Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan delighted the audience at BJ Park on January 11 when he came as chief guest of the Banglar Sanskriti o Prakriti Utsab 2025.

No sooner did Pathan, who is also a Trinamul MP from Berhampore, step out of his car and walk up to the stage, than the crowd went berserk. Most of them rushed to the stage to catch a glimpse of the former Team India player with some jostling to get selfies with him, albeit from a distance.

As the bouncers and security guards steered their way through the excited fans, the crowd broke into chants of “Yusuf, Yusuf!” in chorus. The host, mayor Krishna Chakraborty, welcomed him with a bouquet of flowers, a basket of Darjeeling oranges, a pot of rasagolla, a shawl and a potted plant.

“I’m very happy to be here. I’ve been to the city several times before but this is the first time I’ve been invited to inaugurate such a unique event,” said Pathan.

Pathan poses with exotic birds on his shoulders and hands

The Vadodara boy added: “I come from the land of Gandhi to the land of Tagore and this is a great honour. I’ve been to the city as a sportsman but as a politician I am getting to know the people here better.” He went on to sign a cricket bat for the mayor’s grandson and hit several tennis balls towards the crowd as a gesture of his appreciation for his fans.

“This time I’m in a hurry so won’t be able to stay long. But the next time I’m here I promise to spend more time in Salt Lake. The best way of getting to know a city is to have conversations with its citizens. I hope to do more of that soon,” he added.

The three-day festival was organised by Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and while the venue was in mayor Krishna Chakraborty’s ward, the inauguration was also attended by MP Dola Sen, MLA and minister Sujit Bose, councillors Rajesh Chirimar, Minu Chakraborty, Anita Mondal and others.

“Yusuf, it is an honour that you have decided to come here. We have all seen you on TV but for many of us to see you in person is a different experience in itself. You are such a tall man that I’m in awe of your sheer height,” joked the mayor.

Bose, himself a tall man, said he was aware that Pathan was fond of birds. “The bird show is one of the reasons he agreed to come for this inauguration,” Bose said. “This show is important as it celebrates nature. We have a variety of stalls here, as well as different kinds of plants and birds like macaws and parakeets at the exhibition. I hope people enjoy these three days of celebrations and the children get to know more about Nature, in particular.”

The inauguration was followed by a cultural programme which included a dance to a medley of songs by the group Dancers of Bidhannagar. This was followed by chhau dance and tribal dance by artistes from various corners of the state such as Purulia, Jhargram and Midnapore. The itinerary for three days included a blood donation camp, a soiree by Rabindrasangeet artistes, a sit-and-draw competition, a dance recital by Indrani Dutta and the finale was a musical show by Anik Dhar.

Yusuf Pathan and Krishna Chakraborty chat on stage flanked by Chakraborty’s grandson Trishaan

Visitors soaked in every aspect of the fair. Rita Dutta, a resident of BG Block, came for the flower show. “Salt Lake is rich in flora and fauna, even though we had more greenery earlier. The culture of gardening is popular here and every time there is a show like this I make it a point to visit,” she said, admiring the bonsai plants on display.

But for those like Nitisha Roy, the biggest attraction was Pathan. “I’ve come from Chingrihata with many friends and neighbours. We came to see Yusuf Pathan. He is a legend; we are all great fans of his,” she smiled.