MY KOLKATA EDUGRAPH
ADVERTISEMENT
Photo-article-logo Thursday, 12 February 2026

Pujas keep up the spirit

“We hope this Puja turns out to be safe for everyone,” said the joint commissioner of police

Reporting By Saionee Chakraborty, Aniruddha Biswas, Malancha Dasgupta, Pramita Ghosh And Nandini Ganguly Published 04.10.19, 07:29 PM
Stunning in a sari draped in aatpoure style, actress Swastika Mukherjee was swamped with fans at Mudiali Club, who went into a tizzy for a selfie with the actress at the pandal decorated with colourful glass bangles. “I loved how the idol of Ma Durga was traditional and the organisers also focussed on social awareness, safety and comfort. This is the first time I have seen a pandal with a lactation room. It was very well thought of,” said the actress.
1 6

Stunning in a sari draped in aatpoure style, actress Swastika Mukherjee was swamped with fans at Mudiali Club, who went into a tizzy for a selfie with the actress at the pandal decorated with colourful glass bangles. “I loved how the idol of Ma Durga was traditional and the organisers also focussed on social awareness, safety and comfort. This is the first time I have seen a pandal with a lactation room. It was very well thought of,” said the actress.

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Pabitra Das, B Halder, Shuvo Roychaudhury and Biswajit Kundu
ADVERTISEMENT

Mrs India International and actress Richa Sharma strikes a pose at the Thakurpukur State Bank Park Sarbojanin, the Model Puja for CESC The Telegraph True Spirit Puja 2019 in association with LIC, David & Goliath and New India Assurance Co Ltd, with education partner IIHM, radio partner 91.9 Friends FM, television partner ABP Ananda and knowledge partner JIS Group. “It’s amazing. The puja organisers have taken care of every small detail. The facilities — a room for senior citizens, special toilets for the differently abled, an infirmary with first-aid provisions and even a small operating theatre. The entry and exit points were very well-managed. Definitely one of my favourite pujas this year,” said the brand ambassador for David and Goliath.

Paoli Dam next to a 30ft-high book at the entrance to Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra Club pandal. “It wants to convey the message that without education, things seem abstract. The pandal is water-jacketed and also has a mini fire station and lightning arrester. What drew my attention is the inclusion of a fire services officer in the puja committee,” said the Password star.
2 6

Paoli Dam next to a 30ft-high book at the entrance to Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra Club pandal. “It wants to convey the message that without education, things seem abstract. The pandal is water-jacketed and also has a mini fire station and lightning arrester. What drew my attention is the inclusion of a fire services officer in the puja committee,” said the Password star.

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Pabitra Das, B Halder, Shuvo Roychaudhury and Biswajit Kundu
Filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury goes behind the camera to capture the idol at Santoshpur Lake Pally that has shunned plastic. “The organisers have created a zone with all the precautionary measures. There’s a first-aid stall and a control room. They are easy to spot and that’s very important in a moment of crisis,” he said.
3 6

Filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury goes behind the camera to capture the idol at Santoshpur Lake Pally that has shunned plastic. “The organisers have created a zone with all the precautionary measures. There’s a first-aid stall and a control room. They are easy to spot and that’s very important in a moment of crisis,” he said.

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Pabitra Das, B Halder, Shuvo Roychaudhury and Biswajit Kundu
The gorgeous idol at Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity called for a click and Raima Sen was ready to pose. “This was one of the very good ones. I loved the lighting… khub mojar… great idea… and the way they used the loofahs. They used lakhs and lakhs of loofahs for the pandal. So, very unique. And eco-friendly. It was nicely managed. Beautiful idol as usual,” she smiled.
4 6

The gorgeous idol at Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity called for a click and Raima Sen was ready to pose. “This was one of the very good ones. I loved the lighting… khub mojar… great idea… and the way they used the loofahs. They used lakhs and lakhs of loofahs for the pandal. So, very unique. And eco-friendly. It was nicely managed. Beautiful idol as usual,” she smiled.

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Pabitra Das, B Halder, Shuvo Roychaudhury and Biswajit Kundu
Ensure exits are bigger than entry points, guard the gates, be gentle but firm and focus on safety. Those were the tips from joint commissioner of police Sujay Kumar Chanda, who spoke at a programme to pick the best in The Telegraph True Spirit Puja. “There is always a possibility of danger when a huge crowd gathers in a small place. Members of puja committees should be aware of where water is available or fire extinguishers have been kept,” said Chanda. “Beyond the glamour and the glitz of pandals and themes, we will appeal to the organisers to keep in mind the safety issues.” Over the past few days, senior officers from Lalbazar conducted several rounds of checks to find out whether crowd dispersal systems were in place for major pujas across the city. “We hope this Puja turns out to be safe for everyone,” Chanda said. Organisers have been asked to ensure that “channels” are created for visitors to walk into pandals and even bigger gates for the revellers to move out. Over 30,000 police personnel have been deployed this year for controlling crowd and managing traffic across Calcutta. Dedicated teams have been put in place that will coordinate with puja committees and local police control rooms so that officers can reach any spot quickly in case of any emergency. Beginning 3pm every day, almost the entire force, barring standby units, will be out on the streets.
5 6

Ensure exits are bigger than entry points, guard the gates, be gentle but firm and focus on safety. Those were the tips from joint commissioner of police Sujay Kumar Chanda, who spoke at a programme to pick the best in The Telegraph True Spirit Puja. “There is always a possibility of danger when a huge crowd gathers in a small place. Members of puja committees should be aware of where water is available or fire extinguishers have been kept,” said Chanda. “Beyond the glamour and the glitz of pandals and themes, we will appeal to the organisers to keep in mind the safety issues.” Over the past few days, senior officers from Lalbazar conducted several rounds of checks to find out whether crowd dispersal systems were in place for major pujas across the city. “We hope this Puja turns out to be safe for everyone,” Chanda said. Organisers have been asked to ensure that “channels” are created for visitors to walk into pandals and even bigger gates for the revellers to move out. Over 30,000 police personnel have been deployed this year for controlling crowd and managing traffic across Calcutta. Dedicated teams have been put in place that will coordinate with puja committees and local police control rooms so that officers can reach any spot quickly in case of any emergency. Beginning 3pm every day, almost the entire force, barring standby units, will be out on the streets.

Pictures by Rashbehari Das, Pabitra Das, B Halder, Shuvo Roychaudhury and Biswajit Kundu
6 6
The Telegraph

RELATED TOPICS

Paoli Dam Raima Sen Durga Puja
Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT

MORE IN PICTURES

Share this article

CLOSE