And now New Town has its own big ticket Rathyatra. The juggernaut rolled from a temple near 18 tola (Greenfield Heights) to another one in CC Block, near Biswa Bangla Gate on Tuesday. The 6km journey spanned four hours and was organised by New Town Sanskritik Sangathan.
The procession went through various residential areas, such as DA, DB, CC, CD and CE blocks. Vice-president the sangathan, Manish Gandhi, mounted the deities on the chariot at Shiv Kali temple and the procession began with much fanfare.
Devotees flocked the streets and presented a vision in yellow and red, thanks to their kurta pyjamas and sarees respectively in such hues. Rikshaw drivers, cyclists, motorists all stopped to fold their hands and offer their prayers to the chariot. “I never imagined I would such a beautiful Rathyatra in the city,” said Sukhi Behra, who works as a domestic help. A native of rural Murshidabad, Behra thought she would miss her hometown during the festival but this chariot made her day.
The grand carnival featured at least five different cultural troupes who danced, sang and performed kirtan tirelessly throughout the procession. A percussionist at Radharani Kirton Sampraday, Sujay Ray, was initially surprised at being booked for Rathyatra in a metropolitan city. “Last year, we had performed in Panihati on the occasion of Rathyatra, but this is the first time that our group is performing in Calcutta,” he said.
CC Block repose
Upon reaching the Shiv Parivar and Kali temple in CC Block, the deities were greeted with renewed enthusiasm. Devotees flocked in numbers with diyas as the chariots rolled in, pulled by a hundred devotees and followed by hundreds more.
The crowd comprised people of various ethnicities and it was clear that they had all waited long for a Rathyatra in New Town. “We are a harmonious blend of Punjabis, Odiyas, Marwaris, Bengalis, South Indians and even Muslims who have come together to celebrate this pious journey,” said Jogesh Sony, a businessman aged 50 years and a resident of CC Block.
Subhashish Majumdar, one of the earliest residents of CC Block, was present at the temple to welcome the deities. When asked about the possibility of a Rath-er mela in the vicinity, his eyes lit up. “We don't yet have space to host a fair but if logistics can be worked out, would love to hold one next year,” said the 74-year-old.
Prayers answered
An organiser, Ajay Saria, confessed that the procession would not have been possible but for the enthusiasm of the residents.
Sagarika Mishra, secretary of the CC Block temple, said they were overjoyed. “Residents are very happy that their locality has been chosen as the mashir bari for the deities,” she smiled.
This CC Block temple, incidentally, was established in end-February 2020, at the onset of the pandemic.
Gandhi said that cultural programmes and celebrations would continue for the whole week. “We are arranging bhog for 500 people every day. It would be served on first-come first-serve basis till the day of Ultarath on June 28,” he said.