Once again residents are preparing to join their palms before their phones, look at the idol on the screen and repeat mantras recited online by the priest from the community hall.
But this being the second puja of the pandemic, organisers seem to have learnt a thing or two about pulling it off. Some have added new Covid protocols, others have introduced lunch packets…
Since the state has barred visitors from entering pandals, AE (Part 1) has created all its artwork on the road leading to the pandal that houses the idol. BE (West) and AK Block have moved their puja from the centre of their parks to the edge, so visitors walking or passing by can see their pandal and idol from the road itself. “We have also increased the height of the idol by a few feet so people can get a better look from afar,” says Basab Aich, co-ordiantor and public relations in charge of the puja.
The have already got barricades from the police that they have put up outside the pandal and will be hanging up a list of 20 organisers who would be allowed entry into the pandal.
At AK Block, police commissioner Supratim Sarkar expressed satisfaction with the pandal open on three sides and clearly visible from the road. He asked organisers not to let visitors into the park.
Right before the Pujas last year about six out of 15 members of BE (East)’s committee were down with Covid so this time they are being more careful. “Last year, people were still getting used to safety norms but this time they are prepared,” says president Smita Piplai.
Anjali without flowers
Greenwood Park in New Town will be holding anjali online as well as offline but to avoid the risk of infection, they have barred flowers from the ritual. “It will be plain anjali and not pushpanjali this time,” says Sukanya Basu on behalf of the committee.
Their puja was one the those that were awarded for maintaining Covid safety protocols by New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) last year. “In case anyone wants to watch the rituals, we’ll lay out chairs six feet apart for them to sit on outside the pandal,” Basu adds.
AE (Part 2) had last year installed loudspeakers all the over the block for residents to listen to the mantras and perform anjali at home. “It was a huge success. Many infirm residents — who are unable to walk up to the puja — said they were able to perform anjali after years,” says secretary Tapas Sengupta.
This year they are increasing the number of loudspeakers to 60. “In case anyone complains they are unable to hear the mantras we can add 10 more,” he says.
AK Block will livestream the major puja rituals on its Facebook page. “We will allow about 10 people at a time if someone insists on offering anjali in person,” said block secretary Aritra Sen. Loudspeakers will also broadcast the anjali mantras.
Audience to sit outside
Last year, New Town’s CD Block performed ghot puja. “But now that we have got vaccinated we are confident about putting up a full-fledged puja,” says cultural convenor Sithi Kana Ghatak.
They had elaborate plans of offline cultural programmes but switched it online after the police asked them to, as late as Wednesday.
“Everyone is very disappointed. After months of online shows, they all wanted to perform on stage. We had planned events only on the opening day on Panchami but even then 30 people had enrolled and we turned away many more,” says Ghosh.
New Town’s CC Block will screen world classics on a big screen from the pandal and the audience will be seated outside. “If someone wants to perform solo items, they may be allowed on the ground before the idol,” says secretary Biman Samaddar.
Many blocks are preparing for online shows by residents. At BE (West), even the inauguration will be done online by a monk from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
Blocks like AD will be distributing saris to the needy while AH and EC blocks will be felicitating students who cleared Board exams… “We shall have a small stage where some agomoni songs and dances will take place during the inauguration. Thereafter it will be open to solo performers who wish to perform,” says secretary Mouli Nath Maji.
While some committees have cancelled the sindur khela ritual, Alaktika will do what it did last time. “We allowed one lady at a time and after she had applied sindur to the idol, we sanitised the idol and her hands before letting in the next candidate,” says Arabindo Adhikary, president of the committee. He says they were so stringent about protocol last year that some residents got offended but then it did fetch them an NKDA award for Covid safety during the festival.
Police commissioner Supratim Sarkar in course of an inspection at the FD Block puja on Tuesday, accompanied by other senior officers. Puja committee president Banibrata Banerjee shows him around.
Lunch sent home
Many committees have stopped all forms of community lunch since the pandemic hit. “Before the pandemic our subscription used to be Rs 2,000. Now it is Rs 700, out of which 300 is reserved for Kali puja. People should realise it is not possible to provide lunch on such a shoestring budget,” says puja secretary of Salt Lake CD Block, Arunabha Hazra. “But still many argue, demanding what they are paying subscription for if they can neither offer anjali inside the pandal nor get treated to lunch.”
These grumbles have led some committees to start sending lunch packets home this year. “Of course there are budget constraints but we are trying to parcel some food home on two or three days of the Puja. Last year we didn’t have any food and people have requested for it this time,” says Nilanjan Brahma, treasurer of the FC Block puja.
CC Block wants to relieve residents of kitchen duties on festive days and is speaking to caterers for the best deal.
EC Block had planned for parcels but when many residents said they would sit and eat it in the community hall, they decided to introduce a buffet section on the sidelines.
Same with Alaktika. “Last year the authorities had granted us permission to send home food but we were being overly cautious. But this year residents are frustrated by the pandemic and we have decided to serve them after all,” says Adhikary.
The complex will be sending home parcels but will also have four different queues for buffets under their buildings. “Residents can take their food and sit in the open space in our complex to eat,” he says. “We tried this system during Saraswati puja and it was a success.”
Stubborn and disobedient
Organisers may be laying out grand plans but these plans will not succeed till residents abide by them. “Last year we went hoarse asking people to maintain distance during anjali,” says Maji of EC Block. “We had asked them to get their own flowers but they would ask us to sanitise flowers and hand them instead.”
“We were appalled that people wanted flowers to be santitised in disinfectant instead of Ganga jal. How would they feel if we sprayed them with sanitiser instead of shantijal after anjali?” Maji says.
Hazra of CD Block has similar tales to share. “The lesson learnt from last Puja was that you can’t make everyone happy. We were initially planning to give out tokens for anjali but when the court order banned visitors to the pandal we called it off, asking people to listen the mantras over loudspeaker or follow it online,” he says. “But despite courts and cops, people wanted to barge into the hall and offer anjali.”
Did you manage to abide by Covid rules in your block? Write to us after Puja at saltlake@abp.in