KMDA to dispose of 8 idols of Goddess Durga from ‘Ma Phire Elo’ gallery
Kolkata: The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority ( KMDA) has decided to dispose of some eight odd Durga idols presently preserved at the temporary gallery beside ‘Ma Phire Elo’ at Rabindra Sarobar to make way for new idols that will come for preservation purposes.
“The Durga Puja carnival at Red Road is scheduled on Tuesday. It is usually after the carnival when the list of idols to be preserved is finalised with due approval from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. We are leaving no stone unturned to accommodate as many idols as possible. Hence, we decided to vacate our temporary art gallery which houses some seven to eight idols. Some of the existing idols in the Ma Phire Elo gallery, particularly ones preserved for three or more years, may also be disposed of to accommodate new ones,” said a KMDA official. KMDA sources said idols are already being disposed of in the temporary gallery. Water is being sprayed through jets to wash off the clay on the idols.
The structure will be carried to Dhapa and in collaboration with Kolkata Municipal Corporation, will be disposed of through proper procedure. Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim, who is also the chairman of KMDA, was requested to take it up to the appropriate level so that only such idols that can be easily preserved be sent to the art gallery. KMDA has been facing challenges for preserving clay idols in the galleries. The Ma Phire Elo art gallery presently accommodates 14 odd idols. The KMDA official said that the construction work for a second unit beside the existing one will start soon.
The tender has already been finalised. The tentative expenditure for the new gallery will be around Rs 75 lakh. “We hope that the upcoming art gallery will become operational before the Durga Puja 2025,” added the official.Ma Phire Elo art gallery, a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was unveiled in February 2021 after a
major facelift. The art gallery was set up in the year 2012 by KMDA for preserving the very best Durga idols and installation art adorning the puja pandal. The gallery allows visitors to view some of the best Durga idols even if they could not make it to the pandals for witnessing these during the Puja.
