled Kalyan Mukerjee, the puja secretary.

Organisers of the Harry Potter puja at FD Block are expecting 70,000 to 80,000 visitors per day. “But we’ve arranged for a special back-door entry for handicapped visitors and residents of the block,” said Subir Chatterjee, the assistant secretary of the puja committee.

“Since children may get lost in the crowd, we are giving out identity cards to their parents at the gates. Guardians only need to fill up the cards with their names and mobile phone numbers and hang them around their children’s necks,” he added.

To avoid fire hazards, the CJ Block pandal has used chemicals. The volunteers were quick to react to the brief shower on Wednesday, immediately clearing out the accumulated water.

Some pujas like Metropolitan Sarbojanin Durgotsav, are yet to arrange for toilets and drinking water.

At Karunamoyee G Block, the organisers are as excited about the arrangements within the complex, as they are about arrangements outside it. “We have built a small reservoir in front of the pandal for visitors to light diyas and set them afloat,” said Bhaskar Sen, a member of the puja committee. “And to bring some light to the needy, we’ve bought television sets and donated them to orphanages in the area.”

Badamtala Ashad Sangha

Kasba-Picnic Garden

At Adi Ballygunge Sarbojanin, a Karnataka-style temple stands testimony to a True Spirit commitment. The club funds scholarships of meritorious students of two schools. But their crowd management measures raised an eyebrow. For a puja on the main road, cordoning off the entrance to allow in visitors in batches would surely lead to a spill-over on the carriageway.

Self-help is a policy at both Picnic Sunrise Club and Falguni Sangha. The Rs 1.25 lakh puja in Picnic Garden cannot afford a decorator. “Our boys were at work for 20 days, creating these motifs,” said Purnendu Mondal, a member of the puja committee. The money they saved went into funding clothes for distribution in the local slums. They also picked up tips from the True Spirit team — arrange for a neighbour’s toilet to be used by visitors and put a wooden board under a temporary power connections.

Falguni Sangha is a true-blue baroari puja, by 28 families. “There are no VIPs to cut the ribbon here. Our women do it dressed in garad sari. They also go out to collect subscriptions,” said Bharati Bose of the puja committee.

The puja, conforming to ritualistic details, is done by a Sanskrit professor.

Bhadu and tusu figurines have inspired Kasba Kheyali Sangha as has the need for extra care of the challenged. A wheelchair greets the visitor. At Parijat Club, an elderly woman was seen seeking a coupon. The coupon turned out to be for the afternoon’s distribution of clothes among the needy. In its 22nd year, Rajdanga Nabauday Sangha pays tribute to the art of jatra, with live music greeting the judges. “We felicitated jatra doyens Indra Lahiri and Ruma Dasgupta yesterday,” said a club member.

At neighbouring Rajdanga Yubak Samity, one is less at a risk of a fire. The pandal decorations use clay, with the sun god greeting all. The club runs a library and holds a blood donation camp, besides cultural activities. Bosepukur Sitala Mandir celebrates the genesis of Durga.

At Bosepukur Talbagan next door, the narrow lane creates a traffic management challenge. And the beautiful tribute to Shiva will surely draw the hordes. At RK Chatterjee Road Adhibasi Brinda, Shiva rules with 12,000 dugdugis. Rabindra Memorial Sporting Club, which has created a fisherman’s village, scores in round-the-year activities.

Bosepukur Parijat Club

Bidhan Sarani-Hedua

The Kashi Bose Lane pandal, modelled on a temple and showing intricate artwork made of the shell and other parts of the coconut and tender coconut, is impressive. Apart from drinking water, other basic necessities have been provided for. The ladies’ toilet cost the puja some points.

The pandal of Shyambazar Nabin Sangha, with its long panels of patachitra-style images, is beautiful. The colourful idol is in keeping with the theme.

Beadon Street Sarbojanin Durgotsav and Shyam Square Sarbojanin Durgapuja-o-Pradarsanee have old-world charm with a simple, no-frills pandal and sabeki pratima.

The safety and eco-friendliness aspect was overlooked in many pandals. Most organisers could only show empty stalls for first-aid and drinking water. The volunteers were yet to turn up after nights of labour on the pandals, said the organisers.

There were no signs at Badur Bagan Baroari. The first-aid box that the organisers brought out only had an antiseptic, cotton and medicated adhesive tapes. At Kailash Bose Street, a great deal was yet to be done. The sand buckets were empty and the pandal had not been made fire-proof.

At Azad Hind, there was no first-aid box, drinking water or waste bin. An electrical wire seemed too close to the Hari Ghosh Street Sarbojanin pandal, made partly out of dried leaves.

Many committees claimed that there was a doctor among the members and any visitor who fell ill could be treated.

Much was left to the imagination. The committees explained where the police picket will be, which roads will be made one-way, where the visitors will queue and where the volunteers will be posted.

Most pujas spoke of the community service they do, from distributing books to poor students to organising medical and blood donation camps to providing funds to families unable to marry off their daughters.

Inputs from Sudeshna Banerjee, Poulomi Banerjee, Chandreyee Chatterjee, Anumita Ghosh, Brinda Sarkar and Malini Banerjee.

Pictures by Pradip Sanyal, Bishwarup Dutta and Sanat Kumar Sinha.