A fully sustainable Durga idol made by students of a Kolkata university and water collected from 12 rivers across the world blended into the Thames at the Tower Bridge on October 26, turning the latest edition of the Thames Durga Parade into a perfect symbol of cultural assimilation.
The sustainable Durga idol made by students of Techno India University, Kolkata
The parade started from Putney West Pier side, with members of the London Rowing Club rowing down the Thames alongside the protima. A double-storey boat sailed on the Thames as revellers performed the Bijoya dance to beats of the dhaak, while also playing Bhatiyali songs. En route to Tower Bridge, the boat travelled underneath all the bridges in between with over 200 prominent Londoners and members of the Indian diaspora on board, including Sujit Ghosh, deputy high commissioner of India to London; and Soumitra Dutta, the dean of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
A double-storey boat sailed on the Thames while playing Bhatiyali songs
“A group of adventurers driving from Kolkata to London brought water from 12 rivers, which was blended into the Thames at the Tower Bridge. This act symbolised the assimilation of all our cultures,” said Anirban Mukhopadhyay, director of Heritage Bengal Global.
The epic finale was the opening of the Tower Bridge for the second consecutive year. Last year, too, the mighty Tower Bridge had opened up to make way for Durga as part of the Lalbaba Rice Thames Durga Parade.
The mighty Tower Bridge opened up to make way for Durga
“To get the Tower Bridge to open up was a landmark event. The four-hour journey crossed several landmarks of central London, enabled by a historic collaboration between the Calcutta Rowing Club and the London Rowing Club,” said Mukhopadhyay. "The support of the London Rowing Club is a major win.”
Within hours of posting, the video of the Tower Bridge opening notched up over 1 million views.
Meghdut Roychowdhury, chief innovation officer and executive director of Techno India Group and founder of MCRA, with the Durga idol
The idol created by students of Techno India University, Kolkata, was made entirely with tissues and fully sustainable. “The protima by our students symbolises the fusion of tradition and modern artistry. At Make Calcutta Relevant Again, we aim to bring global attention to Durga Puja, the world’s largest public arts festival, now recognised as part of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage,” said Meghdut Roychowdhury, chief innovation officer and executive director of Techno India Group and founder of MCRA.
Roychowdhury said that this was a part of a larger movement to strengthen the relationship of Bengal with the world. “When millions of people saw the Tower Bridge in London open for Maa Durga, it really made a bold statement in the presence of international guests, diplomats, and global culture influencers.”
The parade has become a platform for a larger conversation around Bengali culture, with decorations inspired by patachitra. University Arts London design school is collaborating to preserve the idol.
Revellers performed the Bijoya dance to beats of the 'dhaak' on the boat
“We started this initiative in 2022 to promote Kolkata’s Durga Puja as a global tourism destination," said Mukhopadhyay. “The UK has many Durga pujas, but they are mostly held within community halls, with negligible participation from people outside. By taking the celebration to the Thames through touristy locations, we wanted to spark interest among a broader audience, especially the local British community here."
Nearly 10 days after Ma Durga departed from her Kolkata home, she found a new one in London.