Kolkata schools prepare for Saraswati Puja after relaxation in Covid curbs – Times of India

On Monday, the Bengal government announced relaxation of a slew of Covid curbs and allowed schools (classes VIII to XII), colleges, universities and polytechnic institutes to reopen from February 3. And on February 5, it’s Saraswati Puja. So most schools are now all set to organise the puja on their premises with students and teachers in attendance.

ONLY SENIOR STUDENTS, NO CULTURAL EVENTS

Krishna Damani, trustee, South Point School, said they had organised Saraswati Puja last year without students. “But as the government has now allowed schools to reopen ahead of the puja, we’ll allow our high school students to attend the puja, while keeping all COVID protocols in mind. There will be no arrangement to sit and have prasad on the school premises. We’ll distribute it in boxes.”
In fact, most schools have similar plans. “We are going ahead with the puja while maintaining all COVID norms. We’ll also be asking some students to attend it, but there will be no food distribution or cultural programmes,” said Devi Kar, director, Modern High School.
Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School, said, “We’re happy that high school students will be able to take part in Saraswati Puja this year.” To this, Indrani Chattopadhyay, vice-principal, DPS Ruby Park, added, “We’ll serve whole fruits as prasad and bhog will be served in boxes so that there’s minimal contact.”
The reason for allowing senior students is the fact that most of them are vaccinated. “We are going ahead with the puja but only high school students are allowed to attend as they are vaccinated. Moreover, unlike other years, we’ll be doing it in an open space instead of the school hall,” informed Reshma Bhattacharya, principal, Indus Valley World School.
Sajal Kanti Mandal, headmaster, Laban Hrad Vidyapith, Salt Lake, told us that they had webcast their school puja last year. “All students had offered anjali from home. This year, we are calling over Classes IX to XII students,” he said.

STUDENTS AN EXCITED LOT

The students are looking forward to the puja, as it will be their first major social event amid the pandemic. Dishani Biswas, a student of Laban Hrad Vidyapith, told us that she’s very excited about it but will miss some aspects. “I’m excited that we’ll be able to attend the puja and offer anjali on the school campus. But the cultural programme we used to have on Saraswati Puja is not happening this year. We will miss it,” she said.
Chetna Pani, a student of The Heritage School, echoed similar sentiments. “We used to have a lot of fun on Saraswati Puja and really missed it last year. So, I’m looking forward to meeting my friends and teachers,” she said.
Many are happy with the timing of the reopening. “I missed wearing a sari and being in school on the puja day. As this is my last year in school, I’m really happy that I’ll be able to attend it,” said Anvesha Kumar of Indus Valley World School.

ORDERS SPIKE FOR KUMARTULI ARTISANS

The idol makers in Kumartuli are getting a lot of calls for idols since the announcement. “We are getting more orders for idols after the announcement. As the celebration was muted last year, the schools seem to have increased their budget for the idols this year. Obviously, they are happy with the announcement,” said Babu Paul, the secretary of Kumartuli Mritsilpa Sanskrity Samity, adding that most schools are ordering medium-sized idols, which have to be delivered by Friday afternoon.