A group performs at the event in HEC Township, Ranchi. A Telegraph picture

Jharkhand and Bengal don’t share borders only, but cultures too.

Basanti Puja Samiti at HEC Township chose the occasion of Basanti Puja or Chaiti Durga puja as it is known in Ranchi to promote Bengali culture through a host of cultural programmes.

Started in 2010, this puja has become popular in just three years, courtesy the shows presented by Bengali artistes. This year too, a number of local artistes — renowned, lesser known as well as child artistes — were roped in to regale the audience for four days from Thursday on the premises of Bangiya Sanskriti Parishad.

Members of clubs such as the capital’s oldest Union Club and Library, Majlish, Angar, Deshpriya Club, Hinoo Friends Union Club, Maitreyee and Bihan, besides Bangiya Sanskriti Parishad, staged dance performances and sang.

Training institutes like Raag and Rhythm and Nataraj Nritya Kala Kendra also took part in the extravaganza.

However, the showstoppers were child artistes Ankita Basu, Reema and Amrita Saha.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Supriya Roy, general secretary of Bangiya Sanskriti Parishad, the members of which are also involved in the puja, said: “Our sole aim was to promote Bengali culture.”

Secretary of Basanti Puja Samiti Subrata Banerjee added: “The programmes have become a huge hit over the years. In 2010, we had arranged only 300 chairs as we had thought not too many people would turn up. But to our surprise, we had to bring in 150 more. This year, we placed 800 chairs at the grounds but had to add 200 more.”