Kolkata: The Bengal govt will invite PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to attend a mega event at Eden Gardens on Mahalaya (Oct 10), which will ring in Durga Puja festivity.The govt is aiming for a slot in record books with the programme, much like Assam’s Bihu performance in April 2023 and a traditional dance programme in Andhra Pradesh last month, both of which made it to Guinness World Records. The PM had attended both celebrations.While the Bihu show in Guwahati featured 11,304 dancers and 2,548 drummers, the event in Andhra’s Bhogapuram stood out for the participation of 14,000 tribal girls.“Mahalaya will be a big event. The Prime Minister and home minister will be invited. We will let you know (about their participation) once we get confirmation,” CM Suvendu Adhikari said in Balurghat on Wednesday.Over the years, BJP had criticised former CM Mamata Banerjee for inaugurating Durga Pujas on Mahalaya, which marks the end of Pitri Paksha and the start of Devi Paksha, and hosting the post-Puja carnival on Red Road, accusing her of political posturing and trivialising religious traditions.Officials said the govt wants to organise the Mahalaya event keeping in mind the spirit of Durga Puja, which transcends religion and embraces art and cultural heritage of the state. The event, to be attended by guests from across India and abroad, could feature thousands of artistes, including dhakis, folk dancers and other performers.The organisers are planning to stage a show depicting the history of Durga Puja and showcase practices associated with the festivity, such as dhunuchi naach.Kolkata’s Durga Puja earned international recognition and was inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. The event on Mahalaya could be used to promote Bengal as a festival tourism destination, officials said.The govt hopes that the Oct 10 programme would be grander than the events in Assam and Andhra Pradesh. Eden Gardens, officials said, is a much bigger venue than Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, which hosted the record-breaking Bihu performance.