London witnesses a Durga Puja parade on the Thames

The British capital recently got a taste of Kolkata’s Pujo carnival as a Durga Puja parade was held on the Thames last week. The Durga Puja parade on the Thames was an initiative to promote Bengal’s heritage and culture globally and was held on October 8, in London — the same day as the Durga Puja parade on Kolkata’s Red Road.
The London Pujo parade floated through iconic landmarks such as Westminster, the London Eye, the Embankment, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the London Bridge, and the Tower Bridge, and the idols returned with boats decorated with Chhau Masks. Pujas like Camden and Birmingham Bengali Association Midlands participated in the event as tourists witnessed this grand affair from different spots along the Thames.
This year Kolkata's Durga Puja became the first Asian festival to make it to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and London’s parade was curated to honour this remarkable achievement.
The parade showcased the culture and values of Bengal as it showcased Durga idols from several Pujas across the UK along with the Durga protima cutouts of two of the most prominent Durga Pujas of Kolkata — Bagbazar and Bhawanipur 75 Palli — which sailed from Westminster pier to downstream and back.