Visit Kolkata Durga Puja this year for a China experience

Kolkata: In a bid to boost cultural exchanges with eastern India, the Chinese consulate here has joined hands with a city-based Durga Puja committee to recreate a slice of authentic China in the marquee premises and would fly in a team of 25 artisans from Yunnan province during the festival this year, a senior envoy said here on Friday.

The visitors to the popular Puja at BJ Block in east Kolkata's Salt Lake township will be able to witness a host of Chinese cultural activities, rituals, artistic performances and also get a chance to indulge in lip-smacking Chinese cuisine at the Puja complex during the five-day festivity from October 15-19.

The pandal, based on Chinese architecture, will have a 20 feet structure of Chinese 'Hulu' (bottle gourd) in the premises which signifies happiness and prosperity in China's Yunnan province.

"This is the first time the Chinese consulate is getting involved in celebrating an Indian festival so intimately. We hope this joint venture will enhance the Indo-China relationship, mutual trust and friendship between the two countries and also invoke interest among more number of Chinese tourists to visit India," Chinese Consul General Ma Zhanwu told reporters.

"The people visiting the Puja will get a taste of Chinese flute music, dragon dance, lion dance, and acrobatics by the performers from China. The Hulu will stand at the pandal complex as a testimony of the love of art and culture that people in China have in common with the people in this part of the world," the envoy said.

The team of Chinese dancers, musicians, martial artists are scheduled to come up with their first show on the Puja inauguration day on October 13, besides performing for the first three days of the carnival.

Prominent personalities and dignitaries from the city including West Bengal governor Keshri Nath Tripathi and state chief minister Mamata Banerjee are expected to be present at the inaugural ceremony, the organisers said.

The Chinese consulate took a group of city artists and members of the Puja committee to Yunnan Province to train them in designs inspired by Chinese architecture.

According to the envoy, the artists coming from China will be sponsored by the consulate.

"We are sponsoring the travel expenses of the Chinese artists. However, we are not providing any financial assistance to the Puja committee. We appeal to the people and businessmen in Kolkata to contribute to make the venture a success," Zhanwu added.