West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was seen playing the dhaak, a traditional drum-like instrument, at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister was seen lifting the dhaak on her shoulders and playing it as the frenzied crowd before her cheered. She was inaugurating the Suruchi Sangha puja in New Alipore, patronised by her cabinet colleague and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Aroop Biswas. She was accompanied by Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim. Dhaak is an ubiquitous drum associated with the Durga Puja festivities.
Virtually inaugurating 300 durga puja pandals in different parts of Bengal from Alipore Bodyguard Lines, Banerjee said: “Critics will find fault in everything but that should not come in the way of the strides being made by her government”.
“I am happy to iterate that many feathers have been added to Bengal’s crown. The UNESCO accorded the ‘Intangible cultural heritage’ distinction to Durga Puja, a global forum adjudged Bengal as the best tourist destination. NCRB described Kolkata as the safest city. Some detractors, critics will try to find fault in everything. That doesn’t matter. We must carry on our work,” she added.
UNESCO inscribed the Durga Puja in Kolkata in the list of ‘Intangible cultural heritage of Humanity’. The festival is celebrated widely around India.
(With inputs from PTI)