Salt Lake Puja to ‘portray’ flavours of the Sunderbans

With theme pujas ruling the roost over the past few years, organisers across the city are adopting themes inspired by Bengal’s culture and social issues. Not to be left out, the CE Block Puja in Salt Lake that enters its 44th year, has collaborated with the Bengal Forest department to sensitise people about the fragile state of the Sunderbans.

The rising sea level, increasing salinity, subsidence, the resultant loss of mangrove cover and the looming threat to Kolkata has been a cause a concern for the state government, that is trying to save its ecosystem.

Debashis Sen, MD of WBHIDCO and chairman of NKDA, the former additional chief secretary of Bengal has taken over the responsibility to this transformative action as the president of the CE Block Durga Puja committee to portray a slice of the Sunderbans.

“Mangrove plantation acts as a natural barrier that could save our city.

However, the tourists to the Sunderbans throw plastic without bothering about the result of their mindless action. So what could be a better platform other than the UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja to sensitise people about this environmental concern,” asked Sen. Not only this concern, the Puja will also bring the rare almost extinct ‘Potchitra’ of the Sunderbans.

‘Potchitra’ or scroll painting is a traditional art form of Bengal, Orissa and Bihar.

“There was a time when the Sunderbans had its own ‘Potochitra’ or scroll painting, a testimony to the region’s unique art form. With time the art form perished. Last year we took the initiative to revive the lost art form and the same will be showcased at the Puja pandal of CE Block,” said Sourav Mukherjee, founder director of Kolkata Society For Cultural Heritage who is executing this project.

The entire project implemented by Kolkata Society For Cultural Heritage, that has been working with the Sunderbans and its people, represents a replica of the Sunderbans.

A large gate with signature red and white hues of the delta forest would lead to thatched houses, a forest of mangrove plantation with 2000 mangrove plants and a waterbody with artificial crocodile.

At the centre an idol of ‘Bono bibi’, the goddess of Sunderban villagers beside an original boat and fishing net will create the perfect ambience of the delta forest.

Inside the pandal the Durga idol will be flanked by two large ‘Potchitra’ or scroll paintings measuring 10 ft by 3 ft. ‘Manga Mangal’ and ‘Bonbibir Pala’ will be depicted through this scroll painting.

A recording of the ‘Bonobibir palagan’ would transport the pandal hoppers to the Sunderbans and set the perfect backdrop.

“The stalls of directorate of forest, South 24-Parganas will be there in the field that would distribute conservation awareness booklets to the Puja revellers and sell original honey of the Sunderbans and saplings of Mangrove,” said Milan Mandal, DFO, Directorate of forest, South 24-Parganas.

The Chief Minister will inaugurate this Puja virtually and a formal celebration will be held at the pandal on ‘Tritiya’ when ‘Bonobibir Pala’ will be staged by performers from the Sunderbans in an effort to revive the region’s moribund cultural life.