Pandal depicting plight of 'real heroes' in Kala Pani

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 7: The pandal of Athgaon Sarbajanin Durga Puja in the city depicts Kala Pani, the Colonial Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicober Islands that were used by the British, especially to exile political prisoners of India.

This, according to pandal decorator Shambhu Sinha hailing from Kolkata, is a live show as the cells of the Cellular Jail will have real men and women languishing in them. "We know only a few of the freedom fighters like Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and others. However, there were a large number of others who had to sink into oblivion. They had to languish in pathetic condition at Kala Pani," Sinha said, and added: "The persolities we're going to depict are the real heroes of India's struggle for independence even though they sank into oblivion."

Sinha has a team of forty working with him.

Sanjib And, the secretary of the puja committee, however, said: "The idols have radium in them, and as such they will keep glowing even when there's darkness."

On security front, And said that as many as five CCTVs would be installed at the pandal.