Asansol: There is a temple, a dedicated postal address and structures that once reverberated with the murmurs of the dwellers. But for the past 15 years, a village in Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal has been deserted by its residents.
The only time Bengagram, near Niyamatpur town, close to Kulti, springs to life is during Laxmi Puja, the first full moon night after Durga Puja. People gather around the temple and install the deity for nocturnal worship, accompanied by rituals and a community feast.
The next morning, the villagers abandon their ancestry with the immersion of the idol of the goddess. According to some former village men, in 2008-09 a rumour about the presence of ghosts petrified the people who started departing their sweet homes.
“The story of ghosts is not fully true. Initially, it didn't find much relevance among the villagers, but later, it gained traction as it got stuck in their minds with innumerable retellings. This prompted them to sever ties with the ancestry," said a villager who also took the same path.
He said the government's apathy towards this grim situation is the cause of the mass departure. At the time they jettisoned the village, there was no development work. Basic amenities like roads, drinking water, and electricity were starkly missing. Though a railway line passes near the village, it has turned more into a bane than a boon as thugs often break wagons of goods trains to smuggle things out. Moreover, a sense of being left out pervaded the villagers' minds, ultimately resulting in their abandonment.
The news of the mass exodus prompted the local administration to act quickly. Electricity poles were erected overnight, and villagers were promised new connections if they considered repatriation. The Asansol civic body paved the solitary dirty track the villagers used for decades. Asansol Mayor Jitendra Tewari promised drinking water lines to every household once the dwellers returned. However, residents of Benagram preferred their alternative addresses rather than believing in the administration's promise.
The only exception is Laxmi Puja, when generators are hired to illuminate Benagram with decorative lights, and every household spends sleepless nights awaiting the goddess's visit for prosperity.
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