Delhi: CR Park comes alive with Durga Puja festivity

This year, CR Park houses nine pandals. At B-Block a replica of the new parliament building is all set to attract the crowd

With idols given finishing touch at the Kali Mandir in Chittaranjan (CR) Park, trucks carrying them left the premises for the respective Durga Puja pandals, heralding the beginning of festivities. The revellers on Thursday embarked on a six-day whirlwind tour of celebrations with creative pandals and idols, dazzling lights, mouth-watering food and elaborate rituals.

A Durga Puja Pandal made in the shape of new Parliament Building at CR Park in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT)

Durga Puja pandals are cynosure of all eyes with its fascinating artwork. This year, CR Park houses nine pandals, however, the one at B Block is being touted to be a huge crowd puller. A replica of the new parliament building, the hexagonal structure with wooden planks painted in shades of red and white is all set to mesmerise the spectators. Two peacocks painted on the gates and intricately carved geometric designs propped up on the walls and along the ceilings offered a visual delight.

The faces of the idols are covered with cloth and will unveiled on Friday, which marks “Shashti”, said the organisers.

Tamal Rakshit, the vice-president of the Samiti, said, “We wanted to do something new and different. So, we came up with the idea of the new Parliament building replica. The workers have been called in from different parts of Bengal to make the pandal.”

Meanwhile, people from the neighbourhood and outside are making a beeline for the pandals. Pandal hopping is one of the favourite activities of revelers during Durga Puja.

Three women, who are in their 50s, narrated how they have been visiting the same pandal for over 25 years now. One of them, Sushmita Datta, who is originally from Kolkata, said that their annual tradition involved hopping from one pandal to another and that they like to keep it spontaneous.

Meanwhile, smell of sumptuous food wafted across the Cooperative Ground Puja pandal with women setting up food stalls. The Ananda Mela is being hosted by the local women to dish out their best culinary delight. On Thursday, visitors dug into several dishes, including “Gondharaj bhetki” and “Kosha Mangsho”.

The theme of the pandal has been inspired by a temple in Bihar with the Nagara style of architecture. The theme was picked as the organisers wanted to showcase India’s “hidden gems”.

At Kali Mandir, which is the epicentre of the celebrations, volunteers painted rangoli in front of the idols on Thursday.

Pradip Majumdar, secretary of the Kali Mandir Society, said that since it is the golden jubilee, the year has been full of festivities that will peak over the next five days. He said, “At 8 am on Friday, dhaks will played to mark the arrival of Durga maa. The faces of the idols will be unveiled in the evening.”

Across CR Park, artists from both Delhi and Kolkata will perform on all the days. The immersion will take place inside the pandals itself, said the organisers.

A senior police officer, who did not want to be identified but is directly involved in the arrangements, said, “Thousands of people are expected in each of these pandals every day. As many as 500 police officers, civil defence volunteers and home guards have been deployed in CR Park and ample traffic arrangements have been made.” The officer added that vehicles will not be allowed inside these roads but local residents are being issued passes. Commuters have been advised to avoid the roads with Durga Puja pandals.