Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 21: Devotional melodies, popular songs and vibrant Garba-style dancing marked the second day of Maha Saptami celebrations at the premises of the Marine Community Hall Durga Puja Pandal on Sunday evening (October 18, 2026), as The Harmony, a unit of Jhumurr Socio-Cultural Society, presented a special musical programme, “Dhaker Taale!”, in association with the Puja Committee of the Marine & Electricity Sarbojanin Durga Puja, Sri Vijaya Puram.
The programme featured renowned artistes and popular singers of the Islands, including Abdul Rasheed, Koyal, Shailender Singh, Aktar Hussain, Raaj, Parvati, Hassan Shah, Nilima Tiwari and Asheesh Poddar, the Convenor & Creative Director of Jhumurr.
The repertoire included one of most favourites: ‘Tune Mujhe Bulaya Sherawaliye…!’, by Rasheed and Aktar, opening the show in a befitting way, and afterwards with Neelima’s ‘Tu Kitni Achchhi Hai, Maa..!’, lending a devotional touch. The soulful melodies complemented the religious fervour of Navaratri, while the variety of musical presentations kept the programme engaging and lively. These included the highly energetic presentation of the title number in Bengali, ‘Dhaker Taale Komor Dole…thakbe ar Maa katokkhon!’, by Aktar and Koyal. In keeping with the festive mood, another Bengali rendition, ‘Aamar Pujar Phool..!’, by Asheesh received deserved acclaim from the audience.
Adding colour to the celebrations, female devotees performed Garba-style dance while presentation of the most popular duet number ‘Hey Raam Re..!’ by Rasheed and Parvati. The energetic movements and rhythmic presentation of dancers brought the festive spirit of Navaratri to life, creating a lively contrast to the devotional songs and enriching the evening’s cultural appeal. The programme was coordinated by Shailender Singh and Aktar Hussain, and very well hosted by Raaj.
The Marine & Electricity Sarbojanin Durga Puja, which said to be dates back in 1958, has remained an enduring part of the Islands’ festive and cultural landscape and celebrated it’s Golden Jubilee in year 2008 in an extravagant manner. Over the years, the Puja Committee has enriched the celebrations through cultural programmes organised in association with Jhumurr Socio-Cultural Society and others. Shri Pramod Kumar Sanyal, Shri Biswanath Chakrabarty and Shri Subramani, the Senior Technical personnels attached to the Marine Dockyard of DSS, have been working at the forefront of the Puja Committee’s efforts towards celebrating and making the Puja a grand affair.
In 2022, the collaboration featured the two-day festival ‘Jai Maa Durga’ under the concept and programme design of Asheesh Poddar, the highlight of which was “Jai Maa Aadishakti”, a dance drama directed, choreographed and presented by classical dance exponent Smt. Sonali Podder in the august presence of Chief Guest, the then Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Shipping), Andaman & Nicobar Administration Smt. Nandini Paliwal, IAS, the Director of Shipping Services Capt. Atul Kumar Singh, IN, and Shri Bipul Chandra Sarkar, Marine Engineer, alongside musical performances, Dandiya and other dance recitals. The dance drama was a unique one in the history of Marine & Electricity Durga Puja celebrations and was highly appreciated by one and all present there.
Sunday’s programme carried forward this tradition of combining festive observances with artistic expression. The collaboration between the Puja Committee and ‘The Harmony of Jhumurr’ highlighted the contribution of local cultural organisations in enriching community celebrations and providing platforms for relevant expressions.
The evening underscored the importance of community-led cultural initiatives in extending the spirit of Durga Puja beyond religious rituals. By bringing together devotional music, popular melodies and folk dancing, the programme offered a vibrant expression of the festive season. Such cultural engagements enrich community celebrations, encourage artistic participation and help sustain the Islands’ diverse cultural traditions.