amritaspeaks

Durga Puja is Kolkata’s pride. Period! No matter how much we crib about the traffic, the crowds and the madness but when those four days come something happens to the city – to all of us – and we cannot help but get washed away by the excitement.

Apart from being the largest open-air art exhibition that has been recently included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, what makes the Puja special is its inclusivity. People enjoy the festivities irrespective of religion, caste and creed. In many localities in Kolkata people of all religions are included in the Puja Committee, there are a few places where Christians organise Durga Puja and different associations come forward to take children from economically backward families, elderly people from old-age homes and street children, pandal hopping in specially chartered buses. Durga Puja is about kindness, emotions, love and respect.

Pet-Friendly Puja

Last year Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club took this spirit of inclusivity a step ahead by organising a pet friendly Durga Puja that became an instant hit. Pet owners were so happy that they could take their pets pandal hopping to a place where they were welcome with open arms.

The Idea Behind it

During the lockdown the organisers were distributing food among the people living on the streets and among stray dogs too. That’s when they realised how cruel people could be to animals. They felt they should do something to build awareness about kindness and care for animals and that’s when they started the Pet Friendly Durga Puja in 2022.

What To Expect

This year pets will be served a special Priti Bhoj from Tritiya to Dashami. The bhoj will comprise dog healthy food. In the absence of a dog park in the city, it’s going to be a great opportunity for pets to mingle and dog owners to interact and network.

Atlas Club has tied up with Hope India Charitable Trust. The members of the trust are running an awareness campaign on cruelty to animals and how to tackle it. Pet owners or aspiring owners could also take counselling from the members of the NGO on how to maintain a healthy pet, the simple steps they could take to ensure the right food and exercise for their dogs.

The NGO will be selling accessories for pets like special bows and ties and the money collected will go to the stray dog feeding campaign that they have embarked on.    

Don’t be surprised if this year you find a pet queue at the Atlas Club Puja because the Puja is already gaining popularity by word-of-mouth publicity.