Durga Puja (the annual homecoming of the goddess Durga as she visits her parents’ home on earth) is a very special time in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata). Apart from the usual festivities that are prevalent throughout, it is also a great time to see some amazing art installations in the form of “pandals” (pavilions) created to house the goddess.
According to the local authorities, there are over 3,000 such “pandals” all over the city and while it is physically impossible to see all of them during the course of the five days of the festival, I was fortunate to stumble upon a select few and was awed by the amazing display of art. Artists, architects and lighting designers from all over the country start planning six months ahead of the festival as each neighborhood tries to outdo the other by coming up with unique themes and concepts for the pandals. This year, artist Susanta Pal’s project (first image below) even involved painting a section of the neighborhood to fit the overall vision of the project.
It’s hard to believe that all this work (and resources) go into making the installations that are up for only a few days. Next year’s festivities start on October 2nd until the 6th … if you’re visiting India in 2011, don’t miss out!
Thank you for taking us to Calcutta through these terrific images, Ashok! How refreshing to see the work and craft put into ephemeral creations. Reminds me of Bali and the ceremonies there- a place very influenced by India and Hinduism.