Rain plays spoilsport for Puja shoppers

KOLKATA: Heavy rainfall has been lashing the city over the last couple of days but that did not stop shoppers from stepping out to complete their last leg of Puja shopping.
Ten-year-old Snehasish Pandey was quite happily shopping along with his parents. But he feels that the rain will play spoilsport to his grand Puja plans. "I have already got four new dresses and will buy a few more.But what will I do with these new clothes if it continues to rain? My new shoes and pants will all get covered in mud. I hope the raingods will let me and my friends have fun for those four days," added a rather glum looking Snehasish.
According to weathermen the rain will continue to play spoilsport for the next two days at least. They, however, said that it was too early to predict the kind of weather that will prevail during the festival. A 'heavy rainfall warning' has been sounded in districts of Purulia, Bankura, Midnapore, and Burdwan and Hoogly. Kolkata is expected to get will get
moderate rainfall.
"A depression that lies 50 kilometer south west of Digha is likely to cross the western districts of Bengal by Thursday night. The impact will be heavy rainfall over these districts. However Kolkata will be spared of heavy rain. We expect moderate rain in the city for the next one or two days," said GC Debnath, director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata.
Prasanta Sen was already in the festive mood while shopping at New Market. "Rain or no rain it's Durga Puja. No one can sit indoors during this time of the year. Rain will surely be the party pooper but it will not stop us from celebrating," he said.
While some shoppers like Sen were basking in the Puja spirit, some had to give in to the rainfall and
cancel their shopping plans. "I thought I could get some shopping done in the lunch break, but with it raining so heavily I am stuck here unable to shop or get back to office," said Amrapali Bose, who was seen taking shelter inside an eating joint.
Besides shoppers, a heavy downpour just a few days before Durga Puja is definitely bad news for shopkeepers and hawkers. "How can business be good with it raining everyday? This is the time when our sales skyrocket. With Eid and Durga Puja, we thought we will have bumper sale. However, the rain has made us helpless in the hands of nature," said Naushad Ali, a hawker on the Grand Hotel pavement. "We have incurred tremendous loss but who will compensate for these expenses? Everyday some of my products are spoilt due to rain. I am praying that it stops raining and we too get to celebrate Puja like everyone else," added Moin, who has a shoe stall in New Market.
Heavy rains lashed part of the city on Thursday which acted like a grouch for the Puja shoppers. "I thought I could get some shopping done in the lunch break, but with it raining so heavily I am stuck here unable to shop or get back to office," added Amrapali Bose, who was seen taking shelter inside a eating joint.
With the Met office predicting it to be a wet Durga Puja this year, a pall of gloom has descended over Puja organizers as well. "Months of hardwork, energy and money will all go to waste if it does not stop pouring. With just a week to go, there is mad frenzy for completion. Behala is an area which is prone to flooding. Though our area does not get water logged, people will avoid Behala if it rains too heavily," said Goutam Haldar of Debdaru Fatak, Behala.
However, some Puja organizers knew it would rain during Puja so they have modelled their pandals accordingly. "This year our pandal is such that even rain cannot spoil it. The Durga idol will be in an open air space. But as a member of the organizing committee I hope there is clear skyand dazzling sunlight during the four days," said Sushanta Gupta, secretary FD Block Puja committee.
Artisans of Kumartuli are also finding it difficult to complete their idols and they fear that they might not be able to deliver on time. "Rain is just hampering our work everyday. Paint which used to dry in a few hours is taking an entire day. We have been experiencing rainfall during this time since the last few years, hence we have taken precautions to keep the idols in our workshops," added Biplab Pal, an artisan at Kumartuli.