Ektara’s Maiden Dasara

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Durga Puja is widely celebrated in Bengaluru with active participation from the large expatriate Bengali community in this growing metropolis.

Ektara, a registered sociocultural trust known for its promotion of traditional Bengali culture and arts, embarked on their maiden venture to celebrate Durga Puja.

They created a pandal replicating the revered Somnath temple in Gujarat. The English daily, News Trail partnered with Ektara as the official media sponsor for the festivities.

Skilled rural artisans requisitioned from West Bengal ensured that they did not miss any essential element while raising the replica of the Somnath temple. The open-air live cultural events featured state-of-the-art lighting and sound.

The centrepiece of the celebration was a massive 15-foot idol of goddess Durga. Ektara's efforts not only surprised many critics but also earned the admiration of people from various areas of Bengaluru, including HSR, Basvanagudi, Bannerghatta, and Banashankari.

Families from these neighbourhoods and beyond came to enjoy the Navaratri and Durga Puja festivities. A surprise visitor to the Ektara pandal was ADGP Administration, Karnataka Police, Soumendu Mukherjee IPS, accompanied by his wife.

Among other distinguished guests was Swati Desai, the founder of the largest women's social group in Bengaluru, Bangalore Women Power (BWP), consisting of 1.5 lakh members.

Another notable visit was by the Banga Samaj, a group of about 150 people who travelled by bus from Kolkata to attend several major Durga Puja festivities in the city.

The cultural programmes were diverse, ranging from a children's fashion show and Bihu dance to a tribute to womanhood and performances that celebrated the connection between women and goddess Durga.

The event also featured the all-woman band ‘Kanya’ and the rock band ‘Alpin’, both from Namma Bengaluru, performing live at the venue. The concluding day included a vibrant Dandiya dance night, which saw enthusiastic participation from people residing in Purvankara, VBHC, Brigade, and several other housing societies.

"We made every effort to showcase traditional Bengali Durga Puja while incorporating modern elements into the celebration. This was our first attempt, and it served as a valuable learning experience to improve for next year. We would like to express our gratitude to the administration, all vendors, the police, and our area MLA, Somshekhar, for their trust in Ektara and unwavering support," summarised Ankur Sarkar, managing trustee of Ektara.