KOLKATA: The international recognition of intangible cultural heritage of humanity by Unesco to Kolkata's Durga Puja has inspired a few committees this year to keep their themes in line with the inscription.
The theme of Chaltabagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee is celebration of life and their puja 'mandap' and idol will have a touch of folk arts like Koodiyattam, Chhau, Kalbelia that have also got the Unesco recognition. The theme of Dum Dum Tarun Dal is 'City of Joy,' where the transformation of the city, its other intangible heritage, festivities will be focussed, along with a tribute to Kumartuli artisans, without whom Durga Puja is incomplete.
Samaj Sebi Sangha is recreating their maiden puja, which took place in the backdrop of 1946 Calcutta Killings. They feel that it is important to highlight the instances of harmony when Durga Puja has been awarded the tag because the divides of class, religion and caste blur during the festivities.
A theme song will be played inside Chaltabagan mandap where reasons of bestowing the tag to these intangible cultural heritage, including Durga Puja, will be explained. Mousam Mukherjee, general secretary, said, "The buildings of the locality are being painted with the art forms and there will be an installation of Koodiyattam, Chhau dance and others so that visitors get a glimpse of culture of the country. Goddess Durga is being portrayed like a queen with a crown as we have got an international recognition."
In Dum Dum Tarun Dal, visitors will get to experience the nostalgia, heritage and architectural and linguistic transformation of the city. Biswajit Prasad, general secretary of the club, said that since Kolkata's Durga Puja has been globally acceptable, they are celebrating the myriad moods and history of the city and its evolution.
"The pandal will focus on cultural heritage of the city like the architecture of the buildings, the names of roads like Chitpore, which boasts of many intangible heritage like jatra, printing presses. There will also be an installation of an old litho press and a replica of the studio of master craftsman Gopeshwar Pal, who broke away from tradition and placed them on separate platforms with individual chalchitra," said Pradip Das, the artist.
Arijit Maitra, general secretary of Samaj Sebi Sangha, said, "During 1946 riots, there were many Muslim 'karigars', whose lives were under threat. Hindus of the locality provided shelter to them. Eminent personalities like Leela Roy, Sarat Bose, Meghnad Saha and others encouraged these youth and played an important role in stopping the riots. The name 'Samaj Sebi Sangha' was suggested by Roy and she directed the youngsters to organize puja in 1946 to restore harmony in the area. We plan to uphold the message of harmony this year."
The pandal will look like one of the houses, where riot victims were given shelter, said artist Krishanu Pal.
