The first batch of bamboo poles for the pandal may only arrive at the BC Block ground in mid-May, but the beat of the dhak has already echoed across this corner of Sector I on Poila Baisakh.
On the first evening of the Bengali New Year, an event presented in association with The Telegraph Salt Lake flagged off the milestone edition of BC Block’s Durga Puja. For weeks, traffic islands along First Avenue had carried banners announcing the highlight — a musical performance by Anweshaa Dutta Gupta. But the evening offered much more.
Star-studded launch
The jubilee Puja has its own theme song, Joy Ma Dugga, which was released by actress Koushani Mukherjee. “Nababarsha is an auspicious day for Bengalis, and I can feel the excitement among you as I release this song,” said the actress, who arrived straight from the shoot of Bohurupi 2. “I’m not a resident of BC Block, yet the song makes me want to dance. I can already imagine all of you dancing to it during Puja and at the immersion.”
Spotting a couple of audience members swaying to the rhythm, she invited them on stage. Resident Neelam Pravin, 72, and community hall caretaker Bishnupada Ruidas gamely joined in, drawing cheers from neighbours. “The song is wonderful. It sets the mood for festivity,” Pravin later said.
“We had seen other puja committees play theme songs, but never thought of commissioning one ourselves until this landmark year,” said puja committee secretary Samrat Paul. “We approached Surojit Chatterjee of Bhoomi, and we are thrilled with the result.”
Theme debut
The block is also preparing to host its first-ever theme-based Durga Puja in 2026. Renowned theme-maker Bimal Samanta has been roped in.
“This will be my first project in Salt Lake,” said Samanta, known for the striking glass pandal at Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity in 2022. “BC Block has traditionally opted for homely, rajbari-style pandals. But we have been in talks since November, and are planning something grand. The site has been surveyed, and work will begin after the elections.”
Joint treasurer Abhijit Rakshit greets Anweshaa Dutta Gupta
The golden jubilee logo was unveiled in January, while the theme remains under wraps and will be revealed during the khuti puja.
“Moving to a theme-based puja is a big and exciting step for us. The spirit of the puja brings residents together,” said block secretary Rupak Mitra.
With plans to scale up, the venue will shift from the plot beside the community hall to BB-BC Park this year. “The response from residents has been overwhelming. We are confident this year will be memorable,” said block president Dilip Saha.
Chief patron Debashis Saha expects the budget to increase nearly tenfold and is reaching out for funds in Delhi. “Everything will have to be meticulously planned,” he said.
Musical crescendo
Among the guests was Gokul Chandra Das, the first dhaki to be conferred the Padmashri. The pulsating beats from the Machhlandapur percussionist ushered in the Puja mood early.
“His performance gave me goosebumps. We hear the dhak only during Puja, so experiencing it in this setting was special,” said resident Nilanjan Dutta.
Singer Anweshaa Datta Gupta, who arrived with her mother, took the stage around 9pm and delivered a melodious and high-energy performance. From Bojhe na shey bojhena to Nisha lagilo, Egiye de and Pehla nasha, she kept the audience engaged throughout.
With the event taking place just days after the passing of legendary singer Asha Bhosle, Anweshaa paid tribute with songs such as Mera kuchh samaan. “I had the opportunity to interview her on camera in 2008 for a music show. She spoke about her love for cooking and for reading Saratchandra Chattopadhyay and Tagore’s Gora,” she recalled on the sidelines.
“Asha Bhosle was the last of the golden generation of singers. It felt nostalgic to hear a current singer sing her song,” said audience member Nilesh De. “Anweshaa has a beautiful voice. I’ve watched her on television, but the live experience was even better. She touched our hearts with the tribute,” said another listener, Dona Ghosh.
As the evening drew to a close, organisers expressed hope that come October, the jubilee Puja itself would strike a similar chord with the community.
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
Write to saltlake@abp.in
