World Cup 2023 fever catches Diwali - Kali Puja Mandap in Howrah dedicated to Indian Cricket Team

There is an old saying in Bengali which says 'Bangalir Baro Maashe Tero Parban' (Bengalis have thirteen festivals in twelve months), and this year, the number has risen definitely to 14.

Diwali is an auspicious festival in India, and Bengalis celebrate the Kali Puja, which is marked by the arrival of Goddess Kali, an alternative figure of Goddess Durga.

The powerful feminine deity, Maa Kali, signifies the ultimate feminine energy in the Hindu tradition, revered with immense devotion by the Bengali community. This divine embodiment of Goddess Kali symbolises the omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient feminine force that pervades the universe. Maa Kali, in her various forms, is a revered figure in the Hindu pantheon, embodying power, strength, and the ability to destroy evil.

In Kali Puja, various local clubs in Bengal conduct the worshipping of Goddess Kali. The puja generally happens on the day of Diwali, but the deity of the goddess remains for two to three more days as people come to watch the various puja pandals and the various themes associated with them.

This year though, the fever of World Cup cricket has grasped the Kali Puja, and a club in Howrah named Ichapur Ekata Sangha has decided to theme their puja pandal dedicated to the Indian Cricket Team.

The club in Howrah has cut out placards of all the 15 members of the Indian team and has decorated their theme along with various achievements of Indian cricket. From India's Benson and Hedges victory to the World Cup win in 2011, everything has been portrayed on the decorative walls.

The glory days of Indian cricket (both men and women) are glittering with the festival lights and the people around the club are beaming with hope that India will get their hands on their third World Cup.

But what was the reason behind the club's decision to build a theme around the Indian cricket team? A senior member of the club says it was a sudden plan and was decided in the club's committee talk before the Puja.

"It was decided during our members meeting. We decided to go with it during the meeting as India playing the World Cup this year," the member said.

Another senior member then gives his confident answer when asked about India's World Cup-winning chances this year.

"Hundred per cent (India will win). We believe under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, we will win the World Cup this year", the member added.

The club members generally conduct a showpiece immersion of the deity, but this year they are going to immerse the deity on Wednesday, and they will conduct the entire programme by noon to watch the semifinal between India and New Zealand.

The Indian cricket team will be up against New Zealand in the crucial semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. The men in Blue are flying with nine victories in nine matches and are on the cusp of recreating history on home soil.

The emotion in Bengalis generally soars high. And with the World Cup amid festivities this year, there is no doubt we will witness no-holds-barred celebrations if Rohit Sharma lifts the coveted trophy on Sunday.