MUMBAI: The Bengali community beyond Mumbai limits, across MMR, spent a leisurely Sunday visiting Durga Puja pandals to savour bhog lunch and stayed back for the evening entertainment shows.Vashi Cultural Association (VCA) is celebrating its 22nd Durgotsav in a 80,000sqft pandal at ICL School Ground, Sector 15.President Subhankar Mitra said, “Our Rudrani style idol is crafted by Padma Shri Sanatan Rudra Pal, the only Padma awardee in clay art. Performances include Indian Idol artist Tanishk Shukla, SaReGaMaPa winner Debojit Saha, Mumbai band Roots, and a tribute to Asha Bhosle.”Navi Mumbai Bengali Association is celebrating its 47th Sharodotsav at Cidco exhibition ground in Vashi.Performers include singers Amit Kumar, Javed Ali, Rupankar Bagchi and Jayati Chakraborty. A fashion show, dhunuchi competition and mukt manch are on schedule, said organiser Ashim Dey.The theme of the five-year-old NRI Seawoods ‘gharowa’ style Pujo is ‘Gram Bangla: Back to Roots’.Spokesman Soumyajit Niyogi said, “Our rustic pandal is crafted with traditional material. The unveiling of Ma Durga’s idol was performed by children from Jeevan Jyoti Ashram, a Nerul orphanage.”At Sector 8 in Sanpada, Bengali Cultural Association secretary Buddhadev Karmakar said, “Our Gram Bangla theme is in a temple shaped pandal. Since Durga Puja has an additional day, we have five days of cultural soirees. Omkar Band from Kolkata will perform on Ashtami and singers Swakshar Basu and Rahul Joshi on Navami.”In Thane the theme of the 24th Aamra Prabashi Sharodotsav at TMC Ground, Hiranandani Estate, is ‘Kolkatar Pothe Pothe’.It recreates the sights, sounds and memories of Kolkata through an experiential mandap and audio-visual trip of architecture and streetscape. The venue spans 1,60,000sqft, said president Arnab De Anjali, dhak, bhog, music, food and adda are drawing devotees.The older namesake. Aamra Prabasi Nerul Durga Utsav (Ramleela Maidan), is in its 34th year.“Our festivities are inspired by the theme of Adi Yoga, while preserving Bengal’s heritage through a traditional Sabeki idol and a pandal designed like a Bengali village,” said chairman Sushanta Saha.Baul Sangeet, performances by Diya Roychowdhury and Soumadipta Mukherjee are Navami attractions.Koperkhairane Bengali Association is celebrating its 31st festival at Shetkari Samaj Hall. It brings 300 families to celebrate in a homely way, said president Subrata Mitra.In Vasai, Bassein Bengal Club is hosting its 42nd Durga Puja at its Kali Mandir. Spokesperson M Guha said, “We started with Milon Mela. Maha bhog is served to all devotees irrespective of caste and creed. Singer Shurjo Bhattacharya performed on October 18.”Sandhi Puja is on October 19.A Navami yagna is held where non-Bengalis also participate.
