The sun has set, giving way to an autumnal twilight that had become so rare to find in the city. The air is rich with the fragrance of shiuli, or night-blooming jasmine, the kind that prepares you for the onslaught of winters. The atmosphere is further heightened as temple bells drown out traffic in the capital city’s mini Bengal. Although the calendars indicate the beginning of Navratri, something is wrong. Every year, people from all over the city flocked to Chittaranjan Park to jump from pandales and revel in the festivities, which now seem devoid of joy.
Kali Mandir, which would normally be filled with rows of idols, only has a few small idols.
A hike up the steps of the famous Kali Mandir would usually end with sprawling views of the pandal, but this time, the barren lawns paint a bleak picture. There is an unfinished pandal, almost a fraction of what used to be in place. Where committee members would be in a mad rush to get things done, a pause has taken hold. This calm is even deeply felt when one walks along the narrow detour that cuts through the main temple complex, leading to the place where idol makers put the finishing touches on idols. It’s a simple setup: sheets of canvas mounted on bamboo structures with some personal belongings, paintings, and endless rows of idols of various gods in different sizes. This year there are only two rows, and the tallest idols are no taller than five feet.
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Theater of the absurd. (Photo: Etti Bali / HT)
Yeh sab ghar ki puja vale hain. Aur koi orders nahi aaye, ”say the two lonely artists from Vishwakarma Shilpayan, explaining that they have not received any orders from pandals. The restrictions on large gatherings during Navratri were only lifted a few days ago, leaving the organizing committees with no time or plans to hold events.
“We will have a bid, but it will not be open to the public. We will establish a small pandal and carry out the puja with only five or six members, ”says Ashitava Bhowmik, president of Kali Mandir. This means there are no Dhunuchi Naach or Dhaakis, no food stalls and a general blanket not to all events on the ground. “More than government directives, we are also concerned with safety. As responsible citizens, we cannot endanger ourselves or others, ”he adds.
A small pandal is being built in Kali Mandir, CR Park. (Photo: Etti Bali / HT)
A similar story is unfolding at Mela Ground, where no idols or pandals will be set. “We will hold a Kalash Puja with no more than 20 committee members. As there will be no idols, deny the point of visarjan, ”says Pronob Kumar Chatterjee, member of the Pujo Committee. Speaking of the plight of idol makers, he says that some of them had come to Delhi from Calcutta in the hope of getting work. “Besides the artists who live here, some had come from Kolkata, but there are no requests because there are no permits to raise pandalos. Except for a few who have asked for idols for puja in their homes, there is no work for them, ”he says.
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An artist putting the finishing touches on idols. (Photo: Etti Bali / HT)
The puja committees have planned small-scale rituals, in accordance with security protocols. “We only allow five people at a time: two priests and three members of the organizing committee. No one from outside will be allowed. There will be no bhog distribution or cultural programs, ”says Niloj Acharya, member of the E-Block Pujo Committee.
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