Chandannagar’s Jagatdhatri Puja is famed across Bengal for its spectacular lighting and beautiful idols. Shilpita Roy and Arnab Nandy take us on a grand puja parikrama of this well-known festival
We stood triumphant as we scratched out the last date, the dates of the entire month of November till 16th were scratched out on our calendar. The day had come….”
It is strange for it comes every year yet it is so special for all of Us. We students wave a goodbye to studies… Mom takes a break from her cooking… Dad keeps his office back at his office. After al.Its Jagadhatri Puja! And who can remain unaffected in the ensuing exuberance and festive atmosphere? Well, if you’ve been unlucky enough to miss the fun and frolic this year, don’t be upset because here are the “Top 10 pandals” which impressed all the pandal-hoppers, including the desi and videshi kinds…
Ambica Athletics Club – Well, how many of you have been to a village and spent quality time there admiring Nature which is at its best and the serene surrounding? Very few indeed….. With a mythical theme and a wonderful idea by Rono Bandhopadhay, professor of Art College, Kolkata this puja committee displayed a small and beautiful village with the help of plywood, thermocol, plaster of paris, etc. Real animals like a small calf was brought in to fill in the cow shed, little shops were put up to show the village haat’ and there were other special effects too like the croaking of a frog to complete the whole show and make the pandal worth remembering.
Notunpara Sarbojjanin Jagadhatri Puja Committee – With urbanisation fast spreading across the planet and the tallest of tall buildings coming up, the old beautifully designed “Rajbaris” of Bengal are nowhere in sight nowadays. This puja committee tried to bring back the lost heritage of Bengal by putting forth a beautiful old fireproof “Rajbari with a built-in mandir where Goddess Jagadhatri stood tall. The whole pandal was made of fibre, thermocol and jute. The required effects were also provided. Altogether it was a great piece of work by Parvati decorators from Medinipur and it felt great getting lost in those olden times.
Gondolpara Sathghata – This puja which celebrated its 41st birthday was definitely one of the most innovative ones this year. The whole pandal was created out of… guess what? Test tubes! But it wasn’t a mere bland assortment of transparent test tubes that you might be picturing. The test tubes had been stuffed with bright colourful materials to give the pandal a vibrant look. The colourful pandal which was the brainchild of a Kolkatan called Somnath Mukherji housed a beautiful 22 feet idol too!
Bibirhath Uttaranchal – We have an heard about the “Nalanda University, the famous institution where students craved to study in the past. Well nothing remains of it now except its remains which tell us about t its glorious past. This was the theme of this committee this year. With the fine usage of plywood, cement, thermocol old bricks and colour the ‘pandal” looked so real. There was constant recitation of the history of the university and the lighting effects along with the various images gave a special touch to the already special pandal!
Shitolatola Sarbojanin Jagadhatri Puja-We found this 30-year-old puja totally different from all the others in terms of pandal décor and the idol. The theme for this year was “Adhyatmya Sadhanay Matrisakti” (worship of the Mother Goddess). Artist Purnendu Dey has effectively at the same time, very imaginatively given shape to this theme through the innovative structures of the pandals, the idol and the use of sound and lights.
Gondolpara Mansatala – With a historical theme this puja committee which is now into its 66th year presented Titu Mir’s’ bamboo fortress which was built in 1831. Special bamboos were brought in from Assam to build the fortress. All the five divisions of the fortress were very skillfully created. The main part of the fortress consisted of the 26 feet tall pratima. A special attraction was the century-old weapons used by the brave Bengali soldier and some parts of the real bamboo. fort built by Titu Mir.
Boro Taldanga– Celebration of art and culture was the theme and so it was the ‘Chol’ art and culture that was portrayed by this committee, which celebrated its 38th birthday this time. The whole pandal was made out of paper and thermocol and various handicrafts and arts were displayed which caught the attention of the spectators. It was a great experience visiting this place because we got to know a lot bout the various art and culture of Southern India.
Circus Math Sarbojanin Puja – On the 37th year of the committee this pandal tried to create something different. And so with the usage of coconut scrubs and plywood a wonderful pandal was created which attracted a big crowd.
Halapukur Sarbojanin Jagadhatri Puja Committee – Established in the year 1970, the committee had put up a pandal that represented a temple from Kamataka. Made out of mat sticks (‘madur kathi’), ice cream spoons, bamboo and wood by the Ghosh decorators from Mednipur. It was a wonderful plece of art that was praised by one and all.
Fatakgora Sarbojanin Puja – Celebrating their 55th birthday this year, they had put up a Khajural temple that looked really grand in the daylight. This temple also housed the second tallest idol of Chandannagar.
And something that must not be forgotten is that Chandannagar’s prime attraction is the splendid lighting that was found in different patterns and shapes and colours all over.. endowing the historical town a bright, joyous look and turning it into a fairyland even in the darkest of nights!
[By Arnab Nandy, Shilpita Roy]