While not at the scale of Kolkata’s Durga Pujas, the pandals at Gurugram have also started embracing the concept of themes. Started in 2006, the Durga Puja organised by Bangiya Parishad Gurgaon at HUDA Grounds, Sector 56, had a theme focussed on education and inspired by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s ‘Bornoporichoy’
Urmimala Paul
The popular DLF City Durga Puja and Bengali Cultural Society celebrated the legacy of the Rays — Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, Sukumar Ray and Satyajit Ray — with a pandal inspired by ‘Sonar Kella’ and cultural performances based on ‘Abol Tabol’ and ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’. What stood out was the idol, which won an award for best ‘protima’
Also serving a generous dose of Bangaliyana, along with a delicious ‘khichuri bhog’ on Ashtami, was the Utsav Durga Puja, held at the community centre in Sector 45. As ‘pushpanjali’ wrapped up on Ashtami morning, and the ‘bhog’ was laid out for the goddess, ladies joined the ‘dhaakis’ — who had travelled from Midnapore — to dance to the beats before tucking into a lunch of ‘bhoger khichuri’, ‘labra’ and ‘payesh’
Rumela Basu
