Mamata kick starts Durga Puja inaugurations with Hatibagan today
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the Puja of Hatibagan Sarbojonin on Friday.
This is the first time that Banerjee will inaugurate the Durga Puja at Hatibagan Sarbojonin, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary this year. It is one of the oldest community Pujas in North Kolkata.
Banerjee will visit the pandal at around 5pm. The unique feature of the idol of Ma Durga at the pandal is that the photographs of those who will come before the idol with folded hands will be clicked with a hidden camera.
She will inaugurate two important Puja pandals at Chalta Bagan and Kumartuli Park. Earlier, Banerjee used to inaugurate the Durga Pujas of South Kolkata, but in 2019 she will inaugurate three popular community Pujas in North Kolkata as well. She will also inaugurate the Puja of Hindusthan Club, Gariahat on Friday evening.
On Saturday, Banerjee will inaugurate some of the important Pujas in South Kolkata. She will also release the Puja number of Jago Bangla in a function at Nazrul Mancha.
She will then go to Naktala Udayan Sangha, a community Puja which is organised by Partha Chatterjee. She will inaugurate three Pujas at Babubagan, Jodhpur Park and 95 Pally. Banerjee will then go to the pandal of Chetla Agrani organised by Mayor Firhad Hakim and will draw the eye of Ma Durga.
After coming to power in 2011, the Chief Minister has taken several initiatives to make Durga Puja a global event. She has given Rs 25,000 to every Puja organiser this year, so that they can make the celebration grander. A grand carnival will be organised at Red Road, where important community Pujas that will bag prizes will present cultural shows on their way to the immersion of idols. It may be mentioned that National Geographic Channel had covered the Durga Puja spectacle in 2018.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will use the festival to create awareness against dengue. The Puja committees that will be judged best for carrying out cleaning operation in and around the Puja pandal, will get cash awards.
