Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

'London' is the theme of this year's Durga Puja pandal of Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata. But, the sarbojanin puja committee has decided to engage famous fashion designer Agnimitra Paul as the 'costume designer' of debi Durga and her family. What will be your reaction if you see 'costume design' of debi Durga and her family? Sure it will be a novel idea. The costume of debi Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartick, Ganesh and Asur will be made by the way costumes made for Bollywood stars. But, the traditional fragrance of costumes must be there in the design.             Agnimitra said, golden touch would be fitted for the sari of debi Durga. And thought some specific ideas for the costume of Lakshmi & Saraswati. But she think, it would be most pleasure for her to do the costume design of Asur. At the same time, Agnimitra will take care that the traditional sentiments will not hamper. So, it is very 'challenging' for her to do this job without br...

Sun is the theme of Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra Durga Puja. The sun is here like an iron ball and the rays are made of bamboos and aluminium foil. Models of about ten thousand human made of thermocole would be there inside the puja pandal. And the models will be wrapped by aluminum foil. Theme-maker Gouranga Kuilya. The image of goddess Durga would be very calm and traditional. It is their 12 year's puja. -- A. B.

The idol of goddess Durga into 45 feet high Shiva linga - it is the theme of Borisha Club this year, i.e. 'sristi' - the creation. One lakh eyes will clarify the mystery of creation. And to depict all these, the artist has taken the path of primitive sculpture. Feet of male and female will (as shown in the picture) will be installed at the side of pandal. Durga will stand here on the shoulder of asur and they'll fight. The idol of Durga and other gods would be made of brass. Red and black will be given priority. The songs will be composed by Tanmay Basu. -- A. B.

Goddess Durga is arriving on earth as the fairy of moon... and her childrens are also riding on moon. This unique idol of Durga made of fibre will be this year's puja of Chetla Agrani. And the mahisasur is praying to goddess to free him, sitting on the reverse bowl-like earth. There will be a 18 feet high Shiva linga. Theme-maker Bhabatosh Sutar. -- A. B.

Pace is the secret of success of human race. Bose Pukur Shitala Mandir Durga Puja committee would take the theme of this pace this year by displaying models of 40 and real 120 nos. of hand-pulling rickshaw in their puja pandal. The entire mandap would be like a hand-pulling rickshaw - but it would seen off & on - upside down. Three clay idols would be on the gate who will go ahead with the wheel by tearing the iron chains. They're using the 'shaal' woods to erect the whole pandal. And the lifestyle of adivasi community would be depicted on these logs of 'shaal'. The artist Biswanath Dey is creating the whole theme by the help of 16 artists of Midnapore who are creating the lifestyle of adivasi community on shaal woods. They're making these since last July. Alongwith shaal, mehgani, pyne, hoogly woods are also the ingredients of main pandal. The sari of debi Durga is a ghagra here, like a adivasi woman. The ornaments would be made of clay. And e...

Theme-maker Bandan Raha is creating the theme of Badamtala Aashar Sangha this year. And the theme is 'Ulto Pathe' - that means, they're walking on the reverse path. If you want to know what's in their mind, you have to go to their 74 year's old Durga Puja at Nepal Dev Bhattacharya street of south Kolkata. Excellent usage of lighting on the idol of goddess Durga would be the main attraction, and it will eye-pleasure at night. Besides the main pandal, eight numbers of gates would be there. And fables, art works would be depicted on the gates. The famous lighting of Sri Babu Das of Chandannagar will make the pandal gorgeous. -- A. B.

Quit consumerism, take the path of devotion - it is the theme of Nishi Banerjee Street's Kumortuli Sarbojanin Durgotsab. They're creating several temples like Siddheswari, Dhakeswari, Bagala, Manasa, Madan Mohan temple etc. The goddess Durga will establish at Durga Mandir on lotuses. And the ancient real atmosphere inside temples would be created. -- A. B.

Sri Bhumi Sporting Club of Lake Town is preparing the puja pandal with a theme of ancient mythology in which aesthetic value of our heritage and cultural posterity would be depicted. -- A. B.

The bright colours of incredible Rajasthan would be the theme of Ballygunge Cultural Association's Durga puja. Sri Pradip Rudra Paul is the clay artist and Sri Goutam Basu the theme-maker. The idol of goddess Durga would be given a Rajasthani look. The traditional clothings of Rajasthan and ornaments like churi, tip, tickli would be on the image and will be a total look of traditional Rajasthani girl wearing lehenga choli, although the motherly touch of traditional Bengali girl would also be on the image. Even, the famous puppet culture, music and traditional heritage of Rajasthan would also be part and parcel of this year's Puja. -- A. B.

This year's Durga Puja of Ganguly Bagan Milani club would be a different because Samir Aich is the creative artist of puja pandal. He will represent a different image of goddess Durga, who would be an idol of super power, born to kill demon. You can see in this picture, how the idol will look. Helmet would be on the head, hands, weapons all the things would be there with obvious artistic mood, even Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartick, Ganesh would be on the image of goddess Durga. Thousands of white birds will fly inside the puja pandal. In short, it would be a different experience to visit the puja pandal of Ganguly Bagan Milani club. -- A. B.

On the occasion of this 92 year's Durga Puja, Tala Baroari, the organisers are trying to pick a piece of nat mandir of Odhisa by the help of hay. The artists of Odhisa are creating the artwork. If you look at this pandal from outside, this 35 feet pandal would surrender to you as a thatched-roof building. But its inside hue would be different. The floating nat mandir of Puri is surrounded by three sides, but here all the sides would be made of plywood. The 125 feet long and 60 feet wide playground of the club is being used to erect the puja pandal. The Odisi form will be there on the image of goddess Durga. A beautiful peacock would welcome you to watch the idol of goddess Durga. The peacock will be made of wood and coloured bamboos, chumki, jori and shola. Theme-maker Amar Sarkar is creating this puja pandal to entertain visitors of all ages. -- A. B.

The theme of Pally Mangal Samity, Prince Anwar Shah Road Durga Puja is the 'vani' of Upanishad - 'Uttishthita Jago'. The entire pandal would be made by the shape of lotus. And lotus is here the symbol of downtrodden of the society. Floating lotus leaves will be there each weigh of 55-56 grams. All the decorative lotuses, its leaves will be fake but owing to craftsmanship, will look like original. 70 models of downtrodden, whom faces will be of lotuses, would be there. The artist Snehasis Manna thinks, the theme of lotus and peaceful image of goddess Durga would represent the blend of Bouddha (lotus) and Bengal. -- A. B.

The heritage of ancient Bengal is the theme of Dum Dum Mall Pally Sarbojanin Durga Puja. This year they're trying to grab the past by adorning pieces of colourful clothes. The idol of goddess Durga is of traditional daaker saaj, but something new on it will be the target of organisers. They're not using 'shola', but their endeavor is to create effect of 'daaker saaj' through pieces of coloured clothes. The traditional puppet culture would be depicted here through ancient days of heritage and custom. Somnath Mukhopadhyay is the theme-maker. -- A. B.

The theme of Kalighat Sanghashree Durga Puja is 'chalchitra'. It is very unique theme. In this 67 year's puja, the Sanghashree club of Gurupada Halder road is trying to amalgamate old with new. And for this purpose, they're creating the whole puja mandap with various chalchitras (the backdrop of idols). The theme-maker Somnath Mukhopadhyay is now busy with the theme using the colours of rainbow as seen in the picture. The walls of this puja pandal will be 35 feet long and full of colourful chalchitras. Paper pulp is being used to give the environment a different dimension. -- A. B.

Kakurgachhi Progressive Youth Association is busy to create the puja pandal where the idol of goddess Durga would be established inside a burning fireball. The 21 feet long flames of this fireball would be there at the top of pandal. And the most amazing part of this puja is that, various utensils ate being used to create the theme. Theme-maker Anirban Das. Ma Durga is the symbol of woman power, so, common household utensils are being used here. Even, the idols of various gods would be made of utensils . The pandal will be of two storied. Water and lotus forest would be at first floor. Eight nos of snakes will decorate the railings of staircases, all of them are of 30-35 feet long. The goddess Durga is 'Ranachandi' here, because, this image was depicted as 'Mahisasurmardini'. The puja is 48 year's old. A. B.

A collage of various tribal villages of Andhra Pradesh is the theme of Behala Buroshibtala Janakalyan Sangha Durga Puja. Last year, the theme 'maner manush' was bagged various prizes. So, this year, theme-makers Subodh Roy and Amit Halder expect, viewers will be charmed to see the village on 200 acres land. The customs and traditions of a tribal village will be depicted at the puja mandap. The pumpkin within a rope cage is the auspicious sign at a tribal house of Andhra. Four rooms are being made, where the pumpkins would be hanged. Three coconut trees would be used in such a manner that you can think a mother is lapping two babies. An idol of Shiva-Parvati with Ganesh on their lap of 16 feet high would be there outside the main pandal. An artificial canal has been dug where, from fishery to marketing - all the processes can be experienced. The visitors have to cross the canal by wooden bridge to see the idol of goddess Durga. The main pandal would be surrounded b...

The lotus flower is the symbol of peace. And the organisers of Santoshpur Lakepally Durga Puja are creating the puja pandal as the model of Delhi's Lotus Temple. This 54 year's puja will see the weapon-less idol of goddess Durga. Theme-maker Purnendu Dey is now busy to creat this weapon-less temple with 30 creative artists and by the elements of bamboo, wood, metals like bronz, brass, aluminum etc. Lighting and colour would be the main factor of this peaceful puja. -- A. B.

Do you remember the poem 'Palkir Gaan' by Satyendranath Dutta? Salil Chowdhury once composed the poem and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay sung the song by his unparallel voice. The organisers of this year's Kasba Shakti Sangha Durga Puja trying to bring back those forgotten days when a Palki was the only vehicle of rural Bengal. Moreover, they're trying to bring back the forgotten culture and crafts of rural Bengal. They're trying to establish the total picture as depicted in the poem. So, 12 huts are creating including the main pandal. Kamarshala, Goalghar, Paathshala, groceries - all the units of a village would be created here. Hence, you can find a village as it was 200 years ago. Even birds, banyan trees, animals, paddy fields - all the aspects of a rural village will be there in their puja pandal. You can find a pond there in which, lotus plants has been planted to get lotuses. Various types of fishes would be there and also a small bridge on the pond. The...

Nature and woman - unification of both are depicting Dum Dum Park Tarun Dal in their puja pandal of this 35 year's Durga Puja. And the ingredient of this theme is - wool, colourful wools. The female artisans of Laxmikantapur are now busy with implementation of this theme with about 500 kgs wool. They're creating this artwork since last February. The sky, soil and water - three stages of their pandal. At first, you have to go through the sky, then have to cross soil and lastly the water.Anirban Das is the theme-maker. Suppose, you're going across sky, then you can see flying birds and ducks, the autumn clouds will float, lot of fairies and butterflies, but when you comes on earth, you can see the dancing santhals, singing bauls, riders on elephants. Moreover, trees, birds, deers - all will be there. At last, when you comes on water, you'll see bloomed lotuses , fishes, egrets, mermaids... and the wonderful thing is that, all these things would be made of wo...