Chetla Alapi Club's Durga Puja to represent Patuli floating market

Kolkata: Kolkatans who have not been able to visit the floating market at Patuli as yet will get a chance to witness the same during Durga Puja.

Thanks to Chetla Alapi Club in South Kolkata which seeks to represent the floating market at Patuli at Chetla through its theme — 'Jale Bazaar' (Market on Water).

"The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has undertaken several schemes for all round development of people in the state. Every year, we try to highlight the development projects of our government through various Durga Puja themes. This is an effort on our part to enliven the floating market which has already emerged as a major tourist attraction," said Anirban Chatterjee, secretary and theme maker of Chetla Alapi Club. The pandal will de decked up with models of eight small boats which will give the impression of seller-customer dealing in the market. "Space crunch is a barrier for us but we have been working hard for the last three months to make it look as real as possible. We are hopeful people will appreciate our endeavour," a member of the Chetla Alapi Club said.

The idol of Devi Durga along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartick and Ganesh will be seated on a model of boat, giving impression that the goddess is coming riding a boat to make the world free from demonic forces.

It may be mentioned that the floating market at Patuli was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from a government programme in the city following which state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim visited the market.

The floating market, the first of its kind in the country, has 228 sellers sitting on 114 boats selling everything ranging from fish, chicken, mutton eggs, vegetables, fruits to flowers, grocery and other miscellaneous items. Wooden walkways supported by wooden beams have been constructed for shoppers and shopkeepers to approach the boats. A shopper stands on the walkway and collect items from the boats.