Step out in fun or stay home in fear during the Pujas? Even on Saptami morning, this is a lingering question.

On one hand is the lure of the festival that comes as a break after months of restrain at home. On the other is the ever-rising Covid count that threatens to spike if people roam about freely during the Pujas.

The Telegraph Salt Lake spoke to residents and found that while many have sworn not to set foot outside their homes these few days, majority plans to head out — whether to visit the pandals from outside or to meet friends.

The FD Block pandal entrance Sudeshna Banerjee

The heart yearns

When a feverish Isha Dasgupta headed to get herself tested for Covid recently, she prayed. But she also counted. “My daughter and I were counting days to see if we would be out of isolation in time for the pujas,” sighs the Sraboni Abasan resident longingly.

Mother and daughter tested positive and their isolation period lifted on Sashthi. “We love the pujas and would walk all night from pandal to pandal. This year we’ll wear new clothes and watch pandals on TV,” says Isha. “Even though I suffered badly, I cannot imagine October without the pujas. I feel people deserve the festival to uplift their spirits, even if that means setting up Covid testing units at pandals.”

Incidentally Isha’s 91-year-old grandmother has also been pleading with the family to let her go offer anjali at the pandal.

On the other hand are people like Debalay Gonchowdhury, who in other years scout for VIP passes, hire cars to go pandal-hopping and wear new clothes every day of the pujas but who have shut it all out this year.

“This time no one even knows the puja dates for sure,” sighs the GD Block resident. “I was crossing New Market the other day and saw the place teeming with shoppers. As for masks, not even the policemen were wearing any. I’m not going to any pandal this year. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

AK Block

Going out after all

More respondents in the under-40 age group said they would be going out during the Pujas and parents of some students said their children were being coaxed into going out by their friends.

“How can I not visit the pandals at all? The Pujas have come after a whole year,” reasons Suparna Mukherjee, a 20-something resident of P&T quarters in CC Block. “Even if my friends decline, I’ll surely go out with my parents. It’s a family ritual. We’ll follow safety protocols, of course.”

Protip Chakraborty is in town for the festival after two years and being an avid photographer, is itching to go clicking. “I’m also feeling sorry for puja organisers as they worked so hard and then the court ruled against visitors. I shall appreciate pandals from a distance this year but won’t miss them,” says the resident of Sunrise Symphony.

The IT sector employee plans to avoid Pujas in narrow lanes in favour of those in big parks. “Salt Lake would have featured high on my list but I believe most of them are very simple this time. I shall follow the news on the first few days of the Pujas to assess the crowds at these pandals so I can decide where to go on Saptami and Ashtami.”

The Chakrabortys usually drive down to Baisakhi or Karunamoyee and park their car there. They then hire an auto by the hour to show them around. “It saves the trouble of finding parking everywhere. But this year we are avoiding public transport,” Chakraborty says.

Then there are social workers who will go out for the greater good of others. “I have cancelled pandal-hopping and restaurant plans but shall be visiting a senior citizens’ home in Narendrapur and Amphan victims in Subarbans during the pujas. I’ll also be meeting children of slums and an ashrams,” says Sormistha Mukherjee of DB Block. “I do these every year and cannot avoid these.”

EC Block

Change of plans

Some like Kakon Ghosh of BF Block cancelled their plans after the high court ruling on Monday. “My family and I were so excited,” says the student of mass communication, with a long face. “But if we cannot enter the pandals, it’s pointless going over. The news ruined my mood, and my friends and I also cancelled our plans to meet at the mall on Chaturthi afterwards.”

Making it worse is how Kakon’s New Town college has decided to stay open through the festival to compensate for lost days during the lockdown. “They reason that since we won’t be going out for the Pujas we might as well study! The highlight this Puja will be the visit to my block pandal and clicking selfies with masks matching my outfit,” she grumbles.

Jyoti Bansal of EC Block had thought of visiting some Salt Lake pandals too but her heart skipped a beat seeing photos and videos of shopping sprees pre-puja.

“This when my son in London says people there are not even allowed to meet their families residing separately! I have now decided not to visit pandals or have friends come over. I’ll only order lunch from my favourite restaurant Amber once,” she says.

Uniworld City

Long drive

Many residents plan to drive around town admiring what little of the pandals and idols is visible from cars. “What choice do we have?” asks Abir Chatterjee of FD Block. “In other years we stay out six or seven nights filming the pujas and this year visitors had started streaming in the day before the FD Block pandal was even inaugurated! We shall only do a car tour this year, that too after consulting with doctor friends.”

Till last year a group called New Town Runners would either run, cycle or plog (walk and pick litter) around pandals in Salt Lake but this year they are yet to finalise plans. “We had thought of driving down to Salt Lake and running 4 or 5km in small groups to the pandals there on Panchami morning. We put the plan on hold after the high court order and are still deciding whether to go ahead with it,” says Chao Lengdon, founder of the group and a resident of Hiland Willows.

BJ Block

Vote for block puja

Debolina Roy is dead against pandal-hopping this year. “I suffered major breathing trouble a while back and had to be hospitalised, even though I tested negative for Covid. It’s too risky to be out on the streets now and I shall only visit the idol at our own community hall once at dawn or midnight when it’s deserted,” says the resident of Eastern Grove.

The 20-something plans to dress up in saris and stay home, clicking snaps and eating home-made delicacies. “I’ll enjoy with myself.”

Samita Dutta, a Covid survivor, plans to visit the BE (West) idol once and then hang up her boots.

“There’s no way I’m going any further after the kind of pictures being circulated from crowded pandals like Sreebhumi. There won’t be community lunch this year and the domestic helps will be on leave so I’ll have enough to do at home during the Pujas, thanks!”

AE (Part 1)

Won’t step out of home

“If I survive this year, there will be many more Pujas to witness,” sums up Ashu Patodia, an FE Block resident in her 30s. “My family and I are not stepping out.”

Shyamadas De has decided against visiting his HA Block puja as even his next door neighbour has tested positive. “The joke doing the rounds is that anyone who sees 100 pandals between Saptami and Dashami will get a free ride to Mt Kailash along with Durga. It’s a joke that we need to take seriously,” he says.

Debraj Sengupta lost his father in December and so cannot offer anjali this year in mourning. “Nonetheless I had wanted to visit pandals extensively but I cannot do so now and risk the health of my elderly mother,” says the FE Block resident.

CF Block’s Barin Sarkar is reluctant to visit his own block puja as he knows social distancing will not be possible. “We have been involved with this puja for decades. There was a time when I went door to door seeking actors and singers for our dramas so I know everyone personally. When such thick friends meet after seven months, they will not just chat but embrace and I won’t have the heart to stop them,” says the senior citizen. “It is a painful decision but I cannot afford to go to the puja.”

Gopal Das of DL Block anticipates the same problem. “People are sensitive and I will be hurting my neighbours’ feelings if I ask them to move away from me,” he says sadly. Das too will not step out.

Rita Das thanks her lucky stars that her daughter and Keralite son-in-law visited them last October. “We showed them around thoroughly and my son-in-law loved it so much he said he would henceforth spend every puja in Calcutta. Alas!” The 65-year-old lady with co-morbidities will stay home and perform anjali listening to mantras over the loudspeaker.

Sanjukta Saha’s family has a gas dealership and has been working overtime since the lockdown. “This is the only time in the year that we’ll get three days off. Otherwise we don’t even get leaves on Sundays. We shall use the pandemic as an excuse and not step out,” says the lady who has a lovely alternative to keeping busy this year. “We have a new Siberian Husky puppy in the family and will devote ourselves to him.”

BD Block

Party at home

Several respondents said they would order meals from restaurants instead of going over and majority of those heading out would be meeting friends.

“I haven’t met my school friends since we sat for our ISC exams in February so we are having a pyjama party on Saptami,” says an excited Tushnee Chakraborty of BL Block. “I won’t go pandal-hopping this year but time out with friends is a must.”

Debalay agrees. “I plan to party with friends, but only with those who live within Salt Lake. It would minimise risk,” he says. “A Chelo Kebab during the Pujas would taste just as good as one after it and so I’m not venturing into restaurants either. We’ll either cook at home or order food over.”

Balaka

How are you spending Durga puja this year? Email to The Telegraph Salt Lake at saltlake@abpmail.com