In their 12th year of Durga puja, Uniworld City in New Town presented a balance of aesthetics and social responsibility. While the pandal and the idol were gorgeous, the organisers also provided a boost to craftspeople and folk artists hit by the economic slump.
The pandal used sliced wood and some plywood. On the facade, scores of sour woodapple had been painted white and hung. It looked gorgeous in the evening, thanks to tasteful illumination. “The only non-biodegradable materials used were the thermocol used for a cut-out of the goddess’ face over the entrance and green-coloured plastic to create an impression of a tree amid the slices of wood,” said Pradipta Dutta, joint secretary of Uniworld City Cultural Association.
The organisers tried to keep puja subscriptions minimal this year in view of all-round economic hardships. The circular pandal was left largely open on the sides, reducing surface area and construction cost alike. Inside, Devi stuti mantras were pasted all around, with the letters carved out of cardboard and with LED strips affixed to the back producing muted backlight. “We calculated that the eye level is restricted to a height of 45 degrees and not any higher. So just five lines of mantras running more or less parallelly would cover the visible surface and make it economical,” said Maloy Paul, vice-president of the association.
The crafts pavilion at Uniworld with sellers from the districts
The organisers built a pavilion where space to sell was provided free to rural craftsmen. “We have arranged for their food and stay,” said Dutta. Though cultural programmes were cancelled, artist groups were invited from the districts and performed jhumur on Sasthi, chhau on Saptami and baul songs on Ashtami. “Since they would perform in open air, we deemed it safe,” said Paul.
The handicraft pavilion saw robust sales. Kanailal Sarkar had come from a village in Egra in East Midnapore. “My clay hut with asbestos roof collapsed after days of inundation. It’s been a month. The water level might have subsided but the low-lying parts are sunk and there is mud and muck everywhere,” he said. The Uniworld puja invitation was the first event of the year for him, he said. He was selling bamboo mats in four sizes, with the biggest accommodating three people priced Rs 600. There were wall hangings, bags and table mats too.
Gouranga Karmakar had come from Guskara, Burdwan with dokra art. “There are 318 dokra artists in our village, including five national awardees. I have attended a six-month workshop at National Institute of Design in Vijaywada. The fair season lasts for six months. The rest of the year we have to survive on seasonal sales. But there was nothing these last two years. We don’t even have farming to fall back on,” Karmakar said. He left happy with the sales at Uniworld. The association also handed them some financial assistance when they returned.
Another stall was given to a local self-help group called Swapna Udaan, based in Patharghata. “We used to be part of an NGO run by a lady in Rosedale Gardens next door. She taught us stitching and kurti designing. We are applying that training to making mini dresses for household idols,” said Latika Mondal, showing the zari-lined dresses for Laxmi, Gopal and Ganesh they were selling. Her husband works in the house-keeping department at Uniworld. “This is the first time we got to enter this puja. This is so big and bright,” smiled Purnima Mondal.
Wonder drummer
(Above) Jiban Bayen, the lead dhaki at the puja, picks up a glass of water with his teeth from the ground and (Below) gets up to drink the water, playing the dhak all the while on Ashtami. Pictures by Sudeshna Banerjee
While the folk artists were a big hit with the residents, with the chhau dancers getting special mention, visitors were enthralled by a dhaki dance during arati. Jiban Bayen of Dum Dum was a mesmeric presence not just with his deftness with the dhak sticks but with a couple of tricks that awed the sizeable gathering. While playing the dhak, with not a stroke going off beat, he bent down to pick a currency note that an assistant had dropped on the carpeted floor in front of the idol. The next trick was even tougher. A plastic glass full of water was placed at his feet. It was quite a feat for him to get down on his knees with the huge dhak, catch the thin plastic between his teeth without crumpling it, get up on his feet and then tilt his head to drink the water. Not a drop fell outside and not a beat was missed.
Later speaking to The Telegraph Salt Lake, the Dum Dum resident said this was his 12th year of playing at Uniworld City with his team. “The committee members of that time had spotted me at the ground near Sealdah station where dhakis gather from the districts and demonstrate their skills for potential clients. Six months ahead of Durga Puja, I start planning some novel element in my performance. Since I get thirsty while playing during arati and there is no one to offer us water, I thought of this trick to get a drink as also entertain viewers,” said the 39-year-old, who also plays other percussion instruments in his band party and his sehnai group.
Two residents who caught the eye were Tapan Kumar Bhowmick, who was in charge of blowing the conch shell, and Tapan Dey, who played kashor ghonta for a while before wielding the dhunuchi.
Kali puja plans
Even as the Uniworld Durga puja ended with sindur khela and baran, with participation restricted only to residents with hand tags which were issued against double vaccination certificates, planning started for Kali puja. The pandal was built on the model of the Dakshineshwar temple. An alpona was drawn and on Diwali, sweets were sent to about 1,200 residents who had subscribed to the Kali puja.
“We had planned a laser show too like last year but that was cancelled in mourning for our deceased neighbour Subir Chaki,” a committee member said.
Pictures by Sudeshna Banerjee
