INDIA

[Jharkhand] Growing with time (Puja Lottery)

[West Bengal] CPM against anti-socials  

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[Santosh K Kiro,.telegraphindia.com, Ranchi 15 Oct 07]

Since 1971: The pandal constructed by the Chandrasekhar Azad Durga Puja Samiti at Albert Ekka Chowk.Picture by Hardeep Singh

Few puja committees in the state capital share a history like that of the Chandra Shekhar Azad Durga Puja Pandal (CSADPP) at the Albert Ekka Chowk.

Artists from Calcutta are busily giving finishing touches to the pandal. A group of priests, who have been performing religious rites for the past several years, are also gearing up for the auspicious occasion.

Organisers have to virtually hold the number of visitors coming here.

“As this pandal is located on the Main Road, people come here in large numbers. And we see to it that all are safe and security is maintained,” says Ramanand Thakur, secretary of the CSADPP Samiti.

Thakur, along with two senior colleagues Late Sitaram Rukta and Late Aditya Prasad, started the CSADPP Samiti in 1971. They were all young then and residing in the same locality.

“Earlier, only Saraswati Puja would be organised here. With time we thought of constituting a Durga Puja Samiti,” said Thakur, who is the only surviving member of the founder group. Today, several youngsters have joined hands and helped to strengthen the dream that he saw some 36 years ago.

The budget of the pandal, which was Rs 10,000 then, has now has scaled up to Rs 4 lakh. Initially, the Samiti members arranged the entire amount for the Puja through individual donations. Today, about Rs 80,000 of the net amount is collected through personal donations. The remaining amount is arranged through lottery.

“For the past one decade, we have been organising the Puja lottery. And the budget keeps growing every year,” said Thakur.

The Samiti sells about 50,000 tickets worth Rs 10 each. Out of this, about Rs 2 lakh is spent on buying the prizes for lottery winners and the rest is sanctioned for Puja activities.

Interestingly, the Punjab Tent House located on the Hazaribagh Road, Tharpakna, has been in-charge of designing the pandal for many years. Designers from Calcutta work on the pandal, which is constructed on a budget of Rs 1.55 lakh. Ekram Light and Sound House takes charge of making it look bright while the Tent House takes care of all the other arrangements.

The puja is important for yet another reason. Manoj Pathak, the priest who chanted the mantras on the first puja organised in 1971, continues to perform the rites even today.

Leading the team of four priests, Pathak does not feel tired of serving the devotees. The puja in the CSADPP pandal is as simple as any other pandal in the city. But, when asked what is it that draws devotees to the pandal, Pathak said: “It is the devotion of the Mother that brings us to her feet.”

 

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[The Statesman, Sodepur 17 Oct 07]

In an effort to get rid of anti-social activities, a large group of CPI-M party workers, led by Mr Gopal Krishna Bhattacharya, MLA of Panihati, ransacked some shops illegally selling ganja, country liquor and satta.

The crowd also damaged ‘Super Lotto’ online lottery shops, incurring losses to the tune of Rs 60,000. “We have been observing a rise in anti-social activities over the last few months. We have taken action today because we are committed to the people,” Mr Bhattacharya said. A large group of CPI-M supporters gathered at the Panihati 2/2 party branch office. They began ransacking the stores at around 10 am at various places of Panihati area, on both sides of BT Road.


 

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