If you want to take a fantasy ride on a boat of your dreams, then Young Boys Club should be your destination in central Kolkata’s Colootola while out on pandal-hopping this Durga Puja.
The puja pandal comes up near Tara Chand Dutta Street, which connects Chittaranjan Avenue with Rabindra Sarani, is in its 53rd year of organising Durga Puja in the heart of Kolkata. And a ‘Mayurpankhi Nouka’ (peacock-shaped boat) is what would vie for pandal-hoppers’ appreciation this year.
The club members like always have taken up the challenge to discover relevant social issues as its theme. Rakesh Singh, chief organiser, said: “This year, we are replicating Mayurpankhi Nouka with hogla leaves, pathkathi and dried fruits as their pandal for Durga Puja. The countdown to the five-day-long festival of Durga Puja has finally begun. After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Joy is finally happy to host one of the country’s biggest festivals once again with much fervour and enthusiasm.”
Artist Dev Shankar Mahesh from Medinipur is working on this 40-feet pandal.
Every year, the festival of Durga Puja brings out the best in terms of creativity and art when it comes to ideating themes for puja pandals in West Bengal. Young Boys Club, which started Durga Puja in 1970, has come up with a theme related to the current scenario of the world.
“Visitors will get to witness several handicraft in this pandal alongside relics of Nav Durga. We have roped in many professional as well as rural artists for our past pujas since they have exceptional abilities to execute on ground,” said Vikrant Singh, youth president of Young Boys Club.
The goddess this year leaves on a boat, which according to the Hindu almanac, foretells good harvest, heavy rain and flood.
