Kolkata: Known for its history of opening doors for the Durga Puja to the Dalit and the Harijan community, the Hazra Park Sarbojonin Durgotsav in its 75th year is creating its pandal with as many as 2 crore nails bringing out the theme Andar Theke Antare (from the interior to the core of the heart).
The puja had begun with the initiative of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose when he was the Mayor of Kolkata.
The Dalits and the Harijans were not allowed to be the part of the Durga Puja during those days and Netaji was the first who welcomed them to the puja.
From that time onwards, this puja has kept up with its tradition and arranges for food for more than 200 people from the Dalit and the Harijan communities on the day of Astami and Navami.
The puja also assumes significance with employees of the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation taking up the responsibility of holding the puja for so many years.
Khalil Ahmed, the Municipal
Commissioner is the president of the puja committee while Mayor
Sovan Chatterjee is the main patron of the puja.
"The nails exist inside our walls and by becoming the part of this pandal, it will earn a place in the heart of all those people who will visit our puja and witness how nails can be part of a decorative art," Sayandeb Chattopadhyay, assistant secretary of the puja said. The pandal also highlights as many as 40 social issues ranging from saving the greenery, saving the Ganga, fight against Sati, blood donation, and many others.
The instruments like shovel, spade etc that are used in the day-to-day work of the civic body will also adorn the pandal through art form.
The Under-17 World Cup is also being branded through the puja this year. Flexes highlighting the event and a model of football has been created. Kolkata will host as many as 10 matches of the World Cup in the month of October.
A revolving Biswa Bangla model has also been made.