Goddess Durga gets the 'blues' to please Mamata

Many say this is to please West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who after taking over, got this city painted in these twin colours.

Even Goddess Durga would not be able to save herself from the ‘blues' as she will be draped in blue and white, colours that now adorn everything from flyovers to tree trunks in Kolkata.

Inspiration: Mamata Banerjee's blue and white sari is supposed to be the inspiration for the mandal organisers

It is the Panchattar Palli community puja in Banerjee's Bhowanipore assembly constituency that has recreated the Rajasthan capital, with the goddess astride a lion shunning her traditional red sari for blue and white.

The pandal, patronised by Trinamool Congress leaders Madan Mitra and Saugata Roy, has even painted the facade of all houses on the road leading to the pandal blue and white.

"Puja is the biggest festival in Bengal, so we thought of paying a tribute to our leader who has always championed the causes of the poor by choosing the colour code, which is her favourite," said Malay Sarkar of the organising committee.

He, however, conceded that it took much effort to cajole the rest of the organisers and the priests to drape the Goddess in blue and white instead of the traditional red.

Parliamentarian Saugata Roy, however, said he had no hand in choosing the theme.

"I am just an honorary member of the committee and do not take part in decision making. The committee must have found the idea interesting. So they chose it," Roy said.

Traditionalists are not at all happy with the dramatic change.

"Durga is the symbol of power and the colour red, which signifies power, has always been associated with her. Changing that colour completely goes against ritualistic norms and Hindu customs," said Indologist Manab Chatterjee.