Bangiya Parishad: Thane's oldest Bengali socio-cultural organisation

On a humid Sunday afternoon the makeshift office on the Durga Puja ground of Bangiya Parishad in Thane is buzzing with activity With two days to go before the festivities begin the organisers are busy finetuning the final preparations In case rain gods decide to spring a surprise stalls have been hoisted onto a raised platform even as workers are chiselling away sleek bamboo stems to add to the massive facade of the pandal But amidst the hullabaloo its hard to miss the eager anticipation that fills the airThe idol has been crafted by Amit Pal who is the goto artist for Durga idols in the city PicsSameer MarkandeThe nodinnerathome nights are here The men in the community have been informed in advance laughs Alok Banerjee secretary of Bangiya Parishads Puja committee He is not only referring to the lavish bhog that thousands walking through the pandal gates are treated to but also to the more intimate tradition of Anandamela where the women members of the community prepare a pot luck of sorts on the Panchami evening mdash the day before the main celebrations kick offBangiya Parishad is the oldest Bengali sociocultural organisation in Thane and has played a pivotal role in helping the community stay in touch with its roots in an otherwise Maharashtrian stronghold Most Bengalis in Thane are working professionals Given the skyhigh real estate prices in Mumbai Thane became the preferred choice of residence The community is very adaptive and likes to stay lowkey shares the organisations president Prakash Guha adding For many years Bangiya Parishad was the only such organisation in Thane Most other cultural groups you see here today were a part of the parishad at some pointRural folkstyle paintings have been used in the pandalMilestone celebrationsEntering its 55th year the festivities have a special fervour This year the Durga Puja mandap will don the theme of Pally Sanskriti or the culture of rural Bengal informs Banerjee as we enter the pandal lined with paintings depicting paddy fields palm trees and thatched cottages mounted on aesthetic bamboo frames The paintings created by an artist brought in from Kolkata acquire a different style closer to the devis idol reminiscent of artist Jamini Roys iconic folktradition worksThe bamboo facade of the pandal created by artists brought in from West Bengal rises up to nearly 100 feetWhile the physical work begins only a month before the puja the planning and brainstorming starts four months ahead of the festivities says AP Lala pandal and decoration headAll five days are packed with cultural performances ranging from an evening of Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul geeti compositions by legendary poet writer and musician Nazrul Islam a baul geet performance a rural musical tradition with equal participation by Vaishnav Hindus and Sufi Muslims as well as cultural shows by members of the organisationFrom left Organisers Sanjay Saha KP Gain Pradip Kundu Alok Banerjee Prakash Guha and AP LalaBeyond the pujaThis isnt the only time of the year that brings the community together Poila Boishakh or the Bengali New Year Rabindra Jayanti and Diwali are other occasions celebrated with gusto each festivity tying in a way to acquaint young members of the community with their culture No Rabindra Jayanti for instance is complete without reciting Tagores poems and oneact plays shares BanerjeeThe organisation also engages in philanthropic activities regularly Visits to Yeoor village in the Thane district are organised from time to time to provide supplies to the tribal school The office of Bangiya Parishad which is a registered trust doubles up as residence for cancer patients who come to the city for treatment Who better to understand the value of a place called home than a community that moved 2000 km west to make a new homeOn Till September 30At Highland Garden Crest Opposite Highland Park Balkum Dhokali Link Road Dhokali Thane West