Saraswati Puja, Republic Day combo fun for housing complexes across Kolkata – Indiatimes.com

KOLKATA: Housing complexes across the city, Salt Lake and New Town were busy shuttling between preparations of Saraswati Puja and Republic Day on Wednesday. Residents are gearing up for this year’s first big community festival, cultural events and sporting activities.
At South City, residents’ welfare association members lined up Republic Day programmes which will have flag-hoisting ceremonies. Residents are then expected to go to the Saraswati Puja pandals. Bhog will be distributed and a community lunch will follow. “It’s the start of festivities in our complex. Thursday being a national holiday, we hope to get maximum participation,” said Manoj Gupta, secretary of the association.
At Silver Spring, security guards were practicing for a march-past as a band will play out Republic Day-special tunes followed by flag-hoisting by the building president. Residents will perform cultural programmes and then Puja proceedings will be underway. Complexes such as New Town Heights in New Town, Ruchira Residency on EM Bypass and Apsara Apartment at Park Street have decorated their buildings with national flags and instrumental patriotic songs are being played in loop inside lobbies. New Town Heights has also added the annual sports to the day’s itinerary
“It’s not always that one gets to celebrate Republic Day and Saraswati Puja at the same time. After song-dance programmes, a community lunch will follow,” said Manav Mehra of Siddha Pines. “The national flag will be hoisted atop all our buildings. We’ll also celebrate Saraswati Puja in a large scale manner,” said Sameer Sharma of New Town Heights.