The devotion during Durga Puja and the craze for ‘Prince of Kolkata’ and former skipper Sourav Ganguly are just two of the many things that define and unite West Bengal, particularly Kolkata.
Sourav Ganguly, president of the BCCI, inaugurated a Durga Puja pandal on September 27 that was a replica of the iconic Lord’s cricket Ground’s balcony. Ganguly is well-known for his association with the Lord’s balcony, where he celebrated India’s victory by removing his shirt.
The BCCI supremo inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal at Mitali Sangha community pandal in Garia in the city of joy. The puja committee had constructed a replica of the iconic Lord’s cricket ground’s balcony adjacent to the pandal, and this year’s theme of the puja was the Lord’s Ganguly moment.
That moment in July 2002 at Lord’s, also known as the ‘Home of Cricket,’ when Yuvraj Singh (69) and Mohammed Kaif (87*) assisted India in chasing down England’s massive 326-run target in the Natwest Series 2002 final.
Ganguly was so overjoyed when the total was found that he took off his shirt and twirled it from the balcony. It was the then-Indian captain’s response to a similar act by English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff following a series-leveling win over India earlier that year at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, another iconic cricketing venue in India.
Iconic moment
This moment became highly iconic over time, foreshadowing India’s future dominance in foreign lands, particularly SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). Ganguly’s act unleashed a bold, defiant, and fearless India, and the national team adopted these traits in the years since, particularly under the leadership of star batter Virat Kohli.
Fans were brought back to life by a durga puja pandal based on the pavilion of this iconic venue. And, two decades later, it was Sourav Ganguly, now the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who came to inaugurate it, much to the delight of his fans, who may love him more than the sport itself.
The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur.
