Los Angeles puja tie-up for CE Block
CE Block is registering three firsts with this edition of Durga Puja — a tie-up with a puja abroad, a ceremonial khuti puja on Ganesh Chaturthi and dandiya on Navami.
A collaboration has been inked with Valley Bengali Community, a Los Angeles-based Durga puja organiser. “Their puja takes place from September 30 to October 2, over the weekend, while our puja starts from October 1. So we can share footage from each other’s main rituals and cultural programmes,” said Rajdeep Dutta, the puja secretary.
“We used to have a token khuti puja in earlier years. But this year, we decided to start a Ganesh puja as well in deference to the wish of some residents. And what better occasion to start something auspicious than on this day,” said Debashis Sen, the president of this year’s puja committee.
A small Ganesh idol was placed at the base of the decorated bamboo pole which was worshiped. “From next year, we will do the Ganesh puja on a bigger scale,” he announced. It would not leave the contractor too little time for pandal construction as work on the superstructure of bamboo poles has already started.
Residents have been requested to put up decorative lights on the Puja nights like they do on Diwali. Every lane of the block will also be lit up. A total of 40 loudspeakers will play the Mahishasuramardini programme on All India Radio live at dawn on Mahalaya but at soft volume, promises Sen.
The dandiya is starting at the suggestion of residents from north India. “Please wear traditional dress that is commensurate with the occasion. We will have prizes for the best-dressed participants,” said Mamta Gupta, a resident. The sticks will be provided by the puja committee. Training may be provided if residents ask for it.
Dutta is also planning a digital story book, archiving every stage of the puja.
The look of the pandal will be conceived by Amit Chatterjee, the art director of films like Prakton and Belaseshe.
Sudeshna Banerjee
AJ Block
Krishna Chakraborty and residents hold up the pole at AJ Block
AJ Block has chosen a Shiva-inspired theme for the Pujas this year and the reason is multi-layered.
“When we first got on the theme puja bandwagon back in 2009, it was with a similar theme. Due to the pandemic, the last two years we had gone for simple pujas without themes but this time are returning with a bang. We wanted to do so with the same nostalgic feel,” said the puja’s media convenor Moinak Dutta at their khuti puja. The event was attended by mayor and local councillor Krishna Chakraborty.
So the theme in the 38th year is “Shantir sutra, promane rudra”. The pandal, by Arup Saha Mondal, will resemble a Shiva temple, and the walls and ceilings will have images of the lord in various postures. The idol by Sanatan Pal will be traditional.
In the run-up to the festival, the block also held an exhibition cum sale in their park last weekend. Most participants were women of the block selling everything from saris to home-made food. “Proceeds from the sale will be used for either development projects in the block or charity,” said Dutta. “This used to be a much-awaited event in our block’s calendar till before the pandemic and we are happy to revive it. If the threat of Covid is low this year we shall surely be in the top three crowd-pulling pujas this time.”
CF Block
MLA Sujit Bose holds the pole along with CF Block residents
The puja at CF Block this year will showcase the evolution of Durga puja down the centuries.
“The last two years we had followed Covid protocols and organised our puja on a small scale inside the community hall. Since the situation is better this year, we decided to scale up again,” said secretary of the CF Block residents’ association, Gora Roy.
The theme is “Biborton — the evolution” and theme-maker Arindam Das said they would depict how Puja used to take place in mansions in the days of yore and trace the transformation to community pujas. “The pandal will resemble a palace and we shall also pay tribute to all those labourers making idols and pandals or setting up lights who contribute to Puja with their hard work,” said Das, the theme artist.
The puja is in its 44th year now and the budget is around Rs 16-18 lakh.
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
Silver Oak Estate
A priest performs puja while Silver Oak Estate residents watch
This complex, behind City Centre 2, has about 1,400 residents from different states of India and the puja committee has decided to showcase folk art from the districts at its pandal to help them appreciate rural Bengal.
“There will be patachitra paintings, Bankura horses and folk dolls from six or seven districts,” said president of the puja committee, Amit Mukhopadhyay, at their khuti puja. “The pandal itself will be shaped like a temple and the artwork will surround it.”
The traditional ekchala idol will be crafted by Pradip Rudra Pal while women and children will paint alpona in the run-up to the Pujas.
The budget for the seventh year of the puja is Rs 10 lakh. Due to security reasons, outsiders will not be allowed to visit the puja. “We have thousands of residents of our own and are putting up the festival for them,” Mukhopadhyay said.
IB Block
The priest worships the khuti at IB Block
After two years of modest and measured celebrations, IB Block residents had been longing for something grand. “So for the first time in our 36 years, we are going to organise a theme puja,” smiled puja committee convenor Sudipta Mukherjee, at the block’s khuti puja that was held on Ganesh Chaturthi. The khuti puja itself received much more participation from residents than in other years.
The pandal at IB Park this October will be a replica of Sarada Ma’s birthplace Jayrambati. Fibre statues of Sarada and Ramakrishna as well as the Durga idol will be placed in straw huts that are typical of the village.
Lighting around the pandal will be dim, with hurricane lamps, while bright lights will illuminate the idol and the statues.
“Our budget — Rs 14 lakh — is a notch higher than it was in 2019 and we hope to overcome the shadows cast by the pandemic by celebrating together,” said Mukherjee.
New Town CA Block
Residents of CA Block in New Town pose with the khuti after the puja
In the backdrop of the war in Ukraine as well as the instability and intolerance around the world today, New Town’s CA Block has chosen “the search of peace” as its theme.
“Our puja shall have two idols — a traditional one for worshipping and an artistic one as an extension of the theme. This Durga will be holding — not weapons — but symbols of peace and prosperity in her 10 arms,” said vice-chairman of the puja committee Bhaskar Das at the khuti puja.
Secretary Bishwadip Bhowmik added that artwork in the pandal would discourage war, and give out a message against discrimination and prejudice. Hirak Das will be the theme-maker. “We are also arranging for lights from Chandernagore to further emphasis the message,” added president Pradyut Dey. “There will also be some graffiti on the street outside.”
In its fifth year, the puja has a budget of about Rs 15 lakh.
EC Block
Self-free or only selfie? Find out at EC Block’s puja. The block revealed the theme for its 46th year at its khuti puja recently and hopes to hold up a mirror to society.
“We have been observing that this craze for taking selfies is increasing steadily with every passing year. At our puja, we shall use acrylic mirrors and depict the inner reflection of humans when they get busy clicking pictures. We want to underline their subconscious images instead of the facial expressions they consciously put on to click good selfies,” said theme-maker Prabir Saha.
The block will showcase two idols by sculptor Soumen Pal. The one at the forefront will be a traditional motherly Durga while the other will be just behind her, resembling an ordinary girl. Visitors will get to see the second idol on their way out.
“Our budget in 2020 and 2021 were much lower given the unprecedented situation we were in. Advertisements and donations were low but this time we have increased the budget to Rs 22 lakh and are working hard to make this year memorable," said Sanjay Banik, puja committee convenor.
Puja committee co-ordinator Mouli Nath Maji said they would associate with a charitable organisation to distribute school kit to the underprivileged on Chaturthi. “These are kids who attend free computer classes in our community hall,” he said.
Secretary of the residents’ association Sarbari Dutta was excited about holding cultural programmes this year. “Rehearsals have begun and this khuti puja officially marks the start of the festival,” she smiled.
Also present was councillor Tulsi Sinha Ray, who said she was relieved that Covid rules and regulations were lighter this year so people may participate in community activities.
Shreya Chatterjee