Durga Puja celebrated with utmost solemnity in Bengal

Kolkata, Oct 9 (UNI) Durga Puja celebrations today reached its temporal termination, witnessing wholehearted participation of people from all walks of life, as 'Bijoya Dashami' (Viyayadashmi) marks the Goddess' return to the abode of Lord Shiva.

The ceremonial immersion of the idols of Devi Durga begins at sundown in the Ganges, striking a melancholy note in the milieu bearing the hallmark of festivities.

During the past four days, countless people, clad in new clothes, hopped in the pandals in various parts of the city and its outskirts.

It requires seldom mention that footfall multiplied itself each successive day and invested a lot to the organisers' delight.

Various corporate firms declared awards in recognition of pandals' excellence in various categories like idols, works of lighting, design and ambience, propelling the organisers to vie for the coveted publicity by means of innovative themes every year sans repetition.

Despite conventional motifs in vogue, offbeat themes portraying Devi Durga's heroic feat in defeating evil forces had taken shape in galore.

Among the notables, the Santosh Mitra Square in Central Kolkata resembled its pandal with the Tata Motors' much-touted small-car ''Nano'' project in Singur. A big lock with iron shackles was also discerned encompassing the entire ''project''.

On the other hand, burning issues like global warming have impelled some organisers to conceive an earth half-immersed into a bucket of fire and materialised in the pandal at the Mohammed Ali Park in Central Kolkata.

''The global warming is one of the important issues baffling the scientists in finding the remedies. The rise in sea-levels is effectuated by the heating of the earth, resulting into a constant melting of ice in the polar regions. We hope that the theme would raise awareness among the masses on global warming, '' one of the organisers said.

The conflict between agriculture and industry too found expression on the southern outskirts of Kolkata in Rajpur. On one side, a structure depicting industry has been juxtaposed with a farmland on the other hand. The main marquee stood erect in between the two.

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