Kolkata Roads Painted With Alpona Motifs Ahead of Durga Puja
· India · The Hindu, Indian Express
Kolkata's roads and flyovers are being painted with traditional 'alpona' designs as part of a beautification drive by the West Bengal BJP government ahead of Durga Puja. The Gariahat Flyover features asphalt painted in yellow, orange, green, and pink, while a large red-and-white alpona design has appeared at the Park Circus seven-point crossing. Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul said the initiative symbolises brotherhood, love, and public trust, and highlighted collaboration between Hindu and minority community artists. She noted that at Park Circus, where anti-India slogans were raised and attacks occurred previously, Muslim artisans are now working alongside Hindu artists to create the designs. Similar work is planned for Red Road and the Hooghly ghats. The minister invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas' to describe the effort.
Why it matters
The project promotes communal harmony by involving artists from minority communities in creating traditional Hindu art forms in public spaces. It aims to transform public perception of areas previously associated with unrest into symbols of unity ahead of a major festival.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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