Puja Carnival mesmerises viewers with dazzling celebration of culture, tradition & artistic grandeur

Kolkata: An awe-struck sea of audience, including a notable number of international delegates, swarmed Red Road on Tuesday evening for the enchanting Durga Puja Carnival.

The mesmerising spectacle, which captivated every onlooker, featured around 89 community Puja organisers proudly parading their breathtaking idols of Goddess Durga and her entourage in vibrant, colourful processions. The event, held every year after Puja, unfolded as a radiant celebration of culture, tradition and artistic grandeur.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who graced the carnival with her presence, warmly exchanged pleasantries with all Puja committees and even joined Tollywood celebrities in an impromptu dance on stage.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, the Puja committees delighted the crowd by staging brief cultural performances as they paraded during the march.

This year’s carnival set a new record for foreign delegate attendance, highlighting the event’s growing popularity and splendour with each passing year. The grand celebration witnessed the presence of numerous diplomats and Consul Generals from various countries, further enhancing the international allure of the occasion. The Puja committees showcased their innovative themes through tableaux, including a miniature pandal where they had housed their idols during Puja days.

They also performed briefly before idol immersion in River Hooghly at the Babu Ghat and a few other ghats in Central and North Kolkata.

The pujas that were selected for the road show were winners of the ‘Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman Award’ in various categories.

Pujas under Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, South Dum Dum Municipality and Baranagar Municipality were also part of the carnival.

Several committees performed on Puja songs penned by the Chief Minister.

Noted actress Rituparna Sengupta staged a dance performance, accompanying the parade of Alipore Bodyguard Lines.

Sayantika Banerjee joined the performance of Sreebhumi Sporting Club and Baranagar Lowland Club.

A standout feature of the carnival was the participation of State Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharjee dancing during the performance by the Hindustan Club in Gariahat, a unique celebration hosted entirely by women.

The carnival was filled with vibrant moments, featuring the enchanting sound of the ektara, impressive football dribbling, lively Dandiya dance and a heartwarming scene as the Chief Minister handed out chocolates to delighted children.

Students of Diksha Manjari – a school run by danseuse Dona Ganguly – performed during the event.

“It is impossible for anyone to cover all the pujas in south and north Kolkata during the Puja days. However, the carnival offers the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the best possible combination of theme and traditional idols. Thanks to our Chief Minister for this special opportunity of ‘Puja Seshe Thakur Dekha’ (seeing idols after Puja) through this grand extravaganza,” said a youngster who came from Santoshpur in south Kolkata.

Red Road was beautifully adorned with decorative lights, while giant screens were set up to showcase images of the idols for those seated further away. The carnival was live-streamed on the Facebook pages of both the Chief Minister and Kolkata Police, allowing millions around the globe to experience the extravaganza online.

Additionally, several Puja organisers took advantage of this platform to convey important social messages through various art forms, enriching the event with meaningful content.