Amherst Street can never be far from your mind when it comes to visiting some of the biggest Puja pandals in the city. If people made a beeline for the Chaltabagan pandal during Durga Puja, it’s the turn of Amherst Street now — from the famous Fatakeshto’s Puja to the star-studded Somen Mitra’s Sri Sri Kali Puja Committee pandal. Adding to it is Tapas Ray’s glamorous pandal for all the enthusiastic pandal hoppers.

On the night of Kali Puja and a few more nights that follow, Amherst Street gets completely transformed as the road plays host to people from all over the city and its suburbs to catch a glimpse of the Goddess.

“We do not believe in theme pujas and even this year we have kept it a basic affair. The pandal has been made with wood carvings. Our Kali puja is the oldest in the area and this year we will be completing 68 years,” said Rabin Bhattacharya, a member of Somen Mitra’s puja committee.

“Our budget this year is a modest Rs 3.5 lakh. Even our idol is the traditional idol with Daker Shaaj and we have it made by Sanatan Rudra Pal,” Bhattacharya added.

What makes their idol even more special is that the idol is decked up with real gold jewellery. “Of course, sometimes it gets so crowded that the police are forced to close down all traffic leading to the pandal, and we always have a huge security force to keep the crowds at bay,” he added.

... contd.