IB Block

If you’ve noticed prominent red banners on traffic Islands screaming “Kolkata 2050”, the mystery was unearthed at IB Block’s khuti puja last week. “We shall project the city as it may appear in the future,” said Sudipto Mukherjee, said IB Block puja co-ordinator.

The puja claims to jump into the big league this year, Mukherjee said after Anjali Jewellers announced on stage that they would be sponsoring the idol’s ornaments. “Our 100ft pandal will require not just bamboo but also steel rods worth lakhs, and we have secured a sponsor for that too.”

The theme artist is Prasanta Pal, renowned for his work on Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmaavat-themed pandal at Mohammad Ali Park a few years ago. The sculptor will be Pradip Rudrapal, who also crafts idols for Sreebhumi and BJ Block.

Without revealing details, Pal mentioned that the pandal will explore both the positive and negative changes the city might undergo in future. “We may show more skyscrapers, but the negatives would include environmental pollution.”

The block is in discussions with international cricketers to come for the inauguration.

Actress and MP Saayoni Ghosh attended the khuti puja (in picture), along with MLA and minister Sujit Bose, who is the puja’s chief patron, and councilor Tulsi Sinha Roy. Councilor Ranjan Poddar serves as chairman of their puja sub-committee. “Ranjan Poddar has been instrumental in our ambitious puja this year. We saw how grand the pujas of neighbouring GD and HB blocks got with his help in recent years, so we approached him for assistance too,” said Mukherjee.

“Our ‘Kolkata 2050’ teaser banners have dotted the city from Dunlop to Garia. However, it is a fact that outsiders don’t know Salt Lake well enough to visit readily during the pujas. So, our fourth hoarding in September will feature a QR code, scanning which pandal-hoppers will get a map to the venue,” he added.

BK Block

In its 38th year, BK Block will revisit the origins of community puja. “Durga puja was hosted only by kings and wealthy zamindars, till 12 friends pooled funds to perform one. This baro-yari puja is what we shall tap,” said puja secretary Saral Das.

The pandal will be shaped like a scroll and inside too will be multiple scrolls with paintings and writings on baro-yari puja. The artiste is Prabir Saha and idol will be by Prabir Saha and Swarup Sutradhar.

Since the khuti puja was celebrated on the day of Rathyatra, there was a Jagannath idol on stage along with devotional music by residents. Mayor and local councilor Krishna Chakraborty came for the ceremony too.

CF Block

“In an age when children consider texting to be the primary mode of communication, we want to highlight postal services, that have been the lifeline of generations before this,” said Gora Roy¸ CF Block secretary and puja committee convenor.

Anindya Chakraborty, puja committee convenor, along with others, suggested this theme particularly as it is the 250th year of the General Post Office (GPO). “The pandal will be shaped like the GPO and we are also approaching the GPO for any information or pictures that can be put up inside,” said Roy. This is the 46th year of our block’s puja and the budget is around Rs 24 lakh.

GD Block

Conch shell, an auspicious symbol in Indian culture, is the theme of the GD Block puja this year. “The conch shell is sounded during all our auspicious ceremonies and so we have chosen it for the puja theme itself,” said Debabrata Mandal, secretary of the block association.

The entrance to the pandal would be shaped like a conch shell, and this would also be the dominant motif for the interior designs. “The theme song would prominently feature the sound of the conch too,” said Mandal. Executive committee member Nayan Ranjan Dey said that the idea was for the conch to lead us from the wrong path to that of goodness.

Among those attending the ceremony on the day of Rathyatra were Ram Krishna Jaiswal, honorary consul of the Republic of Maldives in Calcutta, Debasis Dutta, secretary of Mohun Bagan Super Giants, and councilor Ranjan Poddar.

AC Block

The AC Block pandal this year will be a replica of the Sri Ramkrishna Ashrama of Nimpith. “The ashram performs many social activities of which we shall put up pictures at the pandal,” said Tapesh Majumder, convenor of the puja’s image, immersion, and pandal decoration committees this year. The theme was announced after the khuti puja on Sunday.

The puja’s budget will be about Rs 10 lakh, the pandal will be executed by King Decorators of BD Block and the idol will be traditional. MLA and minister Sujit Bose, along with councilor Ratna Bhaumik, attended the ceremony.

“Khuti puja marks the start of the festive mood. Planning of the rituals, rehearsals for cultural programmes, and all other work will commence henceforth,” said Saurav Sinha, another organiser.