Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
International

UK Soaks In Durga Puja Fervour, Pandal Set Up in Berkshire County

Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Oct, 2019 08:58 PM

    A sprawling Durga puja pandal set up in a cricket ground in Britain's Slough town has recreated the ambience of Kolkata's crowd-pulling Maddox Square, as the five-day festival commenced on Friday in different parts of the UK.


    The pandal at the cricket ground in Slough, a town in Berkshire county, is quite unprecedented in the UK as the pujas in the country usually take place in community halls or hotels and not in an open ground, said Prasenjit Bhattacharjee of Adda, an organisation of expatriate Bengalis which is organising the puja.


    The pandal is of 110 ft x 70 ft x 25 ft size and adorned with handicrafts of different states like Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, Gujarat, apart from West Bengal.


    To add more to the ambience of Maddox Square and other Kolkata pujas like Baghbazar Sarbojonin and Park Circus Sarbojonin, an exclusive Kolkata food court has been set up on the Slough ground where visitors can savour Kolkata "phuchka", "bhetki machher chop", "vegetable chop", chicken/mutton/egg roll and biryani cooked in Kolkata style, Mr Bhattacharjee said.


    A spokesman of Maddox Square Puja in Kolkata said, "We are happy that some of our friends, living in the UK, are bringing the ambience of Maddox Square in their puja at Slough. This shows our puja has become a brand."


    The Durga puja celebrations are also being held in other parts of the UK with different themes.


    London Durgotsav Committee in north London has a theme entitled "Your Durga, My Durga" based on a poem written by writer Subrata Paul.


    "The theme emphasizes the grit and harshness women face, especially in the Indian society, and paints a stark, contrasting picture of the colour, pomp and glitter that is seen during a festival," says Mainak Roy, Trustee of London Durgotsav Committee.


    The idols for the puja celebrations at Swiss Cottage Library in London are made by sculptor Pradyut Pal and shipped from Kumortuli in West Bengal. The fibre glass idols are designed to retain all the traditional aesthetics of Durga idols in India.


    The charity aims to support organisations in India through its events, including the Ragpickers Association in Kolkata.


    The London Borough of Camden, which hosts the festivities annually, expects thousands to turnout during the course of the devotional events until mid next week.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    At 17.5 Million, Indian Diaspora Largest In World, Says UN Report

    India was the leading country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with a 17.5 million strong diaspora, according to new estimates released by the United Nations, which said the number of migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million.

    At 17.5 Million, Indian Diaspora Largest In World, Says UN Report

    Every 4th Non-resident Foreign National In US In 2016 An Indian: Report

    Every 4th Non-resident Foreign National In US In 2016 An Indian: Report
    Every fourth non-resident foreign national in the US in 2016 was an Indian, according to a report which states that about 60 per cent of the resident non-immigrants were citizens of Asian countries, with those from China accounting for 15 per cent.

    Every 4th Non-resident Foreign National In US In 2016 An Indian: Report

    Heavy Rain Wreaks Havoc, Kills 2 In Houston Ahead Of ‘Howdy, Modi’ Event

    Tropical Depression Imelda slammed Texas on Thursday, causing devastating flooding, power outages and prompting urgent rescues and warnings across south-eastern Texas for people to stay indoors.    

    Heavy Rain Wreaks Havoc, Kills 2 In Houston Ahead Of ‘Howdy, Modi’ Event

    Pakistan Can Choose To Stoop Low, We Will Soar High: India Ahead Of UN Meet

    UN General Assembly: "What they want to do is their call. We've seen them mainstream terrorism in the past. And what you're now telling me is they may want to mainstream hate speech. It's their call, if they want to do that. Poison pens don't work for too long," he said.  

    Pakistan Can Choose To Stoop Low, We Will Soar High: India Ahead Of UN Meet

    Pakistan Activist Gulalai Ismail 'Escapes' To US, Seeks Political Asylum

    Ismail has launched a research and advocacy group called Voices for Peace and Democracy aimed at protecting women in the conflict-hit zones of the world.  

    Pakistan Activist Gulalai Ismail 'Escapes' To US, Seeks Political Asylum

    Modi's Houston Visit May Seal Major Energy Deal

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming agenda-heavy US visit may start a new phase of corporate relations between major energy companies of the two countries.    

    Modi's Houston Visit May Seal Major Energy Deal