Kolkata: In the lanes around Hedua, where old north Kolkata houses still hold festival memories in courtyards and on terraces, Kali Puja has long meant the sight of giant handmade phanush rising into the night sky. This year, the century-old spectacle may be missing.At Bholanath Dham near Scottish Church College, the Dutta family has been making and releasing phanush since 1924. Started by Maniklal Dutta, the tradition is now in its 102nd year. The family had prepared 15 lanterns, each handmade and ranging from about five to 15 feet in height. But after the announcement that licences would be required to release phanush, they have been unable to secure permission.
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Ajoy Dutta, who now makes and releases the lanterns, has been moving from one office to another. The family went to Lalbazar and was directed to different departments, including the Arms and Ammunition section and the fire department. They also emailed the police commissioner and the director general of fire services, and submitted copies to the local police station.According to the family, officials have not given clear guidance. Some said they were unaware of any process for issuing such a licence, while others advised them to approach the police. “If we do not get permission, we will not release the phanush,” a family member said. “The tradition will come to a halt after 102 years.”The Duttas say their phanush are not commercial lanterns sold in markets. Each is crafted at home, using fuel made from jute, cloth and spirit, without paraffin. Their lanterns often carry contemporary themes such as the cricket World Cup, football World Cup and Operation Sindoor.Nearby, at Dhar Villa near Hedua, Prodyut Kumar Mallick faces similar uncertainty. His family has released phanush for around 60 to 65 years, usually making 10 to 15 lanterns annually, from colourful designs to lattu-shaped forms and topical themes. A Kali phanush is mandatory for them, too.Mallick has also written to the local police station, the commissioner and the director general of fire services, but has not received clear permission. “No one is giving clarity,” he said. “I may release one or two phanush, but without clear permission, it is difficult.”The anxiety has spread among residents who wait every Kali Puja to watch the Hedua sky fill with glowing paper forms. Families gather on terraces, children count the lanterns and elderly residents recall when the practice was common across old north Kolkata.The tradition is believed to have begun around 110 years ago with Gouri Shankar Dey of Hatkhola-Darjipara, growing as a quieter alternative to loud crackers. Practitioners describe it as a craft that depends on balance, patience and timing.Further north, Belgachhia will also miss its usual phanush display. Sachin Mukherjee (87) has decided not to release lanterns from his family’s five-storeyed home there, choosing instead to hold the programme at Bhadreshwar on Nov 22. Mukherjee usually holds his phanush release on the Sunday a week after Jagaddhatri Puja. His decision means Belgachhia too will miss a sight that had become part of its festive calendar. He said this may be his last year making phanush himself.In Hedua, the Duttas and the Mallicks are still waiting for permission. Their lanterns are ready, but the rooftops may remain empty on Kali Puja night. If the impasse continues, north Kolkata will lose, even if only for a year, a glowing ritual that has floated above its neighbourhoods for nearly a century.
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