Monday, 13 May 2024
Monday, 13 May 2024
Besides performing khuti puja in the presence of MLA Sujit Bose and councillor Tulsi Sinha Roy, the block committee sent over a kit to very household. The kit comprised two masks, a hand sanitiser and a poem on the pandemic written by joint secretary Sharmishtha Ghosh. “The kit was a way to reassure residents that despite the challenges, we are with them and that Durga puja too will be conducted smoothly,” she said.
“This year women shall do A to Z in the puja. In fact we are also on the lookout of a lady purohit,” said Bidisha Basu, a member of the committee after their khuti puja.
Taking a break from the artistic pandal and idol that the block is famous for, the theme shall be “ghoroa”. “We have scaled down the budge due to the pandemic from Rs 24 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. We shall focus on the network of friends and family we have in the block and shall do up the pandal in red and off-white with lots of cloth frills,” said Basu, who is in charge of decoration.
The stage was missing, so were the cultural programmes. Neither was kochuri-alur dom served. Instead, those attending the khuti puja of AK Block left with juice and a packet of sweets. There were less than 50 people present. “In other years, we have close to 200 visitors to feed,” said general secretary Aritra Sen.
But many more who could not attend followed the proceedings on a Facebook live session that was covering the ritual on the block’s page AK Block Durgotsav. “Till we last checked, the 20-minute session had registered over 18,000 views!”
The chief guest was mayor Krishna Chakraborty and with her, planting the chosen bamboo pole in the ground was Somesh Poddar, a senior citizen of the block who is a Covid-19 survivor.
What: Despite planning a low-key Durga puja this year, the block decided to invite MLA and minister Sujit Bose to perform their khuti puja. “We weren’t sure if he would come as he himself had recently recovered from Covid but he kept his word and inspired us,” said block secretary Gopal Dutta.
The pandal this year and the traditional idol will be by sculptor Sanatan Pal.
The organisers had expected 20 to 25 residents to attend their khuti puja, “but more than 40 people turned up,” said Supriyo Chakraborty, secretary, AE (Part 1). “We sanitised the area thrice today before the puja to be sure of safety.”
The priest also exercised caution. “I had to sanitise everything before starting. Preparations were simple and I tried to complete the puja fast. On any other year, I would have performed at least four pujas by now but in 2020 this is my first puja. I also received a request from residents for a special prayer to end the pandemic,” said Gopal Bhattacharjee, the priest.
Chairs at the venue were placed at a distance and guests had their temperatures checked at the entrance. “It feels strange attending khuti puja with masks and caps. Many of our friends haven’t come, we are sitting far from one another, but at least we’re excited about the Pujas,” said Seli Mukherjee, a resident.
Chakraborty said they had their plans for their puja laid out by March, even before the lockdown. “But we have had to scale it down now, using only 25 per cent of the original budget. The theme is Bandhbo ebar bhalobashar bondhone,” he said, without disclosing details.
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
Conch shells were blown, a coconut was cracked and holy water sprinkled as residents came forward to touched the decorated bamboo pole in front of AE Block community hall.
“We have never held a khuti puja this late but this year the situation is different and Puja is still more than a month away which gives us enough time to prepare. The scale of the puja has reduced. Our main attraction has always been the three days of community lunch where more than 2,500 people eat everyday. But this year we have decided to cancel it,” said Monimoy Saha, president of AE Block Samaj Kalyan Sangha.
This year their pandal will be inspired by a natmandir with three sides open so people can stand at ease. “Our idol will be traditional and our artist Sunoyan Pal will sculpt it right here,” said Saha.
Puja committee president Sumita Sarkar said they had thought of some safety steps to follow during the rituals.
“We won’t offer any cut fruits and give whole fruits and sweets instead. During anjali too residents may bring flowers from home. Though it will be difficult working the entire day wearing a mask, I’m sure we’ll manage,” she said.
Six-year-old Akrish Sarkar was happy to attend the khuti puja with his grandmother for the first time. “I was visiting my grandparents when I found out about the event and came to watch it. It was fun and I enjoyed coming over,” he beamed.
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
The pandemic did not dent the khuti puja celebration at Labony as about 70 residents gathered on the occasion. “We did not expect so many to turn up,” said secretary Sumit Sarkar. Also present were local MLA Sujit Bose, local councillor Tulsi Sinha Roy and mayoral council member of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation Debraj Chakraborty.
Several senior citizens could be spotted. Among them, 88-year-old Vedmohan Ghosh was possibly the oldest. “My son asks me not to venture out but I am not one to listen. This is happening inside our complex so there was no way that I would not come,” he said. A few elderly women too came, even with walking sticks. “Some of them were sad that they would not be able to work for the puja as they were used to over the years because of increasing ailments,” said Swaraj Kumar Roy, who turned 74 earlier in September. He himself is eager to shoulder some responsibility during Puja.
This was by far the latest that khuti puja took place with so few days left before the Puja. Even then, pandal construction did not start immediately. “We had decided on a pandal open on three sides but were waiting for the state government guidelines and started work only last Friday, the day after the chief minister announced the standard operating procedure,” Sarkar pointed out.
What: The complex held the khuti puja on very evening that they decided to hold it. “It was an ad hoc decision as the scale has reduced a lot this year,” said secretary of the puja committee Prasanna Kumar Roy.
The biggest puja of New Town is going for a theme despite the pandemic. “Pandal-hoppers have huge expectations from us and this year we shall be presenting the Ram temple of Ayodhya,” said Roy.
