Bengal Ranji match Eden Gardens
Kolkata’s Eden Gardens is set to witness a grand celebration marking the arrival of Goddess Durga on Mahalaya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event, with the ceremonial opening of the Durga Puja festivities planned at the iconic stadium (Bengal Ranji match Eden Gardens).
However, the celebrations come just before Bengal’s Ranji Trophy campaign begins at the venue. With the Eden Gardens expected to remain under enhanced security arrangements around the Prime Minister’s visit, Bengal’s opening Ranji fixture against Delhi could be shifted to Kalyani. CAB president Sourav Ganguly has indicated that moving the match would not pose a major problem.
Mahalaya falls on October 10. The day’s celebrations will begin with a special procession along Kolkata’s Red Road, featuring 23 different dance forms representing the cultural heritage of Bengal’s 23 districts.
The festivities will then move to Eden Gardens for a major cultural programme. The proposed event will include the ceremonial ‘Chakshudan’ of the Goddess, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to be present.
Security arrangements around the Prime Minister’s visit are expected to have a direct impact on the cricket schedule. Eden Gardens will reportedly remain under SPG security from September 25 to October 15.
Bengal’s Ranji Trophy campaign begins on October 11, with Delhi as the team’s first opponent. With the stadium being used for the Mahalaya programme and subject to heightened security, hosting the Ranji fixture at Eden could prove difficult.
If the match has to be moved, Kalyani could become the alternative venue. Bengal have already played several Ranji matches there, including a Ranji semi-final.
CAB president Sourav Ganguly has suggested that shifting one match to Kalyani would be manageable. He pointed out that Bengal has multiple cricket grounds available and that there would be no major difficulty in moving a fixture if required.
Speaking about the Eden event, Ganguly emphasised the importance of Durga Puja for Bengalis and described the Prime Minister’s participation as a matter of pride.
He also recalled attending an event involving former US President Donald Trump at a stadium in Ahmedabad during his tenure as BCCI president. Ganguly’s comments suggest that accommodating a major event alongside the cricket calendar is not necessarily unprecedented.
The state government is planning an elaborate cultural spectacle for Mahalaya. Along with the Red Road procession, the Eden programme is expected to feature around 1,000 women performing traditional ululation and 10,000 dhaks playing simultaneously.
Organisers reportedly hope the scale of the event could earn a place in the Guinness World Records.
Singer Shreya Ghoshal is expected to perform Puja songs during the stadium procession. According to Nabanna sources, the cultural programme at Eden is scheduled to begin around 4 pm.
The Mahalaya celebrations and Bengal’s Ranji campaign will bring two very different spectacles to Eden Gardens within days of each other. While the venue prepares for a major cultural event involving the Prime Minister, Bengal’s domestic cricket campaign may have to begin elsewhere.
For the CAB, shifting one match to Kalyani appears to be the most practical solution if security arrangements make the Eden fixture difficult.
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