Kolkata: A 102-year-old family tradition of releasing giant hand-crafted sky lanterns, or phanush, on Kali Puja came to an abrupt halt on Sunday after Ajay Dutta failed to obtain the licence the govt has made mandatory this year. Dutta had made 14 phanush for the occasion but chose not to release them. Instead, he displayed them at Bholanath Dham on Beadon Street.PK Mallick, who has been releasing handmade phanush for more than six decades from Dhar Villa near Hedua, shifted the event to another house in Goabagan because obtaining the licence remained an issue. He released eight sky lanterns from there. Though police from the local station did not stop him, Mallick said he did not want the owners of Dhar Villa to face inconvenience if questions were raised later.Dutta was distraught over the disruption and put up a poster announcing the untimely death of “Phanush Utsav” at Bholanath Dham. “I tried my best to get permission and, in desperation, even tagged the chief minister in a social media post on Saturday. But there was no reply. Since I did not get the licence, I decided not to release them into the sky. Since phanush is artwork, I have told everyone to come to my house, where I will showcase them,” said Dutta.He had spent around Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 on each lantern, which ranged from 5ft to 15ft in height. Four more phanush were half-made, but he stopped work on them because of the uncertainty.The Dutta family has been making and releasing phanush since 1924. The tradition, started by Maniklal Dutta, is now in its 102nd year.Dutta said he had gone to Lalbazar to apply for the licence and was directed to several departments, including the arms and ammunition section and the fire department. He also emailed the police commissioner and the director general of fire services and submitted copies to the local police station. According to the family, officials did not provide clear guidance. Some said they were unaware of any process for issuing such a licence, while others advised him to approach the police.Mallick, however, decided to go ahead with the release. “I make a Kali phanush and it is released on the day of Kali Puja. I decided to release it anyway. Since there was no clarity, I chose a low-height terrace and used four tall poles to control the phanush after they were released,” he said. Mallick, too, had written to the local police station, the commissioner and the director general of fire services, but did not receive permission. Families living in Hedua, many of whom had gathered on terraces to watch the spectacle, were disappointed. The tradition of releasing sky lanterns on Kali Puja is believed to have begun around 110 years ago with Gouri Shankar Dey of Hatkhola-Darjipara. It grew as a quieter alternative to loud firecrackers.
