Kolkata community pujas churn out innovative themes to impress pandal hoppers
Soumitra Nandi
Kolkata: With less than two weeks to go for Durga Puja, Kolkata community Pujas are putting in their best efforts to impress the pandal hoppers with innovative themes.
Sovabazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav, organised by Sovabazar Sangrami Club, is making a conscious effort to make people understand the limited nature of resources so that they can make responsible and sustainable use of the scientific advancements in the current era of technology.
“We are in the technology era but the misuse of technology and human disregard for resources are harming our planet. We are using electronic waste and metal waste such as DVDs, CDs, keyboards, watches, CPUs, monitors, and cables for decorating our pandal. Even the idols are being made of e-waste. Our theme is based on recycling and putting them into fruitful use,” said Raktima Banerjee who has conceptualised the theme of the puja.
Students from Techno India University in Bengal have been roped in for making the idol. The surprise element will be a replica of Chandrayaan-III which is also being made with non-recyclable waste materials.
“We wish to convey through this replica that the advancement of technology has made us successfully land on the moon but we have left so much of waste behind us which we need to recycle to save our earth from the clutches of pollution,” added Banerjee.
Kumartuli Park Sarbojonin’s theme is ‘ambition’ where a royal chair will be on the top of the mandap symbolising it. Everyone in this world is vying for the royal chair and are ready to adopt unfair means to grab it. “Imageries like snake and ladder used in a
game of ludo, checkmate situation in a chess board, people being pulled down by their legs during attempts to climb up the ladder, will be portrayed through the décor of the pandal,” joint secretary of the club Anupam Das said. The theme is being conceptualised by Tarun Das while the lighting by Rono Roy and Laltu.
Aurobindo Setu Sarbojonin at Ultadanga is coming up with the theme titled ‘Jibon Chakra’ (Cycle of Life).
It is inspired from the character of Abhimanyu from the epic Mahabaharata who died after being trapped in the ‘Chakravyuh’ as he failed to escape from it.
The theme wants to portray that every individual, like Abhimanyu, is trapped within the seven cycles of life and are desperate to get
out of it. A person is able to inherit the strength of God only if he can overcome these seven cycles.
“We are delivering the message that care and sympathy for the entire animal world is the ‘real’ way to worship God. Let us pray for help in staying away from evil traits
that exist in every human,” Mintu Das, a member of the club said. Imageries of helpless and timid animals are being used for the décor of the pandal and theme.
