Kolkata: A week after the puja’s name was changed on hoardings outside Mohammad Ali Park, the original organisers have put up their own hoardings. The fresh hoardings, put up by the Youth Association on Sunday, retain the name Mohammad Ali Park Durga Puja Committee, and announce the khuti puja date as July 22. The new hoardings now share space with those put up last week, with a changed name — Shree Mahabali Park Durgotsav Samity — and declaring ward 22’s former councillor and former deputy mayor Meena Devi Purohit as the president.The development means that two separate Durga Puja committees have now announced celebrations at one of central Kolkata’s most famous community puja venues.The Youth Association, which has organised the puja for the past 57 years, said it would go ahead with the khuti puja under the festival’s original name despite the appearance of the new committee’s hoardings.“We are going ahead with the khuti puja on July 22. We have decided to celebrate the occasion like in previous years. Let us see what happens. All our committee members and other dignitaries will be present during the khuti puja. We have also invited many guests,” said Youth Association secretary Surendra Sharma.The latest development comes a week after hoardings outside the park identified the organisers of this year’s Durga Puja as Shree Mahabali Park Durgotsav Samity, replacing the long-standing Mohammad Ali Park Durga Puja Committee name. Asked about the fresh hoardings put up on Sunday, Purohit said: “I have not seen the hoardings. I don’t know who put them up so, I cannot comment on it.”Purohit had also appealed to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation commissioner to rename Mohammad Ali Park as Mahabali Park. She said the park was originally known as Mahabali Park before its name was changed, a claim that has not been independently verified.The Youth Association, however, distanced itself from both the new name and the proposal to rename the park. The association said it had neither changed the name of the Durga Puja nor applied for a change in the park’s name. It also said it was removed from organising the puja after conducting it for decades and was not associated with the committee whose hoardings identify the organisers as Shree Mahabali Park Durgotsav Samity.A member of the Youth Association said the decision to announce khuti puja at Mohammad Ali Park was taken after permission from “higher-ups” who have assured that the Youth Association will be allowed to organise the puja like every year. “The decision to announce the khuti puja date was taken after discussion with some of our well-wishers who have assured all help,” said a Youth Association member.With both sets of hoardings now displayed outside the park, visitors are greeted by two competing announcements carrying different names for this year’s Durga Puja.Mohammad Ali Park has hosted one of central Kolkata’s popular community Durga Pujas since 1969. The park, earlier known as Auckland Circus Park, was renamed after freedom fighter Mohammad Ali Jauhar.
