Goddess, humans and their best friend on one Khuti Puja dais

A Ballygunge Durga Puja committee on Sunday involved the entire neighbourhood’s pet dogs in this year’s Khuti Puja — the ceremonial start to the Durga Puja preparations — following in the footsteps of several other city puja organisers who have made their festivities pet-friendly since 2022.
In its 58th year, the 71 Palli Baishakhi Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity’s puja, run by a 23-member women-only committee, seeks to involve man’s — and woman’s — best friends during Bengal’s biggest festivity.
And why not? For this group of dog-lovers, every day is a ‘dog day’, so it made no sense to leave the four-legged friends out from the festival. “We feed strays, help adopt strays and even gave them shelter during Cyclone Remal,” said club member Priyadarshini Sarkar, a proud owner of a Shih Tzu.
“In our locality, there are many pets, including Labradors, Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Indies and local strays, who were brought to the Khuti Puja,” Sarkar added. “The idea was unique and everyone welcomed it,” said club secretary Nandini Chatterjee. For Ahana Patra, a resident of Moni Mukherjee Road in Ballygunge, it was the perfect opportunity for a day out with her pet. “I visited with my pet Dhabal Chand, a three-year old Labrador, and we both enjoyed it,” she said.
The theme banner of the puja was inaugurated by Ustha Uthup.
In 2022, Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club of north Kolkata, in a first, showcased their pet-friendly puja theme, ‘Shelter for Pets’. In that puja, ‘Asur’ (the demon) was replaced by two stray dogs and were shown sitting at the feet of the goddess Durga, praying for a home. Four canine members of the Kolkata Police’s dog squad were the chief guests at the puja’s inauguration.
Last year, the same club arranged a free pet check-up camp and packaged nutrientrich foods for pets who were visiting their pandal. “Our idea turned so successful that other Durga Puja clubs, including even some Jagaddharti Puja organisers in Chandernagore, adopted our idea,” said Biswajit Ghosh, the club’s general secretary.
Other prominent puja organisers, such as Behala Club in the south and Salkia Chatra Bayam Samity in Howrah have also, in the recent past, turned their pujas pet-friendly.
“The initiative is heartwarming and I hope such awareness measures will help reduce animal cruelty,” said actress Debashree Roy, an animal rights activist. “Until a few years ago, a number of notable puja committees used to request KMC to shift strays away from their puja venues, which we fought hard to stop,” she added. Sociologist Prashanta Roy said: “The approach is very positive. This sends a strong message to society — of building strong bonds with animals.”
Indologist Niladri Sankar Bandyopadhyay also lauded the initiative. “In Hindu mythology, dogs have often been portrayed as loyal companions. Even in the Mahabharata, they have been portrayed as loyal to a fault, ones who stay with you when one is alone, even when all whom you hold dear are no longer there. These initiatives will foster that age-hold belief and bond.”
(Inputs from Poulami Roy Banerjee)