Kolkata’s Durga Puja Pandals Re-route Plans Amid Heavy Rains

As Kolkata recorded a staggering 241 mm of rain overnight three days back, leading to widespread waterlogging, paralysed traffic, and major disruptions just days ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, organisers across the city are demonstrating remarkable resilience and adaptability. With Shashthi just days away and heavy rains predicted for the whole five days of the festivities, Durga puja committees in Kolkata are now implementing innovative strategies to ensure the beloved festival continues despite nature's challenges.

New Protection Measures for Pandals

The relentless downpour has forced pandal organisers to rethink their preparation strategies entirely. Committee members are now employing hydrogen peroxide treatments to protect decorative elements and prevent mould formation—a technique now essential for preserving the intricate artwork that defines each pandal's identity.

"We've been using hydrogen peroxide solutions to treat all our bamboo, wood and other structures and decorations," explains a member from the Park Circus Durga Puja Committee to us over phone. "It's not traditional, but these aren't traditional circumstances. We cannot let months of preparation succumb to rot and mould in just a few days."

Many committees are redesigning entry points to avoid waterlogged areas, creating alternative routes that ensure devotees can access pandals safely. A member from the Uttar Calcutta Sarbojonin committee shares his concerns to us over call, "We've had to completely remap our visitor flow. Our original entrance was under two feet of water, so now we're also directing people through the community centre's back gate. It's not ideal, but we're making it work."

Committees are embracing waterproof LED screens and digital sponsorship displays that can withstand the monsoon conditions, especially Kashi Bose Lane Puja Committee after their entrance completely washed off and broke in the recent rains.

Kumortuli Confronts Unprecedented Challenges

The impact has been particularly severe in Kumortuli. Craftsman Bishwanath Pal, talks to us over call, describes the current crisis as something that has not happened this badly at least not without the Hooghly swelling due to flooding, “The water entered our workshop at 3 AM. We managed to move the nearly finished idols to higher ground, but three months of clay preparation work is completely waterlogged. We're starting some portions from scratch, just five days before Shashthi."

The idol-making process, which typically requires weeks of careful preparation and drying, has been severely disrupted. Many artisans are now working around the clock to salvage what they can and recreate damaged elements.

“Jani na bhogoban keno amader eto shashti dichhe (I don’t know why God is giving us so much punishment),” said idol maker Mala Pal with concern and irritation clear in her voice as she spoke to us on call. “Maayer pran boshiye toiri kori, kintu prottek bochhor dekhchi shudhu koshto barche. Kokhono mone hoy bhogoban amader vabiye dekhchen, amra koto ta shojjo korte pari. (We pour our soul into the Mother’s idol, but every year the hardships only keep increasing. Sometimes it feels like God is testing how much suffering we can endure.)"

Between Celebration and Concern

The public response to these unprecedented challenges has been notably mixed. While some celebrate shorter queues and reduced crowds as silver linings, others question whether the festival atmosphere can truly flourish under such circumstances.

"The queues have become much shorter now," observes college student Ronita Bose with a pragmatic tone on the call. "I can actually spend time appreciating the pandals instead of just shuffling through crowds. We have visited sixteen Durga Puja pandals till now, even though in knee deep water, something that would have been impossible in normal years."

However, the scale of disruption has raised questions about the appropriateness of maintaining festive celebrations while many residents continue to struggle with flood-related hardships.

Despite the challenges, incessant rains have submerged roads, vehicles, metro stations, and Durga pandals, disrupting daily life across the city, the spirit of Durga Puja endures. Committee members, artisans, and volunteers are working tirelessly to ensure that the festival proceeds, adapting traditions to meet unprecedented circumstances.