Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Durga Puja in Calcutta is always a vibrant kaleidoscope filled with devotion, art, camaraderie and celebration. Yet, each year, amid the grand celebrations, some moments stand out for their quirkiness. From pandal hoppers with funny filters to a child’s unexpected order to the demon Mahishasur, this year’s festivities were no different.
Here’s a quick look at the amusing highlights that had people laughing and feeling uncomfortable too.
The 'Behala Fight Club' moment
Two civic volunteers were seen throwing punches at each other in front of the Durga idol at the Behala Friends Club pandal. The fight quickly gained attention as others stepped in to separate the two, while curious pandal hoppers didn’t miss the chance to capture the scuffle on their phones. As videos of the incident flooded social media, one witty commenter suggested the club should be renamed to 'Behala Fight Club'.
Monkey mystery at Barisha Club
A langur was thoroughly baffled at the Barisha Club pandal where numerous statues of his kind adorned the space. Confused by the lifeless figures, the real monkey approached the statues, seemingly trying to communicate with its 'frozen' counterparts. The curious creature even attempted to pull at the statues, much to the amusement of onlookers.
Filter turns Chetla Agrani crowd faces angry
Standing in line for hours can test anyone’s patience, but one pandal hopper at the Chetla Agrani pandal found a way to lighten the mood — well, sort of. Using Snapchat’s angry filter, the man turned the faces of fellow pandal hoppers into scowling, furious versions of themselves, while the crowd around them erupted in laughter. People who hadn’t noticed the trick continued with their stern expressions, oblivious to the joke being played on them.
The angry child vs. the Asur
A young child was caught on camera aggressively trying to feed the Asur (demon) on Vijaya Dashami. It is not clear where the video is from, but it’s sure to evoke a smile. The child, clearly convinced the demon was hungry, angrily shoved food towards the idol and exclaimed, "Khaa!" (Eat!). With a pointed finger and another threat — "Ek maarbo!" (I’ll hit you!)—the determined child ensured the Asur got its share of food.
The ‘Pagla Garod’ theme
Not all moments from Durga Puja were just funny. Some were bizarre too. A pandal in Coochbehar, with the theme of ‘Paglagarod’ (Bengali slang for mental asylum), sparked outrage on social media for its insensitive portrayal of mental illness. The pandal featured people dressed as mentally ill patients. Social media users were quick to criticise the pandal for its poor taste, calling for more sensitivity when addressing such serious issues.
