Pandal-Hoppers Find Kolkata's Famed Durga Puja Sites Transformed Post HC Order

The Ekdalia Evergreen pandal stands at the confluence of broad, airy roads in South Kolkata. The lights along the roads are not as extravagant as previous years, but they are enough to put visitors in a festive mood. One of the hoarding lights says, ‘Asche bochor abar hobe’, as if in resignation. The saying means ‘Coming year, we will do it all over again’ and is reserved for the last day of the Puja on Dashami.

Tens of people walk down the roads to the pandal with enough space for social distancing. Fifty people can easily stand outside the barricades of the pandal without crowding. However, this is a shocking sight for those who pandal-hop religiously every year. “These places are so crowded usually, you don’t have space for your feet,” says 45-year-old Seema Chakraborty, who came by bus from Bansdroni with her friends. “We have been seeing Durga Puja from our childhood. We usually have to push through huge crowds to see pandals. The madness starts from Tritiya itself. In comparison, this is empty,” she adds.

Ekdalia Evergreen is one of the most popular Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata. The pandal has been set up in such a way that visitors are able to see the idols even while respecting Kolkata High Court’s order banning pandal entry for visitors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Every year we go inside and see the artwork, the chandelier, the decorations in detail. This time of course, that’s not allowed,” says Chakraborty. But she is happy with the guidelines that have deterred crowds amid a pandemic. “If it was crowded like other years, we would not be able to go out,” she adds. 

As the West Bengal government has allowed Durga Puja celebrations in the state, the city’s markets were flooded with last-minute shoppers. This led to the state government ordering last Sunday that hawkers in Hatibagan and Gariahat would have to shut shop at 2 pm. The weekend saw massive crowds kicking off Puja festivities by flocking to pandals such as the Sreebhumi Sporting Club. Daily cases of coronavirus infections in the state reflected these scenes with rising numbers. This was followed by the Kolkata High Court on Monday banning visitors’ entry into pandals. The public is allowed to have a look at marquees from ten metres away.

The court’s gavel has been heard loud and clear. The roads are not choked by traffic and there are no queues around pandals. Groups of policemen sit on guard around the pandal on all sides, in case there is a sudden burst of people. Separate roads would then be designated for entry and exit. A local woman goes up to a policeman to complain that there is no opportunity to offer Anjali this year as entry for visitors is banned completely. “Even the Puja committee members don’t have all the answers. There are all these new rules. What about our Puja rituals?” she asks. The policeman is unable to provide an alternative for Anjali of course, but he patiently explains the rules in place.

Normally, the paths leading to Pujas such as Ekdalia Evergreen would be barely visible, with hawkers transforming it into a fair with food, games and jewellery stalls. This time, it is a different picture. “There would be crowds, noise, hawkers with phuchka and egg rolls. Then, it’s puja. What is there to see here?” says 38-year-old Bula Adhikary, disheartened by the transformation. However, this is not a sad scene for all. Saheb Pal has come from Howrah across the Hooghly River to see Kolkata’s famed Puja for the first time. “I knew that it wouldn’t be crowded this year, so I came with my brother,” says the 28-year-old, “I have seen all the pandals around here. None are crowded and it’s nice. Everyone is wearing a mask.”

Further north is one of the renowned pandals of Central Kolkata at Mohammad Ali Park. However, the puja has been moved from the park to the fire station next door. This is not due to coronavirus but for precautions of another kind. Last year, there was subsidence in the park, which led to cracks in an underground British-era reservoir. Hence, the Central Avenue Fire Station is the puja’s new home.

“The original puja would be held here actually. Years ago during the British Raj, it wasn’t known as Mohammad Ali Park puja. It was the fire brigade puja and it would be organised by the staff here. Then, as it grew in popularity, it was moved to the park,” says 52-year-old Subir Kumar Saha who has come pandal-hopping from Tangra in East Kolkata. “I roamed around Park Circus, Paddapukur and all of those pandals. Then, I went to College Street to see the College Square puja but it was shut down. They are not letting anyone see that side,” he says.

Not only is the Mohammad Ali Park pandal barricaded according to court-mandated regulations, every visitor is sprayed with hand sanitiser. But there are very few visitors. The path to the pandal from the fire station gates are lined with police persons and volunteers for health and safety. The organisers of the puja sit around in a circle in front of the pandal, beyond the barricades.

The police, volunteers and organisers outnumber visitors by spades. “The fact that we are able to see this little bit of puja is actually a lot. We did not expect that there would be any puja at all,” says 25-year-old Anindita. She has come from Santragachi, Howrah, with her husband Sudipto. “Earlier, we would have to queue for ages and then finally be able to see it,” he says, “This puja is okay. It is definitely much better than what we have been through in the past five months.”

With a smaller puja this time due to time and money constraints, the pandal and its idols can be seen from across the barricades. A trio of 18-year-olds have travelled from Belgachia in North Kolkata to visit the puja like they do every year. “The pandals here are really well-made. We have hopped through a lot of them already,” says Rizwan Khan, accompanied by his friends Aman and Mustafa. Khan himself works in making pandals along with his father. So he passionately sees as many of them as he can. “But because of Covid-19, we can’t enter any of these beautiful pandals. That’s regrettable,” he adds.

As you exit the fire station, on the opposite side of the main road is a street decked with festive lights. It leads to the Young Boy’s Club pandal which celebrated its golden jubilee just last year with a Balakot Air Strike-themed puja. A handful of people can be found hanging around the pandal. The towering marquee teases a promise of detailed decorations inside but entry is barred, of course. It has a small opening on one side which affords a view of the idols. 

One family alone stands in front of the pandal, taking pictures. “We have come from Bihar,” says 20-year-old Deepak Kumar Shah. He is out with his brother-in-law and little brothers. They have come to Kolkata just for the puja and plan to stay for the next seven days. “We have just started pandal-hopping now after arriving in the city. We will see Newtala and Mohammad Ali Park next. The puja we had seen last year was something else. Everyone is strongly maintaining safety protocols this time,” he says.

Large white circles for social distancing are drawn on the road in front of the pandal in anticipation of long queues. They remain empty. The High Court’s last-minute decision has badly hit pandal-hopping, a mainstay of Durga Puja celebrations in the city. It could stem the flood of coronavirus infections predicted by anxious health workers, much like Kerala experienced after Onam. The empty circles outside the Young Boy’s Club may look forlorn, but they represent every person who is home and safe.