Hyderabad gears up for Durga Puja

Gauging by the preparations for Durga Puja celebrations, the mood is festive and grandiose as various organisers in the city trudge the extra mile to make their celebrations stand out. The major pujas organised by resident Bengali associations attract large numbers every year, over the four days beginning on Shashthi till Vijaya Dashami. “As a part of our cultural event, Kunal Ganjawala will be performing this year on Ashtami which falls on October 4.There are events lined up for various age groups, right from antakshari, painting and quiz competitions to our concluding Dandiya ceremony on the day of Dashami,” says Atin Chaudhuri, public relations officer of Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha (BSS), who is also in charge of arranging sponsorship for the puja.Alpana (Rangoli) competition and traditional events such as Shankha-dhwani and Ulu-dhwani are an integral part of the celebrations.“The Dhunuchi dance is a big draw for non-Bengalis and formsan integral part of the celebrations. We have an Odissi dance performance by Gurugiridhari Nayak on Ashtami in our cultural events repertoire,” discloses Sumit Sen, general secretary of the Hyderabad Bangalee Samity (HBS), the oldest puja in the city.Innovative pandal designs and different forms of the idol are as much a part of the celebrations as the worshippers turning out in their finery.While the BSS will go in for a pandal fashioned after the Jaipur royal temple on its premises in the Keyes Girls High School at Secunderabad, the idol at HBS will be crafted in the colour of gold. The idols are traditionally made by the artisans of Kumartuli in West Bengal, a large settlement of sculptors who make clay idols.Despite the footfalls increasing every year, the sponsorship for the celebrations have taken a hit due to unpredictable markets and the political instability. “Individual contributors are reluctant to loosen their purse strings due to accelerating costs,” says Atin Choudhury of BSS.This has done little to take away the sheen from the festivities and top government officials are slated to inaugurate the celebrations on October 2.