HIDCO adds new feather to New Town's cap: Firhad Hakim opens Sculpture Garden at Eco Park

Kolkata: Eco Park in New Town got an added attraction just before the Durga Pujas. Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday inaugurated the Sculpture Garden which will be depicting the history of Bengal from the medieval Renaissance led by Sri Chaitanya to Satyajit Ray's world of films through attractive murals and portraits.

A special light and sound show explaining the story of each of the relief panels was also held on presence of the minister.

"The light and sound show is unique as it keeps the audience moving from one panel to another in groups, moving as if with the passage of time, rather than sit and view from one place. For the elderly and very young, there are a few benches while most will have to stand and walk around to get the fascinating story," a senior official of West Bengal Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), the custodian of Eco Park said.

The 12 panels in the form of murals depict various landmark episodes in the history of Bengal like the Battle of Plassey, Raja Rammohan Roy & Renaissance of Bengal, Anandamath – Bankim Chandra; the awakening of Bengal, Swami Vivekananada's Call of Youth and his activities, Santhal Rebellion, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, his Azad Hind Fauz and his revolution, Rabindranath Tagore and his Visva Bharati Movement etc.

Apart from the murals, there are 52 portraits which starts with Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and ends with Begum Rokeya. "This list includes the host of remarkable individuals who through their activities in different walks of life proved to be the makers of the history of Bengal, especially in the 19th Century," the HIDCO official said.

A group of artists created the wall reliefs which have been supervised by Artist Suvaprasanna.

HIDCO chairman Debashis Sen and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh were also present in the event.