Hakim inaugurates 'Ma Phire Elo' art gallery at Sarobar

KOLKATA: State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Thursday inaugurated the renovated Ma Phire Elo art gallery at Rabindra Sarobar and marked the beginning of a three-day flower show that is being held in the adjacent open space surrounding the gallery.

The art gallery set up in the year 2012 by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) for preserving the best Durga idols and installation art adorning the puja pandals has seen a major facelift and is being opened up for common public from Friday after the official inauguration.

"We are organising our first ever flower show to commemorate our attainment of 50 years. The diversity of horticulture is being showcased through seasonal and perennial flowers, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants and a wide range of foliage, cacti, bonsai etc.," Hakim, who is also the Chairman of KMDA said.

The flower show that starts from Friday will continue till Saraswati Puja (February 16) from 10 am to 5.30 pm. The exhibition has 58 sections. There will be flowers like dahlia, roses and a plethora of winter annual flowers like gazania, rudbeckia, cyclamen, acrolinum etc. There will be an orchid pavilion and provision for sale of saplings through eight stalls that are being set up during the exhibition. Presently there are six Durga idols in the Ma Phire Elo art gallery the latest inclusion being the paper idol made by Santoshpur Lake Pally this year. The gallery, a brain child of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was created in 2012 to offer an opportunity for common people to have a glimpse of some selective Durga idols.