Kolkata: An 11-foot idol of Goddess Durga weighing one metric ton or 1,000 kilograms has been installed at the mandap of Beniatola Sarbojanin Durga Puja community in North Kolkata.
The pandal and the idol have come up at the cost of around Rs 35 lakh and nearly 25 artisans have worked on them. The renowned idol-crafter Mintu Pal was in charge of the entire project.
The Sovabazar Beniatola Sarbojanin Durgotsav community claimed that the ‘Ashtadhatu’ idol at Sovabazar Beniatola puja is the heaviest idol so far.
Biswajit Dawn Puja Committee Joint Secretary said, “We are calling Kolkata’s heritage puja with traditional aspects, the theme of this year is called “Adir Ahwan”.
“Reflecting on old ‘Bonediyana’ with new generation puja and also giving respect, love, happiness, and feelings recalling is ‘Adir Ahwan’ idol artist Mintu Paul, Prafulla Rana, Pandal Artist Sudipto Kundu Chowdhury, ” he said
This year Maha Shashti fell on October 1 and Vijaya Dashami is on October 5. Like every year Kolkata is seeing some unique and new puja themes this year as well.
The Naktala Udayan Sangha’s Durga Puja pandal has followed the theme ‘Mota Kapor’ this year, bringing up narratives of women who settled in the city after partition and earned their living by sewing clothes.
This Puja pandal portrays the stories of these women through pictures sewn on pieces of cloth.
The 10th day of Sharad Navratri is celebrated as Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami. This year, Navratri started on September 26 and will conclude on October 5.
During the nine-day Navratri festival, devotees fast and offer prayers to Maa Durga‘s nine incarnations. The festival of Navratri celebrates the defeat of Mahishasura and the triumph of good over evil.
