Two days after Durga Puja officially ended, 39 grand idols that won awards were paraded.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday flagged off what she said is Kolkata's answer to the famed Carnival at Rio.
Two days after Durga Puja officially ended, 39 grand idols that won awards instituted by the government, were paraded on the on the arterial Red Road in the city before immersion. The chief minister stayed for the nearly three hour spectacle, as did hundreds of people.
The state government employees have been given 11 days of Puja holiday. Offices will open on Monday.
Simi Saha, a housemaker, who came from Ultadanga in North Kolkata for the show, was ecstatic. "It's happening for the first time in Kolkata. It's awesome"
So was Argha Akuli, a student of class 10. "We can sit in one place and see most of Kolkata's famous idols."
Others exclaimed their affection for the chief minister. "I love you Didi," said another spectator Pinki Ghosh.
People danced and sang in jubilation before Ms Banerjee, her ministers and other VIPs, as grand idols passed by. "This is the world's biggest public carnival. In future the world will come to Bengal to see it," Ms Banerjie said.
But many among the crowds also questioned the need of a carnival post the Durga Puja celebrations and the long government holiday sanctioned by the chief minister.
"It's great for Bengal's culture, but what of work culture? Do governments take 11 day holidays," asked a businessman who requested anonymity. "As a Bengali I love it. But as a businessman, it is bad news."
Edward Fell, who works in hospitality, said, "Five-day Durga Puja is good. On sixth day, we can bid Ma farewell. 11 days is just too much."
Political opponents have also questioned why the state government should host a function related to religion. And spend the tax payers' money on it.