Divinity descended in human forms on the stage at Central Park where over 4,000 people had gathered to offer arati to goddess Mahalaxmi on Monday night. Deepavali Mahotsav, organised by Marwari Sanskriti Manch, is in its 12th year and drew attendees from near and far.

“We started out at BF Block in 2013 with a fireworks show. The next year we added the Mahalaxmi puja. From 2015, we have shifted to Central Park. This is the biggest Laxmi idol worshipped in the city,” said Lalit Prahladka, the founder president, speaking of the 24ft idol. “It was sculpted in a space we have in HB Block over 20 days or so,” he added. The problem faced at BF Block, recalled vice-president Aditya Mundhra, was parking.

“This venue has taken care of that issue. Also the smoke emitted from the fireworks does not bother residents since there are no residential quarters around,” he said. The cultural programme was scheduled to start at 7pm but the priest Chaviprakash Sharma had completed the actual invocation of Mahalaxmi much before, at 5.30pm.

“I also conduct the Salasar Hanuman puja held at Marudhar Mela, conducted by the same organisation,” he said. With the seats filling up, the programme started around 7.30pm with Ganesh vandana. With a huge Ganesha picture providing the backdrop, the dancers staged an acrobatic show. Next was a Mahishasuramardini segment where Mahakali took the stage in a fiery high-octane act.

Dancers dressed as mythological figures at the Marwari Sanskriti Manch show at Central Park

There was an interval in which the guests and sponsors took the stage and spoke. Sabyasachi Dutta, the chairman of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, proposed a minute’s silence in memory of industrialist Shyam Beriwala, whose son Lalit Beriwala is the current president of the Manch.

Dance divine

Waiting on either side of the stage while the speeches of the politicians were on were two figures. Both drew requests for photographs and blessings for children, though some even got scared. Both were playing Hanuman with a mace and a tail each and additions over the upper lip and chin.

“This is sponge and colour, pasted with spirit gum,” said Dipayan Ghosh, one of the two Hanuman dancers. The tail, he pointed out, was self-made — with clothes and a wire, “like a soft toy”. But while the tail was securely tied, the sponge was at risk if he sweated too much. Other than Hanuman, he plays Ram, Shiva, Krishna and asura in Mahishasuramardini acts.

“I dance in the Uday Shankar style — a mix of contemporary and Indian classical,” said the Tangra resident as the call came to get on stage. The two Hanumans took position on extensions on the sides of the stage, striking poses.

“Those were actually tops of the sound boxes. Many stages are U-shaped, allowing us to stand closer to the audience but this stage was rectangular. So we tried out standing on the sound boxes in the afternoon during rehearsals and decided that they would do,” said Supriyo Das, on getting off the stage at the end of the performance.

“We need- ed two Hanumans as the stage was so big,” he added. While Payel Barui had acted as Mahakali drinking blood of Raktabij, in another Kali act that followed it was Ranadip Poddar who played the dark goddess with a lot of energy, sticking his tongue out in the final posture.

“I have an inner feminine energ y that I could channel through this show. As a child, I loved to dress up wearing my mother’s sari and jewellery. I decorate idols at home. Kali is our household deity. So it is a blessing that I was chosen for this role,” said the dancer, who claimed to have close to a lakh followers on Instagram. Meanwhile, Laxmi was getting ready for the final act.

This was Sudarshana Roy Ghatak’s first time as the goddess of fortune. “I feel like the showstopper but am equally nervous,” she smiled. The golden crown on her head was tightly fitted. “It feels like the crown is digging into my skull,” she grimaced. But the discomfort did not show at all in her dance and the show received huge applause. The dancers were part of Evergreen Dance Troupe, led by Satyajit Shaw.

“There were 40 dancers who performed today, and five crew members who got them ready. Their acts were choreographed by Aditi Chakraborty and Hirak Saha, who are part of Zee Bangla’s Dance Bangla Dance,” said Shaw, who was with Debasree Roy’s Nataraj Dance Troupe for 17 years.

The arati of Mahalaxmi was started by Niranjan Agarwal, an AC Block resident who is the chairman of the Manch. He was joined by 100 women members with lamps. There were also men offering arati on raised platforms in the manner of the ghats of Varanasi. Electric diyas were handed to guests, creating a wonderful visual display. “As Laxmi is worshipped down south as well as in other parts of the country, the mantras ranged from Tamil to Sanskrit to Hindi,” Manch secretary Vikash Poddar said. He pointed out that the programme focused on culture.

“Every year, we have a theme. While last year, it was Bollywood this year our theme was mythology. This would help keep our children get acquainted with their roots,” he said. The arati ended with two fog machines and eight CO2 jet smoke machines producing clouds of smoke through which Roman candles burnt in a synchronized manner. The last attraction before dinner was a fascinating fireworks display, which was a combination of ground-level pyrotechnics and aerial sparkles.

“There were two teams which were deployed, one from Mumbai and another from Nungi, the local manufacturing hub in South 24-Parganas,” said Poddar, an AD Block resident. Sudha Bantha and Manisha Chowdhary had come to the programme for the first time. “We loved the dance programme, especially the Ganesh and Kali segments,” said Chowdhary, a CG Block resident whose son is married to Bantha’s daughter. “It was so much fun. We plan to come next year too,” she said.