What: Seagram’s Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water presents The Telegraph Puja Premier League 2023 powered by Indian Institute of Hotel Management
Where: Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav
The Sohochori Dance troupe gave a graceful performance with songs like Aigiri Nandini, Ailo Uma and Durga
The theme: Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav has entered the 105th year of celebrating the festivity. Started in 1919, Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav was the first puja in Calcutta organised by a local committee and not inside a zamindar house. In North Calcutta, Baghbazar is famous for its ghats, old Calcutta culture and history and Baghbazar’s Durga Puja is one of the major pujas in the city. In 1938-39, the committee was privileged by the active participation of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as the president of the puja committee. This year, Baghbazar Sarbojanin’s theme was Jaipur’s Albert Hall Museum which took one-and-a-half months to build. The 10-feet idol of Maa Durga with her four children under one structure or ek chala remains the same every year as its traditional yellow visage with large eyes or tana chokh of the Goddess evokes spirituality among visitors.
Amitav Kumar Chatterjee, academic councillor at Indian Institute of Hotel Management, handed over a gift hamper to Swastika
Organiser speak: “Every year, since childhood we wait for Maa to visit Baghbazar. In the blink of an eye, we stepped into the 105th year. As the years pass by the fandom for this particular puja increases among visitors. Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav is getting famous day by day as people from abroad ask us to send our idol’s pictures every year. Our famous sindoor khela is joyously celebrated with our local people and we also welcome people from all over the city to participate. I’ve been attached to this committee for the last 40 years and enjoy every bit of it,” said Samar Pal, president of Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav.
Rooting for the club is: Actress Swastika Dutta. She said, “Though I’m from South Calcutta, I’m always smitten by Noth Calcutta’s old charm and traditions. I’m very thankful to The Telegraph Puja Premier League for organising such a beautiful event at the famous Baghbazar Sarbojonin Durgotsav because I always wanted to visit this puja. Baghbazar has absolutely a different traditional vibe which makes the puja special. More importantly, Baghbazar’s idol has different divinity and gracefulness which makes Maa Durga more beautiful. I want to visit Baghbazar again this year and I wish everyone a happy and healthy Durga Puja.”
Actress Swastika Dutta asked all the newlywed couples their plans for this year’s Puja
Activities: It was a fun-filled evening with the newlywed committee members indulging in a jolly chit-chat session. The audience also enjoyed a poetry session and a graceful dance performance by Baghbazar’s Sohochuri Dance troop.
(l-r) Debarati Chakraborty recited poetry, Samar Pal, president of Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgatsov