Kolkata: Abahan, Abarta and Bisharjan, the three eternal concepts relating to the advent of Goddess Durga with her entourage on earth, her five day stay here and her journey back to her abode, will be depicted interestingly through the lifecycle of a child at three Puja pandals in the city.
A child is often considered as the embodiment of God. According to artist Anirban Das, who has come up with the unique idea of showcasing the concept through Durga Puja, said that the invocation of Goddess Durga is very similar to the birth of a child, who is also invoked by his/her parents.
Abahan or invocation has become the theme of Dum Dum Tarun Dal, where models of various Gods and nymphs will be kept inside the Puja pandal, who will be celebrating the birth of a child. There will be symbolic representations of children through various depictions of flowers.
"Every child is special but we fail to provide conducive atmosphere for a child to grow up. Many of the children are ill-treated in the society. We seek power from Goddess Durga to fight injustice and oppression, so that our world becomes a better place for these children," Das said.
Hindustan Park Sarbojanin has adopted the theme of Abarta, where life's journey would be depicted through various models inside the Puja pandal. They'll show how the children are overburdened with studies and are forced to take part in the so called rat race. "People often force their children to take part in a mad race. We are trying to present how human lives have become complicated. A circus will be set up through various models to show how we all have become mere stage players. There will also be models of clowns. The idol of Goddess Durga will be portrayed on an Ektara, a one-string musical instrument," Artist Das said.
The Ektara is closely associated with the life of a folk artiste who believes in simple living. This very concept had prompted the artist to put Goddess Durga on the backdrop of the instrument. The artist is trying to highlight that taking part in a mad race of earning money does not always bring fortune for the children, Das said.
Bisharjan has become the Puja theme for Chetla Agrani this year, where a palatial building will be constructed which will help people understand the futility of existence. A pond will also be created in front of the idol in such a manner that the visitors can see the Goddess' reflection in it. According to the artist, the pond serves as a symbol where people can shed their sins.