Puja Carnival: About 28K invitations issued
Kolkata: Ones who missed out on the famous Durga idols during the Puja will have a second chance to see them on Tuesday at the Puja Carnival on Red Road where 91 Puja committees will be parading with their idols along with the accompanying artwork installations used in the pandals.
About 28,000 invitation cards were issued this year. Seating arrangements have gone beyond Red Road with the spectator galleries to include Kidderpore Road and Hospital Road. Last year, around 18,000 people attended the programme.
The main dais where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will sit along with her Cabinet colleagues and top officials of the state administration has been designed after a zamindar house. Dignitaries from abroad and other states will also witness the event with dedicated seating arrangements for them.
The state government has installed high-speed Internet services to facilitate live broadcasting of the carnival, allowing people across the globe to enjoy the spectacle in real-time. A giant screen opposite the dais will display the event.
The carnival was held on Monday in districts of the state. Each Puja committee will be given two to three minutes to showcase cultural activities at the carnival which will begin with a dance performance by Danseuse Dona Ganguly’s troupe. “Gujarati people will predominate our brief cultural performance which will include Dandia dance,” said Ashim Basu of Chakraberia Sarbojanin Puja of Bhowanipore.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Metro Railway has announced that it will extend its services on the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhash) until midnight on Tuesday to accommodate the Durga Puja Carnival goers. This decision follows a request from the West Bengal Government.
A statement from the Metro Railway authority on Monday stated: “In response to the West Bengal Government’s request, Metro Railway authorities have decided to extend service…..to facilitate all to see the famous Durga Puja Carnival to be held on that day on Red Road.”
The last Metro service on weekdays departs from both ends at 9.40 pm, with a special night train at 10.40 pm. However, on Tuesday, there will be two additional trains departing at 10 pm and 10.20 pm from both Kavi Subhash and Dum Dum.
The last train from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash will depart at 10.48 pm and from Kavi Subhash to Dakshineswar at 10.40 pm. The last trains between Dum Dum and Kavi Subhash will depart from both stations at 11.00 pm.
