A Kolkata Durga Puja event at Eden Gardens combined a large Mahalaya cultural programme with a light-and-sound show and a drone display on Saturday, while temporary restrictions on freight vehicles affected key roads around the venue. The event was organised by the BJP government and marked the first Durga Puja season in West Bengal under Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari, according to Sangbad Pratidin.
The programme began at the scheduled time on Saturday evening with dhak performances, an indigenous dance presentation and a performance by singer Lognjita Chakraborty. The event featured several performers and public figures, including June Maliah, Swapan Dasgupta, Sukhendu Shekhar Ray, Iman Chakraborty and Rituparna Sengupta, the report said.
A procession carrying the chief minister and other participants travelled from Red Road to Eden Gardens. The report also named Taslima Nasrin among those present on the stage. Singers Shaan, Lognjita Chakraborty, Kaushiki Chakraborty and Antara Mitra performed during the programme, while Shantanu Moitra and his group took part in the event. Instrumental performances included work by Debarshi Bhattacharya and others.
The central visual programme used light and sound to trace the journey of Mahalaya celebrations from radio broadcasts to Sindoor Khela on Dashami. A drone show followed, with the report saying that thousands of drones were used to create images of Durga, described as Durgatinashini, in the sky. A lotus was also formed as part of the aerial display.
The event also required traffic-management measures in the area around Eden Gardens. Kolkata Traffic Police issued a notification restricting the movement of goods vehicles on Strand Road and St George’s Gate Road between Raja Woodmont Street and the Hastings crossing. The restriction was scheduled to remain in force from 4 am to 4 pm on Saturday.
The road measures highlight the logistical demands of hosting a large public event in central Kolkata, where roads around Eden Gardens also serve commercial and freight movement. The available report does not specify the number of visitors, the total area affected by the restrictions or whether passenger vehicles faced additional controls.
The event was presented as a major departure from the city’s usual Mahalaya programming, with performances, a staged visual narrative and a large-scale aerial display brought together at the cricket stadium. The traffic notification was the immediate operational measure announced for managing movement around the venue.
