Patna: Cockroaches have had their share of political attention. Now, in Katihar, they have found a very different stage — a Durga Puja pandal, where giant versions of the insect are drawing crowds, cameras and selfies. At Vinodpur, visitors are stopping to pose with the creatures that usually send them reaching for a slipper.The cockroach-themed pandal features giant insect figures, spider-web-like decorations and an idol of Goddess Durga at the centre. The unusual theme has given the insect an unlikely festive makeover and turned it into one of the talking points of the celebrations.The organisers, however, are keen to keep politics out of their spider webs. They insist the theme has no connection with any political party or ideology and was designed purely to entertain visitors, especially children.“Vinodpur Puja Samiti has been organising Durga Puja continuously since 1935. This year’s cockroach theme is not intended to support or oppose any political party or ideology. There may be political discussions about cockroaches in the country, but the committee has nothing to do with them. The theme is entirely fictional and has been created for entertainment,” said committee president Naveen Kumar Goenka.So there is no political punchline hidden among the thermocol insects. Instead, there is a festive one: while real cockroaches usually run for cover when the lights come on, these oversized ones are under the spotlight.The pandal took around a month to prepare with specialised artisans brought in from Nabadwip in West Bengal.“It took approximately a month to prepare the pandal. We brought in specialised artisans from Nabadwip, who used their creativity and hard work to bring the cockroach theme to life,” said committee secretary Amar Pratap. The combined budget for the pandal and the Durga idol is around Rs 5 lakh, he said.Goenka said the area was earlier known as Bengali Tola and his ancestors started the puja, which the committee has continued over the decades. The presentation may have changed, but the organisers said devotion to Goddess Durga remains at the heart of the celebration.For children, the pandal offers an unusual insect adventure; for youngsters, a ready-made social media backdrop. Videos of the pandal are already being shared on social media.The committee says there is no political message here. But the cockroaches have nevertheless made an unusual journey — from political buzz to festive buzz.
