With The End Of Durga Puja, Kolkata Honours Its Unsung Heroes With This Beautiful Tribute

Ever thought about how Durga Puja is managed? Thousands go pandal-hopping to witness the victory of Durga over Mahashasura in the city that hosts the crux of the celebration. 

But only a handful make this possible. 

The unsung heroes of this festival remain unsung no more. A unique citizen initiative has been launched to highlight the efforts of those who make Durga Puja such a special affair. The initiative, launched by CenturyPly, aims at providing these heroes with what they need, not money. 

Here are some of the inspiring stories that come in from all corners of the country. 

Harish Kahloke

The Muslim family offering seva every Navratri for 15 years

Amidst the current widespread religious intolerance in the country, here’s an example of unity and sensibility. Every Navratri for the last 15 years, a Pune-based Muslim family offers its “seva” to Goddess Durga, polishes the silver jewellery of idols at various temples, including Laxmimata Mandir at Satara Road and Mahalaxmi Mandir at Saras Baug and across the city for free.

The family of Karim Usman Gilder, 47, who is from the fourth generation of the family, locally known as Usmanbhai Gilder and Sons - has been in this profession for more than 100 years. They have a shop at Ravivar Peth, Moti Chowk, Pune. Navratri brings people of all castes together. And hence, as a ‘seva’ to the Goddess Durga, they offer their services to Goddess Durga free of cost. The temple trusts pay them only for the material they use for polishing the idol’s jewellery and other items like crown, wall and chhatri (canopy), etc. They have been associated with the Pune Navratra Mahotsav for the last 15 years. They are setting a very good example for everyone. People of all religions should take up such noble initiatives for one another. They go to those temples/pandals wearing their traditional caps and no one has ever stopped them. What is more surprising is that at all the temples where they work, the temple trustees give them a separate space on the temple premises to read namaz in-between working hours. I take this opportunity to convey my thanks to Karim Usman Gilder & his team for their selfless service to Goddess Durga.

Nominated by Harish Kalokhe

Harish Kalokhe

I would like to nominate Gobindo uncle, who sweeps in a hospital in our locality since 25 years, as #CPHeroes. He is a very hard working person. I know him very well since my childhood. I still remember when I used to go for medical check-ups, Gobindo uncle used to give me chocolates. He is a very kind and decent man. This Pujo, there are no holidays for him. He will be working during the Puja holidays. Many people go for pandal hopping, enjoy with their family and do more fun but unfortunately he cannot. It's very hard to accept it. Many patients and their relatives are passing by the gates but no one "Thanks" him for his daily contribution. But I believe he is the hero in our hospital. I salute you Gobindo uncle. 

Nominated by Amit Das

Amit Das

This Durga Puja I would like to nominate Durga Sharma with my whole heart and respect as the #CPHeroes.

Being a house maid, she is poor from pocket but she is immensely rich from her heart & her effortless duties to the society. She is more then 70 but still she is rocking as the only bread earner for her family. As we all know that the bhog of maa durga needs to be cooked by a Brahmin. But last year in our local Durga Puja, when the Brahmin cook suddenly fell sick, it was Durga Sharma who volunteered herself to cook as she is a Brahmin. Everybody was quite not sure at such an old age how can she manage to do such a huge task.

When our Puja authorities asked her whether she will be able to do it or not she just replied with a smile on her face that, " Like Maa Durga even I have ten hands and I will do it whole heartedly". She really kept her word and cooked Maa 'er bhog the way it is cooked.

She really proved that her name is not just Durga but she is Doshobhuja herself...

As she loves her grandson very much so after Bijoya Doshami I touched her feet and greeted her with a big teddy bear for her grandson not only for what she has done during the Pujas but to keep her lovely smile on her face intact by gifting a smile to her grandson.

Nominated by Munmun Das

Munmun Das

Yesterday I felt very happy to meet Arun Kumar Singh at Vastad Shekchand Naik Navaratra Utsav at Pune. Every year he comes from the state of Bihar to celebrate the festival of Goddess Durga. He and his team arrives 15 days in advance to make preparations right from constructing a temporary pandal, installing electrical decorative fittings & making the pandal look like a palace of Goddess Durga. What I like the most about him is that he doesn't call it a work - he treats it as a Bhakti of Maa Durga which makes him to do all that. And for him, although he doesn't know how to speak Marathi language, that doesn't make any problem for him. He makes sure that he stays in Pune till the end of Navaratri festival and even makes sure that after the visarjan he dismantles the pandal and makes the place clean as good as new. He also told me that he keeps a fast during Navaratri and doesn't wear a footwear for nine days. This man is simply amazing.