Carnival leaves delegates mesmerised

Kolkata: Kolkata witnessed a stunning carnival on the historic Red Road where around 100 of the city’s most acclaimed Durga idols were paraded one after another while cultural performances kept the audience hooked and enchanted throughout the event on Friday evening.

Make-shift galleries, giant screens, separate enclosures and the presence of foreign guests added a new dimension to this year’s celebrations.

Performances by various artistes and percussionists impressed the audience who were awe-struck by the glitz and glamour of the event.

Giant screens were specifically installed to cater to the enthusiasts seated far away. This year, a good number of guests from different parts of the world attended the event. According to sources, several countries sent their Consul General or their representative to the event. Several countries, including Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, USA, Bhutan and China were invited.

After Durga Puja received the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status, the grandeur of the Red Road carnival doubled as dazzling lights along the entire stretch imparted a carnivalesque atmosphere. All the big Pujas took part in the event which include Kumartuli Sarbojanin Durgotsav, Sreebhumi sporting, Mohammad Ali Sporting, Chetla Agrani, Suruchi Sangha, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, Samaj Sebi, Ballygunge Cultural Association, Peyarabagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav committee, Tala Prattoy etc.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the event and was seen in a jovial mood as the idols and entourage of various puja committees paraded along the Red Road. Banerjee was seen clapping with the tunes that were played at the event. She attended the carnival after days of rest at home due to her leg injury.

She was also accompanied by some of her cabinet colleagues such as Aroop Biswas, Firhad Hakim and Indranil Sen, among others. Besides ministers, film personalities such as Prosenjit Chatterjee and June Malia were also present among many other celebrities.

The extravaganza was performed amidst tight security by the Kolkata Police. Red Road was divided into 12 zones for better security surveillance. Each zone was taken care of by a deputy commissioner rank officer.

There were around 500 police personnel on Red Road while 2,000 police personnel were deployed for the smooth management of traffic.

Around 16 police officers on the ranks of deputy commissioner and 8 joint CP rank officers were deployed. Red road was closed for traffic from 9 am. The event started at around 4 pm. The chief minister reached the venue at around 3.30 pm. About 8-10 watch towers were set up along with 10 police assistance booths.