2nd innings for pandals at district Jagaddhatri, next yr’s Durga Pujas
Times of India | 17 October 2024Suruchi Sangha was one of the top draws in south Kolkata with their theme, ‘Purano Sei Diner Katha’, where the organisers had used different parts of vehicles, fishing nets, oil tins and paint containers as part of their theme. Now that the puja is over, the theme-makers have started to dismantle the pandal and are getting it ready to be transported to Mankundu Neogi Bagan in Hooghly.
The thematic structure of ‘Angan’ (courtyard) portrayed by Tridhara Akalbodhan will be replicated by Helapukur Jagaddhatri Committee in Chandernagore next month and Entally 14 Pally Udayan Sangha’s thematic pandal of ‘Parampara’ will be resurrected by Barabazar Sarbajanin Jagaddhatri Puja in Chandernagore.
Gouranga Kuila, who is the brain behind all the three themes, said the process of dismantling the pandals had already started and by Friday, all of them will be lifted on trailers and trucks and sent to the districts. “It not only helps in recycling the pandal but also offers employment opportunities to many of the labourers and artisans in my team,” said Kuila.
Mudiali Club’s Trimurti-themed pandal and Hazra Park’s pandal themed at ‘Suddhi’ will be resurrected at Mankundu Sarbojonin and Khalisani Sarbojonin in Chandernagore, respectively.
“The Mudiali pandal has huge art forms of Brahma, Bishnu and Maheshwar alongside several other intricate decorations. Had there been no traffic restrictions on goods vehicles till Lakshmi Puja, we would have moved the pandal in parts by the start of this week. Both the pujas in Chandernagore have an opening date on Bhai phonta on Nov 3. We will have to rush to finish it on time,” said Biman Saha, the theme maker.
Subrata Banerjee, the theme maker at Chetla Agrani, which had recreated scenic ghats of Varanasi, said his team had also started dismantling the structures as the pandal had already been sold to Madan Mohan Bari’s Durga Puja organisers in Cooch Behar. “The organisers will store the dismantled parts in a godown for a year and three months prior to the puja, my artisans will head to Cooch Behar and rebuild the pandal,” said Banerjee. Baghajatin Tarun Sangha’s Durga Puja pandal themed as ‘Ichchhedana’ is also being transported to Cooch Behar, Banerjee said.
