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regular-article-logo Thursday, 30 January 2025

1,000 lamps lit by elderly at Swapno Bhor, New Town

Members of a senior citizen's home celebrate the light of festival in their own way

Brinda Sarkar Published 26.11.20, 03:23 PM
Lamps spell out ‘Swapno Bhor’ at the event on Saturday.

Lamps spell out ‘Swapno Bhor’ at the event on Saturday. Sudeshna Banerjee

With Children’s Day coinciding with Diwali this year, a five-year-old was invited to light the first lamp along with Hidco chief Debashis Sen at Swapno Bhor Citizen’s Park in New Town.

Little Ahamstuta Basu could not quite fathom what was going on. Being so young, he could neither recall how he had celebrated Diwali last year nor Children’s Day. “But I like chocolates and I’m very happy I was gifted one (by Sen),” smiled the resident of Uniworld City who had come along with grandmother Chaitali Mazumder, who is a member of Swapno Bhor.

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Members of Swapno Bhor and Snehodiya, the senior citizens’ home across the street had come over and together the elderly residents lit 1,000 lamps, part of which outlined letters forming the words Swapno Bhor in Bengali.

Snehodiya resident Uma Dasgupta lights the inaugural lamp along with five-year-old Ahamstuta Basu at Swapno Bhor on Kali puja night as Hidco chief Debashis Sen looks on.

Snehodiya resident Uma Dasgupta lights the inaugural lamp along with five-year-old Ahamstuta Basu at Swapno Bhor on Kali puja night as Hidco chief Debashis Sen looks on. Sudeshna Banerjee

“Despite the pandemic the Diwali ambience is better this year,” said Kakoli Bose of Eastern High, lighting a diya. “Last year I stayed cooped up at home in fear of the crackers but this time I could at least come here.”

Shyamapada Gupta of BF Block said they had an active block but the Pujas and all other festivals this year were subdued. “Thanks to Swapno Bhor, we at least have some activity going on.”

“Never before have we witnessed such a peaceful Diwali without pollution. It is truly a festival of lights now and we hope to celebrate with the elderly and children, Hindus and Muslims, able bodied and differently-abled,” said Sen.

The evening also had some Shyamasangeet, courtesy Debasree Mukhopadhyay, a radio artiste who lives opposite Misti Hub. “After months of singing before Facebook audiences, I thoroughly enjoyed performing on a real stage today. Being a student of Ramkumar Chattopadhyay, I specialise in Puratani and Shyamasangeet and spend every Kali puja performing somewhere or the other. So I’m delighted to have been able to continue the tradition despite the pandemic.”

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