The temple town of Tarakeswar in West Bengal’s Hooghly district turned into a grand stage celebrating Bengal’s heritage, culture and history on Saturday, as the temple town was all decked up to celebrate the first official observance of Paschimbanga Diwas after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the temple town became more than a political event and turned into a carefully crafted cultural showcase reflecting Bengal’s identity.
As the program kicked off Vande Mataram echoed across the Baligari Ground in Tarakeswar, setting a patriotic tone for the occasion, followed by the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana.
The choice of the national song carried special significance as it marked the 150th anniversary of its composition by noted Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. This was followed by a vibrant display of Bengal’s cultural traditions.
Rabindra Sangeet set the mood before the audience was taken on a journey through the state’s diverse artistic landscape.
The Atithi Swaran Bairagi Nritya, a traditional dance form associated with the Koch dynasty of Cooch Behar and the Rajbanshi community, brought a glimpse of north Bengal’s rich heritage to the stage. This was followed by Baul, filling the stage with Bengal’s timeless folk melodies.
Purulia’s famous Chhau performance which depicted the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura through vigorous dance and colourful masks was another highlight in the festivities.
Dokra Dugra idol, Jal Bhora gifts to PM Modi
The exchange of traditional gifts to Modi gave a distinct Bengali touch to the programme. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari presented the Prime Minister with a framed photograph of Baba Taraknath and a Dokra-art idol of Goddess Durga. Modi was also offered Rasgolla and Jal Bhora Sandesh, two iconic sweets from Bengali.
The decorations
The ground was decorated with symbols deeply associated with the state, ranging from Kolkata’s yellow taxis, hand-pulled rickshaws to images of Dakshineswar Temple and Belur Math.
Special floral arrangements formed one of the major attractions from the event. While anthuriums were brought from Thailand, gerberas and lilies came from Ooty in Tamil Nadu.
Five varieties of roses, blue daisies, tuberoses and marigolds filled the stage with vibrancy. Artisans from Tamluk have been working over the past few days to decorate the venue.
Security arrangements
Five hangars were set up on both sides of the venue. A helipad adjacent to Baligari Ground was prepared especially for the Prime Minister’s arrival.
There was heavy deployment of security personnel and police at the venue, armed with metal detector checks.
A brief spell of rainfall on Friday morning led to waterlogging in parts of the area posing challenges in preparations. However, teams worked round the clock to restore the venue ahead of the event.
Ahead of his two-day visit to the state, Modi shared a social media post highlighting the significance of Tarakeswar and mentioning the efforts made by Syama Prasad Mookerjee to preserve Bengal’s cultural identity, making the location historically significant.