It Was A Dream Come True For The 250 Children As They Were Taken From One Pandal To Another
By parul118, Section Durga Puja
Posted on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 01:26:52 AM EST
They may be children of a lesser god but the 250 kids who took the Times Of India's Times Sharad Parikrama joy ride on Mahasaptami were no less privileged. They got pride of place and the right of way at the most sought after pandals in the city.
The excitement was palpable as the kids gathered at Prinsep Ghat at 9.30 am to board the buses. "Gadi ta taratari chhadchena keno? (why isn't the bus rolling)," asked six year old Putul Rai, who couldn't wait for the fun to start rolling. "I have been told that we would be taken to big pandals and I just can't wait to see them," she gushed.
It was a dream come true for the 250 children as they were taken from one pandal to another. The parikrama was presented by Patton in association with Kenilworth, Hindalco and Rotary Club of Calcutta, Victoria. Patton International chairman H P Budhia and Tollywood actress Rituparna Sengupta flagged of the trip at the Prinsep Ghat. Sengupta happily obliged when children crowded her for her autograph.
"Oi dehko koto boro pandal. Dekheccho kokhono! (look how big is the pandal. Have you seen anything like this)" exclaimed four-year-old Pintu Kumar Mahato as the children hit the Park Circus puja pandal.
We feared the dark skies would spoil the mood for the kids but as they emerged from Ekdalia Park puja, hopping and skipping on the waterlogged streets, we couldn't suppress a smile. The downpour failed to deter them. Once the shower stopped, they jumped out of the bus at the Maddox Square puja, their last halt for the day.
"Now I want to reach home soon and tell my mother about the pandals I have seen," said an excited saheb Mistry.
The children were from South Calcutta Inner Wheels school, Apeejay School and St. Lawrence School.
Times Sharad Parikrama will take two other batches of underprivileged children to different pandals on Mahashtami and Mahanavami also. The Friday parikrama will be flagged of by tabla player Subhen Chatterjee and on Saturday it will be flagged off by painter Shuvaprasanna.
Source:The Times Of India,19-10-07
