From construction of pandal to sculpting idol, school students take lead to organise Puja
BALURGHAT: From construction of the pandal to sculpting the idol, everything is done by school students in this unique Durga Puja in a small village called Bidaypur, around 7 kilometers from Balurghat. A group of school students have taken the initiative to organise their own Durga Puja since 2022. These students, some in Class 5, others in Class 6 or 7, have shown remarkable enthusiasm and determination in continuing this tradition.
The journey of organising this Durga Puja is entirely self-driven. The students build the pandal themselves and even make the idol, a task that has been taken up by Suryadeep. To finance the event, they pool money from their daily allowances, contributing Rs 100 or Rs 200 each, with Suryadeep refusing to charge any money for crafting the idol. Suryadeep shared: “We don’t have a lot of money. Whatever our parents give us for school tiffin, we save some for the Puja. If it’s not enough, we ask our parents for help.” Among them are Suryadeep, Shubhajit, Tanmoy, Chandra and Rajkumar, all students from either Patiram High School or Khaspur Harekrishna High School
Despite the visible imperfections in the handmade idol, Suryadeep’s effort is commendable and the community has been highly supportive of the young group’s initiative. In the past two years, the Puja was held near their homes, close to the Pagliganj market. This year, it has shifted to the roadside, giving the celebration a different atmosphere. Their passion for the festival remains unchanged, bringing a sense of joy and inspiration to everyone around them.
Suryadeep’s father, Supen Haldar, a local cloth merchant, recalls how his son’s interest in idol-making began. “Since he was a little boy, he would sit at the pandal where our local Durga Puja took place, watching a local artist create the idol. From the age of seven or eight, he wouldn’t move from the pandal once the work began. We had to force him to come home for meals. Then one day, he told me he wanted to make the idol himself. I never discouraged him. Slowly, he started learning and since 2022, the Puja has been celebrated with the idol he creates. The children also save their own money for the pandal and idol-making but we have assured them we will step in if there’s any shortfall.”
With only a few days left until Durga Puja and Mahalaya already behind them, the children are busier than ever. Although school hasn’t closed yet, they manage to juggle their studies with idol-making and pandal construction. Despite the unfavorable weather, with frequent rains, their enthusiasm has not diminished.
