Durga Puja in West Bengal, primarily in the capital metropolis Kolkata, is synonymous with opulence and themed-pandals, which depict the varied features of human life. It attracts individuals from all throughout the state — typically even the nation and the world — who make a pit cease right here to get pleasure from the artistic splash of certainly one of the greatest cultural occasions in the nation.
Last 12 months, amid the pandemic, the coronavirus was successful theme amongst idol makers and pandal planners. If you bear in mind, there was even the ‘migrant mom‘ (Goddess Durga in Kolkata’s Barisha Club normal to seem like a migrant employee carrying her youngsters), which made quite a lot of information, owing to how topical it was.
And in the years earlier than that, there have been depictions of many issues beneath the solar, from journey-themed shamianas, to idols sculpted with biscuits and even ice! Let’s simply say, there is no such thing as a dearth of expertise and concepts when it comes to sculpting idols and deciding on themes in Kolkata. A good-looking prize cash/reward is a big incentive.
While the pandemic rages on and issues proceed to look grim, it has not stopped individuals from unleashing their artistic expertise, which has been lined in the information and photographed extensively in the days main to the precise graduation of the pageant this 12 months. While there’s a cap on gatherings, and social-distancing norms proceed to be adopted, the typical buzz and chaotic insanity is absent. But, you may nonetheless get pleasure from the occasion just about.
Here’s a spherical-up of some attention-grabbing themes this 12 months. Should you think about venturing out, ensure you safely get pleasure from the pageant.
* Trust a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal to showcase no matter is making information in the type of a complete pandal devoted to it. Expressing solidarity with farmers — who proceed to protest round the nation in opposition to Centre’s agrarian legal guidelines — in the wake of the latest incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, a puja pandal in Kolkata has been crafted to mimic the harrowing episode.
Nalin Sarkar Street. (Express picture by Shashi Ghosh)
* Indian Express photographer Shashi Ghosh additionally shared photos of a puja pandal in Nalin Sarkar Street, which is made to seem like 70s’ Bollywood, full with hand-painted commercials, and classic film posters and actor cutouts. The theme has been aptly named ‘Phiria daou tulir tan‘, meaning, ‘give us back the brush stroke’ — a type of artwork which has been misplaced in the digital age.
* This 12 months, Kolkata’s Sreebhumi Sporting Club has replicated Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The membership has designed a 145-feet pandal which has been modelled to seem like the iconic Dubai tower.
Burj Khalifa in Kolkata! (Express picture by Shashi Ghosh)
* The Hatibagan Sarbojanin Club has modelled its pandal on the theme ‘Pichutan‘, which means a yearning or a longing for something that you cannot go back to. Simply put, it recreates the Kolkata of the 70s. This year’s puja can be carried out to present the way it used to be carried out in previous Kolkata a number of a long time in the past.
Hatibagan Sarbojanin Club. (Express picture by Shashi Ghosh)
* This image from Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja, which is in its 84th 12 months, is mesmerising. While the theme is unknown, we love the aesthetics and the intricacies.
Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja. (Express picture by Shashi Ghosh)
* In the Bandhu Mahal Club in Baguiati, one idol has been put in with eyes of gold and one other idol has been draped in a saree that has gold embroidery on it. The saree prices Rs 1.5 lakh, and the eyes of the idol are fabricated from greater than 10 grams of gold, Kartik Ghosh, an organiser, was quoted as telling ANI.
West Bengal: Goddess Durga wears a golden designer saree & has eyes fabricated from gold at a pandal in Baguiati, Kolkata
“The saree, in which 6 grams of gold is used, cost Rs 1.5 lakhs. The eyes of the idol are made of more than 10 grams of gold,” says Kartik Ghosh, an organiser pic.twitter.com/8SizmIoKFP
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2021
* In north Kolkata’s Nabin Pally Puja, the pandal has been designed in a method in order to pay tribute to those that died throughout the second wave of the Covid an infection. Photos of the deceased, hanging urns and a Mahishasura with folded palms give a haunting reminder that the pandemic is the larger evil to struggle.
Nabin Pally Puja. (Express picture by Shashi Ghosh)
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