Durga Puja committee recreates autorickshaw stand at pandal in Kolkata to honour drivers
Oct 13, 2023
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 13 : The Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee has recreated an autorickshaw stand at its Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata this year in order to eliminate mistrust in the minds of people towards auto drivers.
The committee has used 700 auto tyres for the pandal whose theme is "Teen Chakar Golpo" or the story of three tyres. It will celebrate the 81st year of its Durga Puja celebrations this year.
Joint Secretary of Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee Sayan Deb Chatterjee said, "Our artist Raju Sarkar came up with this idea which was executed with a reasonable budget. Durga Puja is inclusive. We take everyone along so this year the theme is "Teen Chakar Golpo" which means a tale of three wheels. In Kolkata, three wheels remind us of autorickshaws, so we've tried to depict the life and desires of auto drivers through this."
Sayan Deb Chatterjee said that this year is the 81st year of the Durga puja celebrations of Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee.
He said, "There is always a negative perception regarding the autorickshaw drivers. There is an allegation that auto drivers drive fast but the reason behind it is that they have to earn money but their dreams are getting stuck. Outside the pandal, there is the iconic Hazra Auto stand and we have tried to recreate that inside the pandal so that the devotees have respect and affection towards auto drivers. We have used worn-out auto parts and 600 to 700 tyres to create the pandal."
The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur.
Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees. The significance of Durga Puja goes beyond religion and is revered as the celebration of compassion, brotherhood, humanity, art and culture.
From the reverberation of 'dhaak' and new clothes to delicious food, there remains a merry mood during these days. In other parts of the country, during the nine-day Navratri festival, devotees worship Maa Durga's nine incarnations in order to obtain her blessings. There is a goddess manifestation linked with each day of Navratri.
During these nine days, people observe ritualistic fasts, recite shlokas dedicated to each goddess, wear new clothing, offer bhog, and clean their homes. In their prayers, they ask the goddess for her favour in order to have prosperous, joyous and fulfilled lives.
