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Kolkata: The crowds at the marquees across the city became bigger, the aroma of incense sticks grew thicker and cultural programmes unfolded in more numbers as Durga Puja - the biggest festival of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal - entered its second day, Maha Saptami on Monday.
With more than 4,000 marquees or "pandals" across the city this year, people started "pandal-hopping" since early morning to avoid the evening and late-night rush.
And the themes for the pandals included unique and contemporary subjects.
"Our pandal at Santosh Mitra Square in north Kolkata is a prototype of Tata's small car Nano. The five-foot wide and five-foot tall yellow 'Nano pandal' is tied with a chain and a lock to symbolise West Bengal's loss after the Tata project was forced to shut shop, following months of political unrest over land issues," said Ratan Pal, one of the puja organisers.
The organisers have been quite innovative and imaginative in the design and construction of the pandals. Some of the weird things used this year for making the marquees include eggshells, coconut shells, earthen cups, porcelain, slates, chalks, match boxes and even cold drink bottles!
The joys of the puja were not just limited to pandal-hopping, eating out and wearing new clothes, but at most of the pandals various cultural programmes were also held in the evening.
With the swelling crowds and festivities, traffic congestion is a huge problem in the city, though traffic policemen say they have taken enough precautions.
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