KHARAGPUR (ON BOARD FALUKNAMA EXPRESS), OCT 1: Away from home and puja fun, about two dozen Bengalis recreated the festive ambience when they set up a makeshift pandal in a second class compartment of Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express on `Mahanavami' day.Notwithstanding heavy showers which partially flooded the compartments as the train trundled through countryside West Bengal, the Calcuttans turned the fourth sleeper coach into a mini abode of goddess Durga.It had all elements of a pandal - a Durga idol bedecked with flowers, a `katki' sari for the pandal covering, incense sticks, a shloka chanting `pandit', a conch blowing maiden and above all the fervour associated with Mahanavami, the peak day of celebrations.``Journey on navami is awful.,'' rued Amiya Chakraborty, who had to undertake one on official purpose. ``And that too away from Calcutta,'' he shook his head in despair.It was Amiya who mooted the idea of building a mini pandal, which was endorsed unanimously.The `team' wasfortunate enough to spot a weary looking hawker selling Durga idols, flowers and garlands at Kharagpur station.Debashish Dutta, who was on his way back to Calcutta from Puri, took out his travel souvenirs - a conch shell and incense sticks - and a professional pandit, Mahadev Acharya obliged with his religious talents. The puja got going much to the excitement of all passengers.As word spread through the hawkers and pantry car staff, curious passengers from other compartments lined up to catch a glimpse of the unique pandal.They came, bowed their heads for prayer and chatted excitedly about not having to miss out on ``ma's'' blessings even when on a journey.``Isn't it wonderful. I was feeling so low on having to be away from home during pujas,'' said 52-year-old Devika Thakur who was visiting her ailing daughter in Cuttack.The conches blew late into the night and no one complained of the decibels. The younger lot made merry with songs varying from Bengali prayers to the latest `kuch kuchhota hai' numbers.And as the train crossed smaller shunting stations in the wee hours of evening, occasional blaring music and dazzling lights from `real' pandals made way into the compartments.All heads turned, only momentarily, and the fervour was multiplied by the inspiration which they got from the gaudily done pandals.But everyone felt the same as six year old Ruchika Saha. ``Amader pandal shob theke bhalo (our pandal is the best of them all),'' she chimed licking the `prasad' her mother made from `chide', `doi' (puffed rice and curd) and bananas.It was winding up time as the train neared its terminus Howrah. The idol was wrapped in the sari - flowers garlands et al - and was readied for immersion the next day.``She will be immersed with my `para' idol tomorrow,'' a jubilant Amiya, who like the rest of the boarders, went home with an experience to remember, said.
