The bold, long-lined red-and-white Kali Mandir pandals, the Bankura tribal art-inspired Navapalli Puja Samity, the air filled with aromas from the bhog, and the numerous food stalls that dot the streets — Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) transforms into a mini West Bengal, especially on Durga Puja’s Ashtami. The most noticeable similarity, however, is the festive energy displayed.
On Ashtami, women in saris could be seen stomping up the steps to a Metro station as they neared CR Park from a distance of 4-5 kilometers.
People lose phone signals, depleting their batteries while attempting to call friends, but never lose their smile. “If a car ran into me again, I’d probably be furious. But who cares, it’s puja,” chuckles Debjit Biswas, a banker who claims to have pains after walking for kilometers.”It’s dusty on the road, and not all paths are lit at night. Yet, I feel safe walking with my friends only around this time of year, possibly because it is now standard,” said Moumita, who has resided in Delhi for three years after moving from Kolkata for employment.
Doctors’ demonstrations during Durga Puja in Kolkata are causing disruptions. “Puja is about community, not the government,” she continued. Every year at CR Park’s Kali Mandir, noted for its magnificent pandals, there is the traditional news of a missing husband. People roll their eyes at others taking photos in front of idols but say nothing as they wait their time. Do they anticipate security to be more efficient? “Well, it’s uncannily Kolkata-esque to overlook your safety for a week,” Arka Chattopadhyay remarks dismissively, digging into his ice gola.
Meanwhile, aside from the pandals, one could notice a phuchka kiosk or an ice cream cart stark in the center of a residential “If I stay standing after a certain time at night, the police will chase me away. I’ve been here all day… “It is worthwhile to stay and plead with them today,” says an anonymous ice cream stand owner. “It is time for puja! “We want to remain awake!” Anjali, aged ten, says. Indeed, it is puja, where one braves a dislike of crowds and their picky family and friends. Even foul-smelling garbage on the side of a nighttime road does not faze travelers.