KOLKATA: Saswati Pal of CE Block in New Town is looking forward to this year’s Durga Puja. The arrival of the festival has always enthused her but this year, it will also provide her with the opportunity to know her new neighbours. Pal and her family have shifted to New Town in September this year and have not been able to meet even those residing in their own building.
“Everybody is very busy with work and other chores, so we have hardly got an opportunity to know everybody around. But come Durga Puja and I am looking forward to spending some quality time with our neighbours and other families in the block,” said Pal.
In a fledgling township like New Town, which has become home to thousands of families in the past few years, Durga Puja is an opportunity to come together with other residents in the vicinity at the local block puja. There are more than 50 block pujas in New Town this year, which emphasises that more people are shifting to the township.
“None of the families who have shifted to New Town is originally from here. In the apartment system of dwelling, the para culture has not taken shape where everyone knows everyone. This is where Durga Puja helps in providing a platform to interact with everybody in the neighbourhood,” said Pinakesh Nandi of AA block Puja. This is the first year that AA block is organising a puja. “Till a couple of years ago, we did not have enough families in the block. But people have started shifting to New Town gradually. This will help us share the responsibilities among ourselves,” said
Manas Mukherjee, who resides in a
housing cooperative in the block.
Most organisers have kept this mind while chalking out the schedule for all the puja days. For example, at AC and AD block pujas, several cultural and musical programmes are lined on Panchami. On Saptami, there are plays and musical performances for the youngsters. On Dashami, there is sindoordan and mishtimukh. “All our members will dine together on all the puja days,” said Arup Sarkar, a New Town resident.