New look for Sarobar’s ‘Maa Phire Elo’ gallery with more Durga idols
Times of India | 1 December 2024
12 Kolkata: The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has started work to extend and renovate the ‘Maa Phire Elo' art gallery on Rabindra Sarobar premises, which houses and preserves several Durga idols. Once expanded, it will accommodate more idols of the goddess.
Officials said the gallery would be revamped to have a new look with more space,better illumination and new paver tiles.
"About another 5,000 sq ft of area is to be added to extend the art gallery. Some paver tiles in the existing gallery structure have got damaged. These will be replaced with new paver tiles. The entire art gallery, along with the extended portion, will get better illumination. Overall, it will be ensured that the gallery and its surroundings are properly maintained so that it can be developed as a tourist hotspot," said a KMDA official.
Officials said that no permanent structure would be set up to extend the gallery. "Any kind of permanent construction on the lake premises is prohibited. The structure will be set up only with removable iron posts and cement boards so that, if required, it can be dismantled and removed at once," said a KMDA official. The state govt recently gave approval for Rs 75 lakh funding to execute the work.
Officials said the decision to expand the art gallery was taken as they received requests from puja organisers for the last few years to preserve more Durga idols.
"Each year, some of the idols are removed to make space for a few new ones. The plan is to set up a similar structure to accommodate another eight to nine Durga idols," said an official.
Each year, a number of puja organisers send the Durga idols to be preserved at the art gallery. At present, about a dozen Durga idols can be preserved at the gallery.
Officials said work to repair some of the walkways and inner lanes of Rabindra Sarobar would also be taken up soon.