Immersion dilemma for organizers in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Durga Puja might be about a month away but puja organizers are already making some changes in their programmes. Biswarjan (immersion), which is often a major draw at the end of the pujas, will need careful planning since Kolkata police has provided just two and a half days to complete the process.
What is worse is that one of the specified days will be a Saturday, a day puja organizers are usually reluctant to organize immersions going by prevalent tradition.
Kolkata Police, however, have pleaded helplessness. They say they are with the organizers and are giving the best options in accordance with the festive spirit. According to the schedule, the organizers will get October 3 (Friday), 4 and 6 (after 8pm). There will be no immersions on October 5, a Sunday, due to Eid-ul-Zuha, which will be celebrated the next day. October 7 is Laxmi puja, and according to tradition, all idols are to be immersed before this day.
The organizers said they understand that the law enforcers have run out of options. “We will be in a tight spot and will discuss the matter with our elders and decide on the date. But we are happy that we have been granted an additional day on October 6 to carry out the immersions. We think that these little adjustments go a long way to show we hold our festive seasons in high regard and is an example of communal harmony that is so strong in this city, said an organizer from a famous puja organized in Naktala.
Partha Ghosh, vice-president of Forum for Durgotsav and general secretary of Shib Mandir, said that the coordination meeting on Saturday at Rabindra Sadan went off well. “The police had listened to our grievances last year and this year too we are getting the co-operation we are looking for, he said.
For some though, tradition comes first. Ashok Dey, joint secretary of Mudiali Club said that they will stick to tradition on their 80th year and arrange for immersion on a Saturday, October 4.
“We know it is A Saturday but historically we do not keep Ma in the pandal beyond Dashami. Since we still think that Durga Puja is ideally a four day festival, we have booked October 4 for the biswarjan. We must also acknowledge that finding time and energy to continue the celebration beyond Dashami is becoming difficult in this fast world,” Dey said.
Most puja committees who attended the meeting said they will start the celebrations early — Tritiya and Chaturthi to be precise — and wind up quickly.
Police sources added that the organizers have all been handed a copy of the high court order regarding leaving space on roads for movement of emergency vehicles. Commissioner of police, Surajit Kar Purkayastha, who headed the meeting is likely to inspect some of these pandals on September 20 and 22, a week before the festivities begin.