Kolkata: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal painted the entire Bengal saffron this Janmashtami with more than 1,000 shobhajatras (celebration marches) across the state. Celebrations started on Sunday, a day prior to Janmashtami, and for two days, kids dressed as Lord Krishna and his devotees, with saffron clothes tied around their foreheads, took to the streets to celebrate the Hindu festival. The celebrations will continue on Tuesday. 

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At least 70 such marches were taken out in and around Kolkata. From Kasba to Bondel Gate, Garia to Shyambazar, such shobhajatras were a common sight. In some places, devotees even called for building a Ram mandir.

Since Janmashtami is also the foundation day of the VHP, the festival assumes huge importance. Marches, featuring harmonium-playing singers and DJs, have become quite common in the state. In every district, local wings of the VHP and Bajrang Dal have been ensuring that people join celebration marches. Even in Bardhaman, where Hindus are a minority, women with children in their laps were seen marching on the streets on Sunday.

The revelry, which is without a doubt, a show of saffron dominance, can be viewed as a continuation of celebration of Hindu festivals like Ram Navami or Chaitra Navratra in Bengal. These festivals were not widely celebrated in the state before this. 

The three-day celebrations were not just limited to marches but also Krishna and Ram-centric theatres and bhajans with the VHP flag fluttering and motifs of Bharat Mata everywhere.

However, the most interesting fact is that the ruling party Trinamool Congress too has taken part in Janmashtami celebrations. In places like Purulia, where the BJP has made inroads in the recently concluded panchayat election, TMC was seen organising such events.

Speaking to MyNation, VHP’s Sourish Mukherjee said, “TMC never organised such celebrations earlier. But now they are forced to do it because of us. Where were they when the chief minister stopped us from visarjan of Durga (idols) last year? People of Bengal can see through this pseudo Hindutva.”

However, in this battle of soft and ultra-Hindutva, it’s the law-enforcing machinery that is caught at a crossroads. A policeman, while speaking to MyNation, revealed that holidays of all senior police officials in Kolkata have been cancelled for these three days.

Away from these concerns though, a VHP organiser draped in saffron in Purba Medinipur's Usmanpur village smiled while asked about TMC’s threat. “Bengal has finally woken up. Dekhte thakun (Keep watching),” he said.