By Jayatri Nag
Copyright indiatimes
KOLKATA: Amid West Bengal Chief Minister’s call for ‘second Bengali language’ movement and igniting Bengali ‘asmita’ in run upto 2026 assembly polls, a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal brings to reality the entire evolution of Bengali language from its inception, language movement, significance of Bengali language globally, role of Bengali in Indian freedom struggle to tribute to Bengali reformer Vidyasagar’s ‘Barnaparichay” and Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Sahajpath’, two milestones in education.The main theme of the pandal is about the Bengali language, and it has been transformed into an art form. The theme traces Bengali language, its origin and evolution, all stages of development of the language, including ‘Charjapod’ 2000 years back, its ancient and modern forms- traversing the path of history. This forms the first part of the pandal of ‘Chaltabagan Sarbojonin’ and the theme is titled “Ami Banglay bolchhi” ( I am speaking in Bengali).“Our artist Pradipta Karmakar has created several installations inside the Puja pandal. Among them, there is one where several books have been placed on a slab of bricks. The present generation has moved away from reading literature. The installation shows how to the present generation, books and literature are synonymous to bricks,” Mousam Mukherjee, general secretary of the Chaltabagan Sarbojonin, told ET.“In the second part of our pandal, we have portrayed ‘Bengali Language movement in 1952. It is a language for which five lives were martyred in East Pakistan. February 21 is now globally commemorated as ‘Matribhasha Diwas’ and we have replicated Dhaka University’s five Martyrs here. The installation has been kept incomplete by our artist as February 21, was not a happy day,” Mukherjee said.The Bengali language movement was a significant political movement in erstwhile East Pakistan, (now Bangladesh) in 1952, for recognition of the Bengali language and allowing its use in government affairs and medium of education.Live EventsWB CM has called for a second language movement in Bengal ahead of 2026 polls to save Bengali language, culture and stop torture on Bengali-speaking migrants. “There have been atrocities on Bengali-speaking migrants. Why will our migrant workers be tortured for speaking in Bengali? Why will they be pushed to Bangladesh? We will protect our culture, Bengal’s ‘asmita’. If our Bengali language is snatched, we will not allow it to happen,” CM said today, during a puja pandal inauguration.During multiple pandal inaugurations today, Banerjee has expressed concern over harassment on the Bengali-speaking migrants today.The pandal is a walk-through history of Bengal, its culture and language. “We have divided the whole concept inside the pandal in four sections. After evolution of Bengali Language, Bhasha Andolon, in the third section, the focus is on Bengal’s freedom movement, role of Bengali language in the freedom struggle, eminent Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s “karar oi louhakopat” song, iconic Bengali reformer Vidyasagar’s “Varnaparichay’ has been shown through tapestry art (after a toil by the artists for last 45 days), and Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Sahajpath’ has been shown in another installation,” Mukherjee said.The art installation is conceptualized and planned by artist Pradipta Karmakar and the idol has been made by Abhishek Bhattacharya. The total team comprises 15-20 members.The main idol of Maa Durga is shown as a typical Bengali mother, whose sari has hazy imprints of Bengali alphabets, as she teaches her children and rubs the slate with her sari.Banerjee, who is vociferously fighting the cause of Bengali-speaking migrants, said, “The migrant workers have been taken to other states for their skills, for making bridges, houses, doing zari to kantha works. Altogether 24,000 migrant workers have returned. Out of them, 10,000 will be given work in the Jute Industry.”Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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( Originally published on Sep 21, 2025 )
Read More News onBengali LanguageKolkata Durga PujaRabindranath TagoreVidyasagarBhasha AndolonChaltabagan SarbojoninIndian freedom struggleBengali cultureBarnaparichay
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onBengali LanguageKolkata Durga PujaRabindranath TagoreVidyasagarBhasha AndolonChaltabagan SarbojoninIndian freedom struggleBengali cultureBarnaparichay(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
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