KOLKATA: Multiple highrise complexes in Kolkata and New Town have been decking up their existing water bodies inside the premises or are constructing temporary ones to facilitate Chhathh devotees pray and perform the rituals within the comfort of their homes and ensure they do not head out compromising the Covid safety stipulations and national green tribunal instructions.
The move comes in tune with a “Chhat pe Chhathh” plea issued by the Rashtriya Bihari Samaj on Monday that asked revellers to stay within the safety of their homes and celebrate the rituals like last year, several complexes have been making arrangements to facilitate the same.
“At Silver Spring, we have an embanked zone within the complex which was once a waterbody. But we had drained out the water to avoid breeding mosquitoes. But on Wednesday, we will refill it again and clean the premises around it to make the area comfortable enough where devotees can come and perform the rituals in the water,” said Indranil Chowdhury, secretary of Silver Spring Residents’ Association.
At South City, temporary water carriers are being made beside a water body within the premises but with a caution that none of the puja offerings should be put in the water body.
Devotees of the Chhath Puja offer Arghya in a water body and believe that doing this without taking any solid or liquid diet can absorb the Sun's energy into their bodies. The devotees stand in a water body with a portion of the body submerged in the water and perform the puja offering (Arghya).
At Uniworld City in New Town, a special team of volunteers has been tasked to oversee an elaborate arrangement being made in which the entire complex is celebrating at the amphitheatre within the complex.
“We are organising the Chhathh puja just like any other community puja where every resident within and outside the Bihari community are invited and participate. We cook the Prasad together and distribute it among all the residents. During the evening and morning offerings, we set up around 20 odd small inflatable balloon tubs beside the complex pool where devotees offer the prayer in a safe and clean environment,” said Pritesh Kumar, the joint secretary of the cultural wing of the complex association.
Similar arrangements are being made at DLF Newtown Heights as well that has around 15 odd families of the Bihari community.
“We have been making arrangements of Chhathh celebration within our complex premises since last year. We have two pools within our premises – one for the seniors and one for kids. During Chhathh we make arrangements for the devotees beside the baby pool where they can get down and pray before the Sun and submit their offerings. After the festival, we drain out the water and clean it up thoroughly,” said Sameer Sharma, a senior member of the complex residents’ association.
