Tallest Durga idol in Kolkata goes under cover

For the last six months, hoardings in the streets of Kolkata and every conceivable media outlet kept urging the people of Kolkata to wait for the biggest Durga idol of all times – it was supposed an 88-feet tall idol and could go into the Book of Records. The venue would be the Deshapriya Park located in a posh locality in South Kolkata.
But, when it was finally unveiled, no one had expected that it would go under covers within 24-hours - literally!! It is in South Kolkata that all important puja celebrations take place and that has been the tradition for years. Needless to say, Bengalis from near and far travel all over the city and, unless he has been to the important pandals, he feels his journey is incomplete.

I had visited Kolkata a couple of years back and had elected the period of Durga puja because I wanted to relive the celebrations of 25-years back – yes, I had last seen the pujas in Kolkata approximately quarter of a century earlier!! Fortunately, I had a vehicle at my disposal, thanks to my brother-in-law and its driver was a gem. The young man knew the streets of the city like the back of his hand and kept coming with parking slots as near to the venue of a puja as possible. That saved me long walks.
Anyway, to come back to the sad story of the ‘biggest Durga’ – it was constructed and dutifully inaugurated by celebrities and visitors began trooping in to get a glimpse of a really huge Durga idol. They came from not only the city but from outskirts as well because the word of mouth had spread like wildfire and, visiting it became a mandatory talking point at all levels.
But, the joy was short lived – before the end of the first day, the police banned entry of people in the venue and put the huge 88-fot idol under cover. It seems the security arrangements had not been properly planned and there was avoidable confusion that could have put the lives of people at risk. (to be continued .... )

(IMage courtesy wikimediacommons.org)
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