Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

"শাশ্বত শান্তি" is the theme of Ultodanga Pallyshree. Theme-maker Sushanta Paul is creating the theme by only white colour. White is the colour of peace. On this present day atmosphere, peace is an urgent need of earth. So, all the houses, walls, even lamp posts are being painted white. Jahar Lal Dutta Lane of Ultodanga is adorning itself with only white.The entire puja mandap would be white. The idols will be image of peace by the help of colour white. -- A. B.

On this 68th year, theme-maker Sanjay Das is depicting the present day status of women in our society by the help of pictures for the Durga puja mandap of Khiddirpur Udayan. -- A. B.

On this 45th year, Nabarag club of Kabitirtha area at Khiddirpur is adopting the theme against water pollution and filling of pools. Their catchline: "জল দূষণ নয়, রক্ষা করব জলাশয়, জলই জীবন, জল বাঁচাতে করব মরণপণ"। Theme-maker Sanjay Das is creating this theme by the help of his oil painting on 15x12 ft canvas. 3D effect is being imposed on this painting to aware the people against water pollution of rivers and filling of pools. The idol of Debi Durga is now nearing completion here. -- A. B.

The puja mandap is adorning itself with various models. -- A. B.

On this 57th year, theme-maker Kamaldeep Dhar is creating the theme - "বর্ণের মিলন" for Haridebpur 41 Pally. Amalgamation of Aryan & non-Aryan would be depicted here by handicrafts. Colourful clay idol of goddess Durga will attract viewers, they think. -- A. B.

On this 14th year, theme-maker Shib Shankar Das is creating a colourful theme - "সৃষ্টি যখন বর্ণময়"। All the colours of this universe may be depicted here. Many silver balls will be used inside the pandal where all the colours inside the pandal will be reflected and a new colour would be created. The idol of Debi Durga will be traditional here. -- A. B.

On this diamond jubillee year, theme-maker Bhabatosh Sutar is making the idol of Ahiritola Sarbojanin. 'TIME' is the theme. Both the mechanical and spiritual time is being depicted here by various aspects. The clay idol of Debi Durga is 40 feet high and has 28 hands. The usual 10 hands will hold weapons, but rest of the hands will hold lotuses. Colourful lightings will attract the viewers. -- A. B.

On this 102nd year, Sikdar Bagan is being adorned by mushrooms. Lakhs of colourful mushroom will decorate the puja pandal. Hence, "প্রকৃতি মায়ের চরণ চুমে / সাজাই তোমায় মাশরুমে" is the theme of this Nature-oriented puja mandap. Theme-maker Subrata Bandyopadhyay is also making the clay idol of Debi Durga. -- A. B.

This evening, I went to Serampore to observe Vishwakarma puja there. And I've seen many puja pandals. I'm delighted and happy to see this year too. -- A. B.

On this 49th year, Haridebpur Vivekananda Sporting Club is adopting the theme of wheel (চাকা)। Wheel is part of our life. We've life cycles which play vital role in our life. Sudarshan Chakra of lord Krishna is also a wheel, symbolic, to destroy the evil and establish victory of good. Theme-maker Krishanu Paul is making this theme where all kind of wheels would be exhibited. -- A. B.

On this platinum jubillee year, Howrah Uttar Khurut is adopting the theme 'sea' by the help of theme-maker Ashim Panja. The colourful life of underwater would be seen at their puja mandap. Clay artist of Kumortuli Ashim Pal is making the idol of Debi Durga. -- A. B.

Vishwakarma puja of this morning at a puja mandap near Nalikul rail station. -- A. B.

On this 68th year, theme-maker Gouranga Kuilya is preparing the theme 'Ravan Raj' for Durga puja of Bhawanipore Agradut Uday Sangha. A gigantic Ravan, 50 ft wide and 30 ft high, will welcome visitors. The walls would depict various episodes of epic Ramayana. -- A. B.

On this 8th year, Haridebpur New Sporting Club is preparing the puja mandap by 50 Lakhs buttons. -- A. B.

On Vishwakarma puja, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar used to go to the famous 'Salkia House' of late Pulak Bandyopadhyay, the popular lyricist. Uttam Kumar used to fly kites with Pulak babu and his cousin brothers on the roof. After the ceremony of flying kites, delicious foods cooked for him attracted Mahanayak, and he used to enjoy the day in that house of Howrah. After the lunch, sometimes he used to drive to go to Topchanchi with relatives of Pulak babu. It was Uttam Kumar's favourite place. Pulak babu's elder sister Parul Debi was married to the son of Dwarika Chakraborty - famous barister of Bhawanipore and Parul Devi's son Sunil Chakraborty was bosom friend of Uttam Kumar. And by that source, he used to go to Sunil babu's maternal uncle's home 'Salkia House' with him. He used to go there on the eve of Vishwakarma puja and his car was used to packed with kites and 'latai'. Source: Newspaper -- A. B.

Tomorrow is Vishwakarma puja, and the day to fly colourful kites. Tiger and parakeet too... -- A. B.

On this 64th year, theme-maker Chand Ratan Halder is creating a piece of "Beautiful Bengal" (রূপসী বাংলা) for Durga puja of Haridebpur Adarsha Samity. The ground of samity is now simply a piece of rural Bengal where all the vegetables are growing naturally, all the rural trees of flowers are spreading fragrances, 12 thatched roof cottages can be seen. Ma Durga is coming here like a common mother with four children. Moreover, many fishes can be found here on artificial ponds. Cattle, duck, poultry birds can be seen in the shades here. At night, crickets, frogs may call here just like a typical village. -- A. B.

On this 28th year, theme-maker Bhabatosh Sutar is making the puja pandal of Naktala Udayan Sangha. "জীবন তরী" is the theme. By using three colours on the pandal 'sea' is being created. The idol of Debi Durga would be of fibre. Symbolic boat will float on the 'sea' there. -- A. B.

Durga pujo of Nalin Sarkar Street is one of the main attraction of north Kolkata. On this 82nd year, they're adopting the theme of mirror. "বোধের দর্পণে বোধন" is the theme where theme-maker Parimal Pal is making the puja pandal with mirrors. -- A. B.

Theme-maker Sanatan Dinda is making the idol of goddess Durga for Chetla Agrani club. -- A. B.

On this 80th year, theme-maker Surendra Nath Surai is creating the theme "আমরা বাঁচতে সবুজ বাঁচাব" (save life save green) for Durga puja of Mudiali Club. Seeds of grass, mushrooms, creeps of grass, part of mehgani fruit, bamboo, wooden batam, cane, wool, chatai of mooli bamboo, shola, signboards etc would be used to make natural atmosphere. Big replica of birds are being made by tin, shola. Clay artist Asit Pal is making the traditional idol of Debi Durga. Weapons made of brass would be on 10 hands of Durga. Colourful LED lights will attract the visitors here. -- A. B.

On this 80th year, theme-maker Mahendra Paul is creating the puja pandal of Hatibagan Nabin Pally by adopting model of aristocrat house of Bishnupur in Bankura district. For this purpose, 10 thousand lanterns would be flamed at the mandap, and so, the theme is "হাতে লন্ঠন করে ঠনঠন"। On this age of electricity, lanterns are neglected, obsolete; but its traditional values may be promoted. Hence, by establishing traditional idol and pandal, they want to attract viewers more. -- A. B.

Theme-maker Shubho is creating the theme of Deshpriyo Park by a lotus - artificial though. The mandap would be revolving. Artists of Pashchim Medinipur are painting the clothes with various pictures. Clay artist Sanatan Pal is making the idol. -- A. B.

On this 35th year, Shyama Sangha is adopting the theme of Egyptian art form - "বর্ণযাত্রা"। Theme-maker Sourajit Banerjee is creating this colourful theme by the help of bamboo, plywood, wood, cane, plaster-of-paris, cement, sand, foam, broken pieces of ceramics etc. Here is the miniature model of their puja pandal. -- A. B.

This year, the puja pandal of Singhi Park is building in the shape of Somnath Temple, the famous mandir of lord Shiva, situated in Gujarat. -- A. B.