'Maha Ashtami', the eighth day of the Durga Puja festival, was overshadowed by protests demanding justice for the doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar hospital two months ago.
Although the day began with people offering 'pushpanjali' at various pandals across the state, the overall mood was subdued due to the ongoing demonstrations by junior doctors.
As 'Nabami' set in later in the day, people slowly began hitting the streets, visiting beautifully decorated pandals adorned with intricate interiors, a hallmark of the state’s biggest festival.
Crowds flocked to popular pandals in the city, such as College Square, Ekdalia Evergreen, Chaltabagan, Naktala Udayan Sangha, Santosh Mitra Square, Kashi Bose Lane, and Bagbazar with similar scenes observed in various districts.
At Santosh Mitra Square, the Puja committee displayed a burning lamp demanding justice for the murdered medic.
The Naktala Nabapally Sarbojonin Durga Puja committee featured several banners around the pandal in support of the agitating junior doctors.
"In our 60th year, we had planned several features, including a canopy of tiny lamps along the nearby lanes and a grand immersion procession, but all of that has been set aside this year," said Prabir Sen, a senior member of the puja committee.
Many local puja committees chose not to hold community feasts this year, departing from the past traditions. Many committees also decided not to play music to express solidarity with the agitating junior medics.
This year was particularly notable, as Maha Ashtami and Nabami coincided, with the 'Ashtami tithi' ending and 'Nabami tithi' beginning within hours.
In the morning, lakhs of devotees gathered at Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, where Kumari puja (the worship of a girl as Maa Durga) was conducted in accordance with traditions.
People also visited household heritage pujas, such as Sovabazar Rajbari, Laha Bari, and Rani Rasmoni Bari, where the traditional sabeki idol of the deity was worshipped in a solemn atmosphere.
In the afternoon, agitating junior doctors took out a 'maha micchil' (mega rally) in the Esplanade area, demanding justice for their murdered colleague at RG Kar Medical College.
Meanwhile, the fast unto death by the junior doctors entered the sixth day, with the condition of one of them remaining "critical".
The protesting doctors have been demanding justice for the deceased woman medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam.
Their other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
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