After the Pujas it is carnival time in the City of Joy. Come Friday, Kolkata will celebrate yet another Durga Carnival a la Rio. A brain child of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee the festivities will take place at historic Red Road with an Independence Day like procession of about 80 idols from top Durga Puja pandals and along with a miniature of the Themes upon which they were organised.
The two giant stands shaped and designed after terracotta work of ancient Bishnupur temples has been erected on two sides of the broad street to accommodate about 15,000 spectators including 1,500 foreign dignitaries and media personnel, sources said.
Organised by the State Information and Culture Department, the event is being held for the fourth consecutive year and will highlight Bengal’s traditional folk culture.
Though sitting arrangements for 15,000 people has been made a number of giant LED screens have been erected to accommodate about one lakh visitors who are likely to come to witness the grand festivities.
The Puja committees will carry tableaux of their respective Themes to Red Road showcasing Bengal’s creativity to the whole world. The Chief Minister has already gone on record saying “going by the crowd it draws Durga Puja is the biggest carnival on earth,” drawing several crore people in a matter of 3-4 days.