His contribution to Durga Puja will never be forgotten

Here is the thirty first unforgettable character in my life …

Durga Puja is the largest festival of Bengalis wherever they may be and our township was no exception. When it started, those who were involved in it devoted their energies to make it a success from the very first day and managed to create a festive mood for not just the four days but the taste lingered on long after the immersion of the idols in the River Godavari.
The period was in the late seventies and the man responsible was an ex-Navy officer. He possessed a never-say-die attitude that is unique to anyone who has seen service in the armed forces. When the Bengalis decided to hold the first ever Durga Puja in the township, he led from the front and ensured that the festivities left a lasting impression on not only on the Bengali community but also the locals.

The biggest challenge was to organize entertainment packages for the four days. Since necessary funds were raised from donations and subscriptions, the donors expected to get their money’s worth. And - he took a decision to arrange programs of artistes from Mumbai and Pune. The tentative program for the four days were – inauguration, entertainment package by artistes of Mumbai or Pune, a program to the Marathi population, and an evening meant exclusively for local talents.
It was that stage in our lives when television was in its infancy and cable TV was unheard of and people would crowd to venues of entertainment to spend an evening and watch celebrities and renowned singers.
He had managed to bring famous artistes from Mumbai like Hema Malini, Manna Dey, Babla’s orchestra, Tun Tun, Sachin Shankar’s ballet and others to entrain the gatherings.
The idol of Goddess Durga and her retinue would be brought directly from Kolkata by train as would be the dhaki and there would be community lunch consisting of khichudi on all the four days that would be open to everybody, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
However, all of a sudden, he passed away and others took off from where he left. Even today, he is remembered as the man who made things happen. The word ‘impossible’ was not in his dictionary.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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