Hatibagan to Jodhpur Park: Heavy rains wreak havoc on Puja preps

KOLKATA: Dark clouds have gathered not only over Kolkata’s skies, submerging the city, but also over Durga Puja organisers struggling to save their pandals. Crowd-pulling pandals such as Kashi Bose Lane and Hatibagan Sarbojonin have borne the brunt, with bamboo structures and decorative items seen floating in stagnant water. While some organisers had raised their mandaps on elevated platforms, the surrounding areas remain inundated, making access difficult.

“Our pandal has suffered significant damage. Despite covering it, the front portion couldn’t be saved. If it rains again, the situation will turn critical. Rain during Puja isn’t new, but not of this severity,” said Saswata Basu of Hatibagan Sarbojonin Durgotsav.

At Jodhpur Park, large parts of the pandal remain unfinished. With the city submerged and transport disrupted, workers have failed to turn up. The pandal was scheduled for inauguration on Chaturthi (Thursday). Meanwhile, Kumartuli artisans too are anxious, as most Durga idols are transported out of the potters’ colony on Chaturthi. With the IMD predicting more rainfall, they fear they may not be able to complete their work on time.

“The torrential rainfall of nearly 300 mm has devastated several Puja pandals. I have never witnessed such a situation before. Even streets that never see waterlogging are now flooded, and the water is refusing to subside. Our pandal too has been damaged; some structures have collapsed,” said Dwaipayan Roy, General Secretary of Jagat Mukherjee Park Durga Puja Committee. He added that he is deeply concerned about a possible second depression. This year, their theme is Artificial Intelligence: Boon or Bane.

At Taltala Sarbojonin in Moulali, K Jaiswal said: “The incessant rain has ruined weeks of hard work. This being our 79th year, we were especially excited, but our pandal premises also had several food stalls and the downpour has wrecked the infrastructure. For many, Puja is not just about celebration but about survival—especially for small businesses. Our theme this year is Rainbow, and we are holding on to the hope that after this devastation, a rainbow will shine again.”

Some committees, however, remain cautiously optimistic. Sayan Deb Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee, said: “The moment the water subsides, revellers will start visiting pandals. We had kept the changing climate in mind and built our mandap on an elevated stage. Still, this kind of rainfall was beyond anticipation.”