What: adda52.com Online Poker presents The Telegraph Puja Premier League powered by Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and co-powered by Bazaar Kolkata.
Where: Barisha Sarbojanin Durgotsav, Behala
The theme: This year, Barisha Sarbojanin Durgotsav is celebrating their 74th year. They have recreated an old palatial bonedi bari of Kolkata with an intricately designed thakur dalan with high ceiling, which took two months to build. The pandal gives you a sense of an old and rustic terracotta temple. Rono Banerjee has designed the pandal and the idol has been made by Utpal Ghosh.
Organiser speak: “The past two years have been tough for us. We did celebrate Durga Puja in the last two years but we had to be very cautious with Covid-19 protocols. We had masks, santizers and even oxygen cylinders to provide to our visitors. This year is a relief. We have named this year’s theme as ‘Chiropuratan Nittonotun’ because we have created the idea of old bonedi houses where our Goddess was worshipped in the thakur dalan. Our idol this year is different from other Durga idols as it has 18 hands because we are worshipping Maa Durga this year as ‘Moha Lokkhi’ murti, who we believe had killed Mahishashur. As you look at our idol, no artificial colours have been used as it is made from pure laterite stones to add the ancient touch to our pandal. We tried to give a terracotta look to the pandal as in old times Gods and Godessess were worshipped in terracotta temples. As you walk in, you’ll find yourself in a traditional bonedi bari. Various Baul artistes, singers will be present here to portray their talents at our pandal this year. We hope people visit our famous puja and are impressed with our new idea,” said organiser Sudip Chakravarty while showing us the stunning pandal.
Activities: All the club members of Barisha Sarbojonin welcomed actor Gaurav Chakrabarty to their “shondhe adda”. All the women club members joined Gaurav on the stage while the little ones recited poetry, danced and a senior club member sang a Bengali song. Everyone including Gaurav shared their views on the positive and negative effects caused by the pandemic in the last two years. SBIHM (Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management) board members were also present at this adda and they handed over presents to the children for their academic excellence. As the adda ended, all the club members clicked selfies with Gaurav, who obliged all of them with a smile. Gaurav loved the idol, the theme of the pandal and the craftsmanship behind it.
Rooting for the club is: Gaurav Chakrabarty. “The first feeling after two years of pandemic is a sense of relief that Puja can be celebrated like it used to be. We can’t really let our guards down yet as Covid is not entirely gone but there’s some sense of relief among everyone that yes we are vaccinated and can roam around some places without our masks. It’s been a terrible two years and to get out of it is a feeling of joy,” reflects Gaurav. Continuing the actor adds, “ The first thing I got to know once I came here is that, this is one of the oldest puja of the state and it’s so fascinating to indulge in the history like how this puja was done in homes and then it opened to all and became a Sarbojonin puja. It feels wonderful to come to a puja with this kind of a heritage and history. My favourite part of this puja is the way the Durga Protima is constructed; it is so simple and yet it looks like it has a lot of culture and heritage attached to it. The idol is very Bengali and very historic and simple.”
Srija Adhikari danced to Elo elo Dugga elo as a welcome dance for Gaurav Chakrabarty.
SBIHM members (l-r) Sayan Chakraborty, Somanko Betal and Sandipan Das presented a small token to club member Suvendu Bose.
SBIHM members presented gifts to Shruti Ghosh and Aadishwar Bose for their academic excellence in Class XII.
The Barisha club members gathered around and welcomed Gaurav Chakrabarty to their “shondhe pujo adda” where they shared their views on the positive and negative effects of the pandemic and how are they feeling about this year’s Covid-free Puja.
Krishnendu Guha, a resident of the para, and organiser Sudip Chakravarty spoke about the adda52 online poker stalls which have been installed at the pandal and how people can have fun by playing this online poker game and win prizes.
Shreshta Haldar presented Gaurav this sketch of the whole live event which was happening in front of her, which she drew in only 35 minutes.
An elderly member of the para, Tanusree Roy, sang a Rabindrasangeet.
