In Kolkata, religion no bar, as people throng together to celebrate Durga Puja

As the country is gripped by incidents of communal unrest Durga puja in Kolkata has brought members of both the Hindu and Muslim community together.

As the country is gripped by incidents of communal unrest Durga puja in Kolkata has brought members of both the Hindu and Muslim community together.

The Durga puja organised by Mominpur Tarun Sangha is headed by Dr MA Kasim Mollah, who is the president of the committee. Talking to DNA he said that right from supervising the pandal construction to the distribution of ‘bhog’ or the meal among visitors is chiefly done by Muslims of the area. The puja here stepped into its 40th year this time. “Md Alam is the convenor of the puja here. You will be surprised to see the number of burka-clad women who come here to enjoy Durga puja. The biggest festival of Bengal is universal irrespective of which community you belong to,” Mollah said.

Similar was the case with Ekbalpore Sharbojonin Durgotsab Samity which has been organising Durga puja for the last 64 years. The president of the committee is Sk Shah Jahan. Talking to DNA he said that the communal harmony is displayed in this part of Kolkata in all the festivals. “Just like you are seeing us participating in Durga puja, you will also see Hindu brothers partaking in Eid with equal fervour,” Shah Jahan said. He also cited the example of the last two years when puja coincided with Muharrum and said, “Two parts of one particular park was used for both Durga puja and Muharrum at the same time.”

The president of the puja committee at the adjoining ward 78 area which is celebrating its 85th year is Sk Sirajul Karim. Talking to DNA he said that it has been a tradition for ages. “There had been petty trouble here at times but during a celebrations or when someone is in trouble, we forget all differences and come together. Such has been the essence of this place,” he said.

Other puja organisers said that without the help of Muslims it would not have been complete. Sudipto Kumar, secretary of Deshapriya Park Durgotsav said, “Not many Muslims stay over here so they are not part of the committee but all my Muslim friends from across the city converge here and dressed up in their best attires, they enjoy puja days to the fullest.”

Rabi Nag, Treasurer, Sreebhumi Sporting Club, the theme of which this year’s pandal is the palace of Padmavati, the queen of Chittor said that the responsibility of keeping the pandal and the adjoining place clean is being shoulderd by a Muslim family.

Partha Dasgupta, one of the main persons behind Thakurpukur SB Park puja said that over 80 per cent of the people who had put up the pandal and lighting were Muslims. “The pandal has been put up by 40 persons from Murshidabad. Of them 37 were Muslims. The scaffolding was done by 20 persons of whom 18 were Muslims. Work has been on since June 3 and some of the Muslim workers sacrificed their Eid holiday while the work was on. It is a big thing. Putting up the puja without them was not possible,” he told DNA.