Newtown AB Block Residents' Cultural & Social Association

The need and demand for an association or forum of residents in our locality was long felt but a formal organisation could not be formed because the number of permanent residents till 2015 was very less. Thus some wise residents of AE Block decided to join hands with AB Block, because they realised, it would be difficult to arrange for funds alone and finance all the events throughout the year. Thus was born Swajan (which literally means ‘own people’). Swajan began its activity with Saraswati Puja in 2016 with 40 members from AE Block and only 12 members from AB Block. Many events and activities were organised by Swajan from 2016-2018, viz. Annual sports, Annual picnic, Mother tongue Day, Dol Utsav, Barshoboron (Poila Boishak), Rabindra Jayanti, Nazrul Jayanti, World Environment day, Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja etc.

• However, by mid-2019, some of the forerunners of Swajan, in consultation with few other volunteers, felt the need of becoming a separate unit and hence planned to form a separate organising committee or registered organisation, for each block. They advocated that the segregation would be necessary in order to procure land for community centre/hall in the future. Some of the residents of both AB & AE blocks feel, that this decision was not unanimous but suddenly declared in a meeting in July 2019, only a couple of months prior to the Durgotsav
• The foundation of a separate organisation, solely with members of AB Block was thus laid in July 2019, amidst uncertainties and apprehensions. There were primarily three ideas:
  • While a group of people had extreme doubt whether the festival could be arranged at all
  • Another group didn’t have doubt but was sure that AB block will not be able to arrange for Durgotsav at all
  • The third group was however ready to take up the challenge. They had guessed that though the idea was floated for the first time in July 2019, it was a pre-plan to embarrass AB Block residents to prove that they would not be able to perform anything all by themselves.

The decision of the division or segregation from Swajan was a bolt from the blue because there was almost no time left for organising a festival like Durga Puja, which requires at least six months of planning and preparation. Neither did AB Block have significant number of members nor access to necessary assets, which are generally required for conducting necessary rituals.

• The fateful meeting’s decision of segregation was condemned by many. Majority of the women residents were sad at the decision of segmentation because they were enthusiastically involved in all the rituals of the pujas and as participants of all major events. Some of them even campaigned for a mass petition against the plan of division. They were particularly against the idea of having two separate Pujas.
• In order to pacify the dissenters, it was proposed, that, though the blocks would be operating as separate entities henceforth, there would be only one Puja be in two separate venues (Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja at a spot, while Kali Puja and Saraswati Puja in a spot in the other block).
• As a matter of respect towards seniors members of Swajan, AB Block members decided to accept this idea of one festival but two venues, though many criticised it to be unnecessary. Hence, they waited for a joint meeting regarding the same. In order to pacify the dissenters, it was proposed, that, though the blocks would be operating as separate entities henceforth, there would be only one Puja be in two separate venues (Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja at a spot, while Kali Puja and Saraswati Puja in a spot in the other block).
• However, to their utter dismay, it was found that AE Block had separately organised Khuti Puja (Erection Foundation Puja) on 15th of August, as part of Independence Day celebration. It now became clear that, there was never any intention of being or acting as one. Pacifiers had failed to convince their own team and hence their opinion of one set of festivals but two separate venues were discarded by themselves.

While the AB Block founder members were vexed in arranging funds for the puja, it was realised that Khuti Puja (foundation puja) had to be performed without any further delay, since pujas have to be done in accordance with auspicious dates and times. Without much pomp and show, our first Khunti Puja was thus organised on at our puja premises where the first bamboo pole of the puja pandal was erected and worshipped with much fervour.

• The first and foremost job of the newly formed AB Block committee was to have a bigger membership base. When Swajan was officially split in July 2019, there were just 26 members from AB Block while 96 members from AE Block. It showed sheer neglect of Swajan towards AB Block, because no dedicated membership drive was taken in the last three years, or else the ratio of AB & AE Block members in Swajan wouldn’t have been just 1:4.
• Within a matter of two months, AB Block volunteers were able to raise the number of participants to 80.
• The success in such short period of time reconfirms that with positive intention and truth to self and society, we shall be able to reach all necessary heights.
• We need not aspire to touch the sky, since it is fathomless; but we shall definitely strive to reach the peak.

Durga Puja 2019 has left excellent memories in our minds, with the set of cultural programmes, community lunch, meets and social gathering. Since then, we have not missed on any scope of community celebration and networking, but with maximum emphasis on social wellbeing. In addition to religious activities like:

• Durga Puja,
• Lakshmi Puja,
• Kali Puja,
• Saraswati Puja,

We have had community programmes like:

• Independence Day celebration,
• Republic Day celebration,
• Annual Picnic,
• Annual sports and even,
• Bengali New Year celebration during the tough lockdown days.