Chaltabagan Photo Exhibition
 |
| With P R Agarwal, Smita Bakshi, Suvaprasanna and Debasree Roy |
Actress,
MLA and social activist Debasree Roy inaugurated the exhibition along
with artist Suvaprasanna and Smita Bakshi, MLA, and Mr P R Agarwal,
Chairman of Rupa & Co, and other dignitaries.
 |
| Visiting the `Down Chaltabagan Memory Lane' Photo Exhibition |
With
2012
being
the
completion of the
69th
year
for
Chaltabagan
Puja,
69
photos
of
the
past
Durga
Pujas
organised
by
Chaltabagan
have
been
put
up
at
the
exhibition.
Each
photo
carries
its
own
message
and
theme.
Chaltabagan
Durga
Puja
is
not
just
a
Puja
Committee
but
more
of
a
social
welfare
organisation.
From
there on it has
now
grown
to
become
one
of
the
top
five
Pujas
of
Kolkata in terms of being a crowd-puller, novelty of pandal themes,
eco-friendliness etc. The eminent citizens of Kolkata like the
celebrities,
governors,
artistes,
foreign
consuls
and
other
dignitaries
and
overseas
guests
visit the Chaltabagan Puja each year.
On
one
hand,
the
Chaltabagan
Puja
has
been
at
the
forefront
of
innovation
with
socially
relevant
eco-friendly
themes
like
solar
lighting,
use
of
re-cycled
waste,
sustainable
development
etc.
On
the
other
hand
it
has
introduced
and
popularised
newer
concepts
like
starting
khuti
puja,
sindur
khela
and
dhak
mahotsav
to
enabling
Bluetooth
downloads
of
Maa
Durga's
images
on
visitor's
phones.
The
Chaltabagan Puja was started in 1943 as a small celebration in a shop
by Late Shri Harilal Jaiswal, Late Shri Ram Prasad Jaiswal, Late Shri
Sambhunath Pandey, Shri Harihar Jaiswal and the current President
Shri Lakhichand Jaiswal. The location of the Puja site is also very
symbolic as it is located near the residence of the great social
reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Over
the years the Puja has become bigger and better not only in grandeur
and style but also in terms of social welfare activities. People from
different communities and walks of life are actively involved in the
Puja.
Over
the
years,
Chaltabagan
Puja
has
been
in
the
limelight
for
its
various
themes
and
innovations
which
included
replica
of
Badrinath
Temple,
Rath
(chariot),
Bajra
(boat)
Temple
inspired
from
Bankim
Chandra
Chattopadhyay's
Debi
Choudhurani,
pandal
made
of
iron
net
(2008),
paper
(2009),
glass
(2011),
use
of
solar
power,
CCTVs
etc.
The
Puja
Committee
also
arranges
for
wheelchairs
for
the
elderly
and
physically
disadvantaged
during
pujas
and
organises
blood
donation
camps
and
other
community
services.
A
khuti puja was also performed at early morning. With things in place
for the time being, I shall be at peace when I fly out tomorrow to
Dubai en route to New York and then to London for about a month.
ess
bee
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