Kolkata, 16th October, 2020: Durga Puja or the celebrated Hindu festival deifying and venerating the warrior goddess Durga has an intrinsic connection with the Bengali people. It won’t be an exaggeration to proclaim that the warp and weft of this ten-day festival are intimately woven into the flesh and sinew of every Bengali soul. Thus, a big chunk of the population in the Eastern part of India looks forward to the festivities with great anticipation.
The year 2020 has put a dampener on all our hopes, goals, and aspirations. The COVID-19 pandemic fomented a vortex that engulfed every favourable aspect of our lives, triggering widespread depression and despondency. Lives have been lost, and the worldwide economy is crippled. Amidst such excruciating circumstances, it’s palpable that people need a ray of hope and possibly a diversion to keep them afloat and help them endure this ordeal. Celebrations like Durga Puja go a long way into instilling a sense of assurance and optimism into our lives, yielding the much-need mental strength to pass this storm.
While the significance of such a festival cannot be doubted, it is also true that the festivities bring with them an inherent bad omen – a portent of severe casualties due to extensive intermingling and merrymaking. While precautionary measures can hinder such a catastrophe to some extent, the number of footfalls that Durga Puja attracts presents a grim view of the situation. The inordinate population of the city of Kolkata redoubles in the last five days of the festival, with pandal hoppers from rural areas flocking in large numbers to grace the occasion. Thus, we need an innovative solution where we can celebrate the festival and at the same time keep ourselves safe from the ravages of the pandemic.
Thanks to the forward-looking advertising agency Planmyad, who has come up with an avantgarde idea that will ensure both safety and merriment in this novel celebration of this year’s Durga Puja. Planmyad has created a virtual platform called ePujo.in that will enable the masses to mill around the Durga pandals virtually. This online platform allowing the groundbreaking virtual pandal hopping experience is free to access for the public. Thus, we can immerse ourselves in this pious and joyous occasion right from our homes. You don’t have to venture out, risking your and others’ lives to participate in the fun and festivity. This pioneering initiative will prevent millions of infections, potentially saving thousands of lives. The platform is set to launch on 19th October 2020.
ePujo is loaded with a lot of features offering exciting services and facilities guaranteeing an enriching festival experience. The virtual platform will entail a 360-degree walk-through of over 80 highly acclaimed pandals containing the idols, in addition to exclusive pictures and videos of the entire tour. The demonstration will feature interesting tit-bits of some of the favourite venues of worship, including some housing societies known for their tradition.
Therefore, be rest assured that you will get more than a mere glimpse of the best of pandals and idols this Durga Puja through this platform without spending a dime.
ePujo is also organizing some eye-catching events to keep you thoroughly entertained until the very last day. An eclectic mix of musical shows and performances will enhance your festive mood. The exhibitions are a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. They are enumerated below.
•Banga Rap video with Cizzy
•Dhaki and DJ jugalbandi by Subspace
•360-degree dance collaboration of Break Guruz and CKN dance troops.
•Stand-up comedy show by Priyam Ghosh
Supporting the initiative Tollywood actress Tnusree Chakraborty said “I implore my fans to take the requisite precautionary measures and maintain social distance during this festive season. Celebrate this Puja safely and responsibly! I wish all my fans a happy, blessed, and safe Durga Puja. I request my fans to enjoy this year’s festivities with e-Pujo, a pioneering initiative by Planmyad that will bring the ethos of Durga Puja right to your home. Keep yourself and your family safe and engage in a novel experience of celebrating Puja through this free virtual platform. I beseech all my fans and the film fraternity to support this innovative idea that will save millions of lives, and at the same time, enable you to savour the occasion.”
According to the concept initiator Mr. Nipun Kochar, "We want to embrace the warmth and happiness that the festival brings with it, without risking our lives. Thus, this idea germinated from a deep-rooted concern for the people of our country. We are going through a tough time, and this initiative will ensure we derive maximum satisfaction while keeping safety as the priority."
In addition to this, ePujo will host plenty of contests that will give away exciting awards. It includes the award for the best Durga Puja idol and pandal that will be decided through public voting. Planmyad’s trailblazing initiative will entail collaborations with acclaimed photographers and designers to provide the best experience to the public at large, bringing a glimmer of hope in such a distressing time.
For more details log into www.epujo.in
For further details please feel free to connect:
Debasruti Ghatak: +91 83350 83899
Ushali Dey: +91 82407 70019
Subarna Chatterjee: +91 83348 79545
