Kolkata: For the first time since the Chorbagan stampede tragedy exactly a week ago, the Durga idol that had remained out of bounds to visitors since first Saptami emerged from the pandal on Saturday. But there were no customary dhaak beats or festive chants to accompany the Goddess on her final journey. Instead, police, local residents and other devotees walked alongside the idol with candles and black armbands, paying tribute to the 19 lives lost in the tragedy.After the stampede on Saptami, the pandal was sealed and viewing of the idol had been suspended. It was after a whole week that the idol made an appearance in public.The immersion became an emotional farewell for a neighbourhood still grappling with its loss. With the pandal sealed off after the stampede, residents had been unable to bid farewell to the Goddess or participate in the customary Dashami rituals.The operation to bring the nine-foot idol out of the pandal began around 1 pm, with 40 porters from Kumartuli entering the structure with ropes and bamboo poles. Nearly two and a half hours of painstaking maneuvring later, the idol emerged onto the road at 3.30 pm. It was then mounted on an iron trolley provided by a neighbouring puja committee to be ferried to Nimtala Ghat.The task required careful handling because the pandal’s interior and the route associated with the stampede had to be preserved for the probe. The idol was brought out backwards, following the spiral-shaped route used by visitors, without dismantling the interior structure. The VIP lane and the crowd-entry passage were left intact.Cops had permitted the immersion after the SIT gave its clearance. However, the exit route remained a critical concern for investigators. “It is the scene of the stampede and needed to be preserved,” said an officer. To facilitate the removal, a portion of the entrance was modified. The effort also brought together neighbouring puja organisers. Members of Shimla Byayam Samiti responded to an SOS from Girish Park PS, offering assistance with the immersion. “The police requested us if we could help them with the immersion. Within an hour, 25 of our members made themselves available,” said Soumyadeep Roy, a member of Shimla Byayam Samiti. “As per the instructions, none of us entered the pandal. Once the idol was brought outside, we coordinated with the police and labourers to transport it safely to the ghat,” he added.“The idol was transported to the immersion ghat on a trolley this time, as that was the police’s decision,” said another member.As the trolley rolled out of Muktaram Babu Street, some women ululated, others offered sweets and water, and a few smeared vermilion on the Goddess’s feet. But, there was no traditional ‘sindoor khela’. Police had to cordon off the area. “We could not bid Ma farewell the way we have always done. There was no ‘boron’ or ‘sindoor khela’. The tragedy has taken away the joy of our biggest festival,” said a local.As the trolley moved along Central Avenue, traffic came to a halt. Motorists and pedestrians approached the idol to touch the feet, while people in cars and buses took photographs. “I am seeing the idol for the first time. It pains my heart to bid her adieu like this,” said Rupa Kundu, a resident of the area.“We could not allow full-fledged rituals, but when some people requested us to offer sweets and water and smear vermillion, we allowed them,” said a police officer. “I have never seen an immersion of this kind in my life,” said Vanilata Agarwal, a resident of Sir Hari Ram Goenka Street.
