KMDA to come up with 2nd unit of ‘Ma Phire Elo’ art gallery

Kolkata: Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) will come up with a second unit of ‘Ma Phire Elo’ art gallery just beside the existing one adjacent to Rabindra Sarobar lake to preserve more idols of Goddess Durga.

“We have already received approval for construction of the second unit of the gallery beside the existing one which is crammed for space. The tender has already been floated for the same,” said a senior KMDA official. There was a staff quarter adjacent to the existing gallery that was lying abandoned for a long time. It has now been demolished which has made available free space for the extension of the gallery. “The upcoming one would not be of any concrete structure and the same environment-friendly materials that have been used for the earlier gallery will be used for the new one. The plan is to construct the gallery in more or less the same size as the existing one,” the official added.

Presently, the existing gallery hosts 14 Durga idols, the majority of which are from last year‘s Durga Puja that include Barisha Club in Behala, Badamtala Ashar Sangha near Rashbehari crossing, Kidderpore 25 Palli, 74 Palli Kidderpore, Tridhara Akalbodhan near Deshapriya Park, Ahritola Sarbojonin at BK Paul Avenue in north Kolkata, Swadhin Sangha of Bhowanipore to name a few.

The KMDA official added that they have requested for recommendation of such idols which is not made of clay as it becomes difficult to

maintain those.

The proposed new unit is expected to be ready before the 2025 Durga Puja. Ma Phire Elo art gallery, a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was unveiled in February 2021 after a major facelift.

The gallery was set up in the year 2012 by KMDA to preserve the best Durga idols and installation art adorning the Puja pandals. The gallery allows visitors to catch a glimpse of some of the best Durga idols even if they could not make it to the pandals to witness these idols during the Puja.