The New Town bus stand hosted two Jagaddhatri Pujas on traffic islands on either side of the road. Both had started last year.
“We started with Kali Puja last year as New Town does not have a grand Kali Puja. We thought of doing Jagaddhatri Puja too as there were hardly any being held here,” said Surajit Adhikari on behalf of Prerona Welfare Association.
No subscriptions are raised. “It is funded by four of us friends,” said Haribandhu Hira of Balaka Abasan. The puja was inaugurated by MLA Tapash Chatterjee and the pandal complex carried portraits of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, MP Abhishek Banerjee and minister Sujit Bose among others.
On the other island, a puja was happening under the banner of Newtown Intellectuals.
Here too no subscription had been raised. “I am funding the puja,” said Barun Biswas, a resident of adjacent Eastern High.
The idol, in a departure from the traditional Jagaddhatri avatar, was portrayed as Bharat Mata, with a Tricolour in hand and a rough map of the country as a painted backdrop. The adjacent banner announced that the puja was being held according to Hindu sanatani pratha. Asked whether that meant following a different set of rituals than was traditionally followed in Bengal, Biswas replied in the negative.
Organisers of both pujas denied any political affiliation.