District Pujas catching up with city counterparts in glitz and glamour

Kolkata: Durga Puja in Kolkata is known for its glitz and glamour but the neighbouring districts of North 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly are also not far behind.

Sodepur Dakshin Pally in its 75th year of Durga Puja celebration conceived a unique idea of setting up ‘Paris Opera House’. It has already emerged as a crowd puller among other Pujas in North 24-Parganas. The pandal was virtually inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. State irrigation & waterways minister, Partha Bhowmick is associated with this Puja as his maternal uncle’s house is located here.

A social gathering was organised at the Puja pandal on Mahalaya which was attended by MP Sougata Roy, and other state Cabinet ministers such as Chandrima Bhattacharya, Rathin Ghosh and Jyotipriya Mallick.

Barasat Kathaltala Durga Puja committee in North 24-Parganas started organising Durga Puja years ago out of a philanthropic zeal. One of the main purposes was to help the destitute people in the region. It always cuts short its budget for Puja so that a lion’s share can be devoted for the well-being of the underprivileged. The committee handed over clothes to hundreds of people on Friday. State Food and Supply minister, Rathin Ghosh inaugurated the Puja on ‘Shasthi’.

Noapara Dada Bhai Sangha, in Baranagar, has depicted various stages of human life through their pandal. The theme has been named “platform”. People strive for existence and work hard to achieve their goals in life. Life itself presents opportunities to the people like a platform to achieve one’s goals. The idea was conceptualised in Puja pandal.

Some of the popular Pujas organised by the traditional households in the districts are also remarkable. Goswami Bari at Serampore in Hooghly is known for its educational and cultural heritage. This former Danish colony is a popular day travel spot from Kolkata. The house is a popular location for shooting of many Bengali and Hindi films.

Datta Bari in Chinsurah has been holding Durga Puja for the past couple of centuries. Around the mid-19th century, Datta Bari pujo was initiated by Sagarlal Datta, a businessman, who prospered by trading in jute.