Kolkata Durga Puja pandals turn spotlight on women empowerment, armed forces, pollution

Kolkata: Tracing back to August 16, 1946, when large parts of Kolkata were engulfed in communal frenzy, residents of a south Kolkata neighbourhood stood firm to prevent troublemakers from disturbing peace in the Hindustan Park-Purna Das Road-Lake area. Nearly eight decades later, Samajsebi Sangha has revisited its first Durga Puja of 1946 through flexes and models.

Reflecting the diversity of themes among community pujas, Arjunpur Amra Sabai in Baguiati, around 15 km away, has set up an installation titled 'Mukhomukhi' (Face to Face) where devotees entering the marquee will see their mirror images in hundreds of stainless-steel frames and sheets.

Around 10 km from both, the Young Boys Club in central Kolkata is paying tribute to India’s armed forces through the theme 'Operation Sindoor', while Banerjeepara Puja Mandir Samity in Shyamnagar on the northern fringes of the city has recreated the ghats of Varanasi to highlight the issue of river pollution.

"During those turbulent days of August 16, 1946, when violence gripped many parts of the city, our locality was like an oasis which stood out to spread the message of togetherness and amity by holding hands, not daggers. The Samajsebi Sangha was born on the advice of well-wishers and freedom fighters like Leela Roy, who were touched by our unity. That very year, we organised our first Durga Puja, and it continues to this day," Arijit Moitra, senior functionary of Samajsebi, told PTI.

Roy was a leftist Indian woman politician, reformer and a close associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

He said this year’s theme is a tribute to the founding members who resisted mindless violence in 1946.

"A replica of the truck owned by my father’s swadeshi chemical company, which had transported the idol in 1946, will be stationed near the marquee. The idol itself will resemble the quintessential elderly Indian woman who runs the household, symbolising women’s empowerment," Moitra said.

"Please note that our theme has no relation or references to any film made in past about the issue and only talks about human resilience, amity and harmony," he added.

At Baguiati’s Arjunpur Amra Sabai, sculptor Shovin Bhattacharya has used hundreds of stainless-steel frames and bamboo-wooden poles in its installations, creating an effect of reflection and dynamism.

"As you step on the road leading to the pandal, you will first cross an artificial waterbody and then see your own mirror images on the hundreds of stainless steel installations and metal sheets. On the one hand, you face your own self and on the other, the reflections of so many visitors walking alongside will give an impression of mobility, dynamism and identification," Bhattacharya said.

"We have tried to use and explore the concept of space in our work," he said, adding that the pond reflects the flow of life.

Idol-maker Shampa Bhattacharya said the goddess has been represented as a 21st-century female warrior, "spreading the light of education and awareness to the downtrodden." In central Kolkata’s Tara Chand Dutta Street, the Young Boys Club’s pandal designed by artist Debshankar Mahesh features replicas of tanks and missiles.

"The centrepiece of this tribute is the inclusion of two decorated women officers — Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. Their replicas stand as powerful symbols of women’s strength and leadership in the military," said Rakesh Singh, chief organiser of the puja.

Banerjeepara Puja Mandir Samity in North 24 Parganas has turned a waterbody into Varanasi’s ghats with replicas of temples, boats and evening Ganga aarti.

"During the evening, the place will resemble mini-Varanasi with its spiritual splendour," spokesperson Samit Banerjee said.

"Our theme Kashidham also seeks to raise awareness about Ganga pollution and urges people to stop throwing plastics and waste into the river," he added.