Kali

On a friend's recommendation, I decided to visit the Kali Puja Pandal put up at Andheri Sports Complex. She insisted that the decor and lighting were strictly not to be missed. I was lucky enough to reach there at the eleventh hour of the third and main day of Diwali and was awestruck with the gigantic Kali statue that stood in Pandal that was a life-size replica of a temple in Kolkata.

The approach to the Pandal was kitschtastic! The decorators were called in from Kolkata who played with LEDs, fairy lights and halogens to create pieces of art of which most were in motion. Besides the usual floral designs, there was a robot with stretched arms that reminded me of Big B's lightbulb flashing costume from his movie Yarana. Perched on a stand right opposite this robot were three LED parrots that were whistling at onlookers and were also set in a mechanical motion of grooming each other. But perhaps what stole the show was a larger-than-life LED statue of a girl who was swirling and so was her skirt, at the hem of which were small baskets attached equidistant from each other and in these baskets were tiny dolls of human babies. A very surreal exhibit, this one!

Moving on, devotees were guided through a canopy that was lined with 2-D LED displays with themes like Indian Army, Indian Navy, Air India, Zoo and Circus. These too were programmed exhibits and had some elements that seemed to be in motion.

Finally, there it was. The actual temple-inspired Pandal that was flanked by two beautifully decorated plaster-of-Paris elephants on either side of the entrance. One had to climb a few steps (which were positively not older-citizen or disabled friendly) up to enter and then climb down to step into the main hallway. From the ceiling of this hall hung a magnanimous chandelier, befitting a palace of a king and right in front stood the over-sized, breathtakingly beautiful statue of Kali Ma, complete with demon heads in her hands and around her neck, blood-shot eyes, fiery red tongue and Lord Shiva under her feet. Two idols of Bhairavi (another avatar of Kali) were placed on her either side and were seen beheading Chanda and Munda, two chief Asuras (demons). The Pandal was scented with incense and was alive with activity. Bengali women were distributing prasad (sweet offering) to devotees and were also putting teekas (marks with red colored powder) on their foreheads.

Being late in the evening (it was almost midnight, actually) it was not crowded much and allowed me to take few shots at leisure.

Outside the Pandal the Bhog Khichadi was being distributed to all, irrespective of their religion, caste, creed, class and color. I got me a plate too and relished it while the dhakis played their drums and danced in front of the Pandal.

Here are a few shots!

LED exhibit at the entrance.