Breaking Traditions! In-A-First, Idol Of 190-Year-Old Durga Puja Immersed In Artificial Tank

In a bid to restrain pollution, the idol of a 190-year-old Durga Puja was immersed in an artificial tank instead of a natural water body, establishing a new trend among the 'Bonedi Baris' of Kolkata city in West Bengal.

The 'Bonedi Baris' or former elite household in south Kolkata immerse their idols of Goddess Durga in the Adi Ganga canal, which has been tormented by water pollution.

Environment-Friendly Move

Anirban Mukherjee, who led the environment-friendly move by his family home in Girish Bhawan where Durga Puja was started in 1832, said on Thursday that the idol was immersed in the water tank constructed in the portico of the residence in Bhawanipur on the occasion of Bijaya Dashami. He said, "We decided to contribute to the Ganga rejuvenation project from this year onwards, that's why we took this initiative," reported NDTV.

Mukherjee said that water jets were used to dissolve the idol in the tank, while the remnants were stored in sacks which will be reused next year for making the idol following the vision of reducing, recycle and reuse. He added the tank was 4 feet high and 6 feet in diameter with two jet sprayers.

Water Pollution Caused Due To Idols

Last year, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) prepared an artificial pond for pollution-free immersion, but very few organisers preferred it, considering the age-old rituals and certain traditions.

Several community Durga Puja committees and the 'Bonedi Baris' immerse their idols either in the Hooghly river or in nearby water bodies, wherein the water pollution is caused due to toxic paints and decorative items.

Over the past few years, the KMC has been using crane machines to lift the idols from the water within minutes of immersion to tackle pollution in the river.

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