Durga comes to New Dhaka

The mandap at Banani. Photo: Ashish Peter Gomes (top left); A painting exhibition at the venue added a new dimension to the celebration. Photo: Sayed Asif Mahmud (top right); Detailed alpana and set design were admired by all (below)

Nabami night. Soothing fall breeze. Around 10:30 pm things should be slowly winding down. Approaching the Banani ground on Kemal Ataturk Avenue suddenly changes the mood. Subtle white fairy lights illuminating the venue, which does not resemble its usual self. The queue moving fast and in an orderly manner through the entrance. The ground has been levelled with bricks and carefully covered. Beautiful pillars have shot up; alpana and set by Amity Kundu (the late artist Nitun Kundu's daughter) and Amit Chando, are anything but gaudy -- a spectacular vision.
To Her right, on a separate platform, artiste Nasima Shaheen delivering an impassioned rendition of Nazrul's Shyama Sangeet, Shyama naam-er laaglo agun amar deher dhoopkathi-tey; Debu Chowdhury's superior tabla skills providing an apt sangat. Surprisingly, for a major public event, the sound system is unusually well managed. The crowd swaying to the song. And there she was... with Lakshmi and Ganesh to her right, and Saraswati, Kartik to her left...the celebration marks her arrival..."The Goddess with feet of clay" has arrived in New Dhaka.
The mandap (canopy) is a grand affair. And why shouldn't it be? The “Sharbajanin Utshab” (a celebration for everyone), was the first of its kind in the Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara-DOHS-Niketan-Uttara locality. The event has been arranged by Gulshan Sharbajanin Puja Udjapan Parishad.
Everything has been meticulously planned. There's refreshment, balloons and other knick-knacks for kids, even a first-aid corner. But the highlight after the shandhya aarti was music. Popular and upcoming artistes appeared one after another and the crowd welcomed them with cheers and applauds. Caste no bar, creed no bar. The celebration truly lived up to its name.
The dazzling ornaments on the deities are made of shola; the theme seems to be pristine, white and silver.
Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations have been traditionally confined to Old Dhaka. This year's celebration at Banani marks a new beginning. New Dhakaiites will certainly be looking forward to the arrival of Durga next year.