Workers in the pandals come from the districts across West Bengal to give shape to the themed extravagant artwork that bring the Durga Puja to life.
| Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI
Behind the scenes of Durga Puja grandeur remains the round-the-clock duty by workers in critical sectors that keep Durga Puja festivities running without disruption. With no participation in festive fervour, emergency staff, food industry employees, security personnel, among others remain largely unseen amid the celebrations. At Chorbagan Durga Puja Pandal in north Kolkata, Milan, a painter in his early 20s sits with a bucket of paint and chips away at the last strokes of his painting waiting to go home before the festivities are in full swing. Married at a young age, Milan has a family waiting at home in West Bengal’s Nandigram. He remains worried if he will be able to finish work on time and make enough money to take back some festive goodies for his family. On the southern fringes of the city, near Rajdanga Udayan Sangha, tea seller Jagdish Shaw spends sleepless nights circling the pandal as he awaits customers, hoping to make a little extra cash. “People told me there is a huge crowd at the pandal, I should sell tea here. I came here with faith, but not a single person bought a cup,” a 50-year-old tired Mr. Shaw says while his first customer walks up to him. Wiping away his sweat, Mr. Shaw worries that even Kolkata’s grandest celebrations and festivities are failing to assure a few gifts for his family. Police officials are also on constant duty in the city to keep traffic moving when lakhs of pandal hoppers start flocking to the streets. Family time, rest, or festive joys are far from them. As the festivities progress, the crowd surge, and emergency service duties become tougher.
