Mega Puja Carnival returns after 2-year Covid-hiatus

Kolkata: A sea of people, including foreigners, descended at Red Road on Saturday evening to witness the grand Durga Puja Carnival that saw as many as 94 community Puja organisers parading with the Durga idols and their entourage.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee exchanged pleasantries with all the Puja committees and could not resist herself from playing the 'dhak', gong and other musical instruments and also dancing with the women members who took part in performances on behalf of the respective clubs.

This year's Carnival that was held after a hiatus of two years, due to the Covid pandemic, assumed special significance with Durga Puja in Kolkata recently finding place in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Puja committees showcased their innovative themes through tableaux, including a miniature pandal where they had hosted their idols for the past few days and also performed for a few minutes before immersion in river Hooghly at Babu Ghat and a few other ghats in Central and North Kolkata.

The Pujas that were selected for the road show were winners of 'Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman' award in various categories. Pujas under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, South Dum Dum municipality and Baranagar municipality were part of the Carnival.

The rally began with a stunt performance on motorbikes by the Kolkata Police Tornadoes that left the crowd spellbound, followed by a dance performance from students of Diksha Manjari — a school run by danseuse Dona Ganguly. The music of the song to which the dancers performed was given by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself.

The Puja committee that kicked off the rally was the one hosted by the police families of Alipore Bodyguard Lines. The committee stressed on awareness about the Chief Minister's dream project 'Safe Drive Save Life' that has contributed in bringing down fatal accidents.

Among the various moments that caught the attention of the crowd was that of a child dressed like the Chief Minister offering roses to her along with some other children representing Hindustan Park Sarbojonin in Gariahat. Banerjee greeted them with a smile and conversed with them briefly.

A number of Puja committees performed to songs that have been penned by Banerjee herself.

"It is impossible for anyone to cover all the Pujas in South and North Kolkata during those festive days. However, the Carnival offers the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the best possible combinations of a mix of theme and traditional idols. Thanks to our Chief Minister for this special opportunity of Puja Seshe Thakur Dekha (witnessing idols after the end of Puja) through this grand extravaganza," said a youngster who has come from Santoshpur in South Kolkata.

The Red Road decked up with decorative lights added to the charm of the event. The giant screens flashed clear pictures of the idols, specifically made to cater to the enthusiasts seated far away. As per Kolkata Police sources, more than 2000 police personnel were deployed for the Carnival.

A number of Puja organisers utilised the platform to spread important social messages through different art forms. A number of performances were inspired by Bengal's communal harmony which the Chief Minister emphasises repeatedly.

Several celebrities from the Bengali film fraternity were also seen on the main podium where Banerjee stood and greeted all the Puja organisers with a smile. During the procession they also took to the road and joined in the cultural performance. Many foreign diplomats and Consul Generals of a number of countries were present on the occasion.