Kali Puja picture perfect

There is no doubt over which Kali puja concert rocked this year. With usual contender Balaka Sports Club of BD Block going low key, Maitri Sangha laid out a lavish musical fare that lasted till after Saturday midnight

Neeti Mohan appeared on stage to her signature ditty Jiya re (from Jab Tak Hai Jaan) around 9.45pm and then went on to croon Ishqwala love, her chartbuster from Student of the Year. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee
Sapphire Creations presented a dance tour of the nation. Other than classical and folk forms like kathakali (picture left) and chhou, on view was pole malkhamb (right), a traditional form of gymnastics from western India. (Sudeshna Banerjee)
When Shekhar Ravjiani and Vishal Dadlani took stage it was almost 10.30pm, yet people were still coming in. The composer-singer duo got the crowd going with the RD hit Bachna ae haseeno, which they had used as the title track in the 2008 film of the same name. By the time they were belting out their Bang Bang numbers, the 25,000 chairs in BF-CF Park were all taken. (Saradindu Chaudhury)
Sunil Pal raised a laugh or two before the Bollywood music brigade took over. (Sudeshna Banerjee)
A fireworks display on the night before Kali puja. (Mayukh Sengupta)

 

 

Father and child at the BL Block pandal, which drew many visitors. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee
(Left) Manoj and Manisha Murali Nair perform at BC Block on Friday. Picture by Saradindu Chaudhury; and (right) Shibaji Chatterjee presents evergreen Hemanta Mukherjee songs in GC Block on Friday night. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee

A girl points to a dakini at the BL Block pandal	Women light lamps at the HA Block puja
A lit-up lane in BG Block. Pictures by Sudeshna Banerjee
The BK Block pandal, inspired by a temple in Bishnupur
Two faces of childhood: A girl sells balloons outside the GC Block puja