West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced a slew of new directions for this year’s Durga Puja, including a complete ban on the sale of liquor on Maha Ashtami and the use of DJ music during immersion processions.
The Adhikari administration has also called off the post-Puja carnival, an event introduced during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure that drew considerable attention over the years, both for its popularity and the controversies surrounding it.
“On the day of Maha Ashtami, when we pay floral tributes to the Goddess in this state, all liquor shops shall be closed, including bars. Liquor cannot be sold on the day of Ashtami,” Adhikari said.
Along with these guidelines, the BJP-led Bengal government has announced a grant of Rs one lakh for the puja committees, free electricity, and a waiver of the fee for mandatory fire safety licences.
The Chief Minister also urged all the Puja committees to ensure that their idols, pandals and themes do not distort the religious and cultural sentiments of the people. The announcement is similar to an appeal earlier made by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu right-wing organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Adhikari said the restriction was being imposed on a day of particular religious significance, when devotees traditionally offer floral tributes to Goddess Durga.
The Chief Minister made it clear that liquor sales would not be permitted on the day, effectively putting the state’s alcohol trade on hold for Maha Ashtami. The ban will cover liquor shops along with bars across the state.
It is to be noted that, for the first time, a government in Bengal has instructed a complete ban on the sale of alcohol on a day of Durga Puja. Neither the Left nor the TMC government earlier issued such a ban.
In another significant decision, Adhikari announced that the Durga Puja carnival hosted by the Bengal government after the festival would be discontinued.
The carnival, earlier held on Kolkata’s iconic Red Road, featured a grand parade of Durga idols from several puja committees before they were taken for immersion in the Hooghly River. It had become a prominent feature of Kolkata’s Durga Puja celebrations since Mamata Banerjee’s second tenure as Chief Minister. Banerjee, several of her cabinet ministers and a host of celebrities were regulars at the mega cultural event, which was also broadcast live on several television channels.
While the carnival won appreciation from many, it also faced criticism from various sections over the years. The backlash intensified last year when North Bengal was reeling under devastating floods, while Mamata Banerjee was seen attending the carnival in Kolkata.
The BJP seized on the timing and launched a sharp attack on the then Trinamool Congress government, accusing it of neglecting North Bengal, a key electoral stronghold, while focusing on the festivities in Kolkata.
Adhikari also announced restrictions concerning idol immersion processions.
He said DJ music would not be allowed during immersion processions and urged Puja committees to complete the immersion of idols before Lakshmi Puja.
Lakshmi Puja falls on October 25 this year.
“I would urge everyone to complete the idol immersion by the day before,” Adhikari said.
The appeal is aimed at ensuring that the immersion process is completed before the next major festival, while also avoiding disruption during the festive period.
Adhikari also issued an appeal to Puja committees over the way Durga Puja themes, idols and decorations are designed.
He requested organisers not to distort the traditional representation of Goddess Durga or create themes and installations that could hurt religious sentiments or compromise Bengal’s cultural heritage.
“Regarding idols, pandals, themes, or decorations—please do nothing that compromises religious or cultural heritage and religious sentiments,” the Chief Minister said. The appeal held similarity to a previous appeal made by Vishva Hindu Parishad.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of the massive popularity of theme-based Durga Pujas in Bengal, particularly in Kolkata, where Puja committees often compete to create elaborate pandals and artistic interpretations that attract thousands of visitors.
While theme-based Pujas have become a major part of Kolkata’s festive culture, Adhikari urged organisers to ensure that experimentation does not come at the cost of religious traditions and sentiments.
The Bengal government will also provide a grant of Rs 1 lakh to Durga Puja committees, particularly those that require financial assistance to organise their celebrations. Earlier, the Mamata Banerjee government also used to provide similar grants to several puja committees.
Adhikari said the government would also provide free electricity for the festivities, with CESC confirming that it would supply electricity without charge.
A fire safety licence, which is mandatory for Puja organisers, will also come without a fee, he said.
However, while announcing the financial assistance, Adhikari urged affluent and large-budget Puja committees not to seek government funds if they could organise the celebrations on their own.
“I do not wish to issue directives or misuse my authority. I am making a request: I urge those with the means and large budgets not to accept government assistance for the Puja,” Adhikari said.
He said community Durga Pujas had traditionally been funded through voluntary contributions, commonly known as ‘chanda’, but claimed that many organisers had now become increasingly dependent on government assistance.
“People have developed a bad habit; in the past, they used to collect voluntary subscriptions (chanda). That is how community Durga Pujas used to be organised,” Adhikari said.
He argued that the cost of organising a decent Puja could run into at least 10 lakh and urged committees with the means to raise additional funds through advertisements rather than depending on government grants.
