Dibyendu (Debu) Adhikari is excited about his holidays. He would return home from his hostel (Kolkata Blind School) after three months for his Puja vacation. Puja for this 10-year-old is synonymous with good food, a couple of new clothes, dhaks (traditional drums, used especially during auspicious occasions in Bengal), bells and conch sounds. For him, his elder brother is indispensable during these five days of festivity. “Mejda (his elder brother) takes me around each pandal and describes every detail — the lighting, décor, goddess etc,” he said. He gets to see the carnival through the eyes of his brother, for Debu is blind.

What if he had the opportunity to ‘touch’ the divine? His face lights up at the very thought. He instantly shouts in excitement, “I would first touch and feel the owl (which is Goddess Lakshmi’s carrier). Every night, I hear the bird hooting near my window on my hostel campus. I would love to know it for better. Will I actually get to touch it?”

This curiosity of many, like Debu’s, will be satiated at the Sagnik Puja Pandal in Santoshpur locality of South Kolkata. Popular artist Swapan Pal has dedicated his creativity in a way that would enable the visually impaired to get the “real feel” of Durga Puja. “Over the last couple of years, I have been craving to create something special for them so they understand exactly what we have been seeing year after year,” says the artist.

The pandal has a completely different appearance from the regular ones. A hoarding at the entrance clearly states the theme of this venue — ‘Maa goe tomar holo drishti, amaar holo koi? (Dear Goddess, you have been attributed eyes, but where are mine?)’ This is with reference to a traditional ceremony wherein the priest gives the final touches to Durga’s eyes, a ritual believed to bring life to the idol.

From the first gate into the pandal right to the exit, the appearance of the left panel differs from the right. While the right has décors like any usual pandal, the left is only in shades of black and grey with practically no visual appeal — this has been particularly styled so that one can touch and feel the shapes. At the starting point, there are balloons, butterflies and kites that adorn the left zone; and all are three-dimensional cutouts in black colour. With these floating objects begins the ‘flight of fantasy’ for many Debus who would visit this pandal.

There are four gateways to the main mandap (where the idols are housed). Three of them have one image, half in colour and the remaining in black. The first gate, however, is different from the following three in the sense that it has two images — there is a beautiful lotus displayed on the right and a large eye with arrows piercing it, on the left. “This plaque has been placed right at the entrance to create the ambience I am aiming at; educate the junta of the pain the blind go through,” says Swapan.

The artist has maintained this idea in all possible ways. On the right section, besides the usual decorative murals, there are large ply cutouts of images to generate awareness amongst people about the visually impaired. For example, there is an image of a toddler chasing a cockroach positioned beside a visually handicapped child walking aimlessly.

The artist’s thoughtfulness is carried even to the idols. One has been especially dedicated to the visually impaired.

The thought of touching Durga in her stately form inside a pandal seems impossible to most people, including little Debu. He cannot believe that this will soon happen.

So far, he has been aware through tales and descriptions that the goddess has three eyes, 10 hands, rides on a lion and has killed the asura. But this he has only heard of, never actually “felt”.

He does not need to wait for long. As he, along with friends, trudges along the long entrance and feels all the designs and motifs, he has a rare reward waiting for him at the mandap this year. There will be two identical idols standing next to each other. The main idol, with her family, will be superimposed inside the pupil of a large eye over seven ft high, while a replica will be placed next to it.

It may seem a little weird to most of us, but there is a purpose behind having two idols. The goddess with her family on the right side will be committed solely to those who can’t see. There will be just one difference: This idol will be freshly painted. The visually deprived will actually get to ‘feel’ the goddess and get a proper whiff of the paints used. There will be trained guides and scouts at the pandal to help these special visitors.

Most people, like Debu, are excited at Swapan Pal’s attribution, but there are a few cynics too. Says Kumaresh Seal, “I really don’t want to have a feel of what we are unable to see. It will only sadden me further and make me nostalgic. I would rather enjoy the company of my friends and not try and get an essence of the true Puja.” Kumaresh was born with partial blindness, but lost all light when he was 12. He still remembers slices from the when-he-could-see past and is in no mood to compromise.

As one steps out of this pandal, close to the exit, there will be an eye donation counter, stating: Drishti daan maha daan. So while optimists like Debu and his friends can have a great time learning what the ‘Puja’ is all about, a few like Kumaresh will hopefully step out looking for brighter days ahead.