The most awaited festival of the year is around the corner, and we are ready to cheer! As a Bengali, I’m bursting with joy and excitement for this grand occasion. Durga puja is not just a celebration; it’s a way of life for us. We feel deeply connected with this festival and the divine power that blesses us.
Every year, the entire City of Joy transforms into a wonderland of outstanding pandals, each with a unique theme and a social message and this year is no exception.
I can’t wait to get all dolled up, join my friends and go pandal-hopping from Shoshti to Dashami. I know you’re eager, too. So, here’s a handy list of the 10 best pandals that you should not miss this season. Ready to be amazed? Check it out!
1. Sree Bhumi Sporting Club - DisneyLand
What if the magic of Disneyland meets the splendor of Durga Puja? That is the dazzling theme that awaits the devotees at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town.
The club has already kickstarted the festive mood with the Khuti Pujo ceremony, where they revealed their grand plan to recreate the iconic Disneyland for this year’s Durga Puja. The club is busy with the preparations to welcome Maa Durga and her children with all the pomp and glory that they deserve.
2. Suruchi Sangha - Maati (soil/roots)
Suruchi Sangha has a reputation for creating stunning mandaps with original themes. This year, they have chosen a mysterious theme that revolves around Maati (soil). They will reveal their concept only around Mahalaya, the day that marks the beginning of Durga Puja. We are eagerly waiting to see what they have in store for us.
3. North Kolkata’s Jagat Mukherjee Park - Homage To Nude Models
Jagat Mukherjee Park in North Kolkata has chosen a remarkable theme this year. The club is honouring the life and work of Phulkumari Das, a veteran artist’s model who has posed for legends like Bikash Bhattacharya and Ganesh Haloi. The theme is inspired by the senior nude model and her contribution to the art world.
4. Pathuriaghata Pancher Pally - Menstrual Hygiene
Pathuriaghata Pancher Pally has decided to break the silence on ‘menstrual hygiene’ as their theme this year. How amazing is that? The committee wants to challenge the orthodox views that treat this as a taboo. It hopes to celebrate menstruation as a natural process that doesn’t need to be hidden or shamed.
5. Chetla Agrani - One's Struggle with Fate /Destiny
After much speculation and hushed rumours, we have finally confirmed that Chetla Agrani has gone for a very intense theme this year ‘Je Jekhane Darie’, that will portray a person’s struggle with fate or destiny. And we are dying to see how the mandap will capture this theme.
6. Santoshpur Lake Pally Puja - Swatantra
Santoshpur lake pally puja has gone for ‘Swantantra’ as their theme this year, and will display the wonders of meditation and its significance in today’s busy life. After all, we all deserve a chance to escape from the frantic and boring concrete lifestyle. Don’t we?
7. Kalyani Durga Puja Pandal - Macau’s Grand Lisboa
Kalyani, a small town in West Bengal, is all set to stun us again with another amazing pandal for 2023. Last year, it amazed us with its Petronas Twin Towers theme, modelled after Malaysia’s awesome landmark.
This year, it’s going to be the iconic Grand Lisboa, a splendid hotel and casino in Macau that is famous for its flair and glitz. And we just can't feast our eyes on its magnificence right here in Kalyani's Luminous Club.
8. Naktala Udayana Sangha - Anti-Ragging
Naktala Udayan Sangha in south Kolkata is ready to shake things up this Durga Puja. Their pandal theme will expose the evils of ragging and how we can stop this scourge from society. With intense visuals & art installations, the Puja committee plans to showcase the terrors of ragging and spread the message of zero tolerance to such bullying.
9. Deshapriya Park - White Temple Thailand
Deshapriya Park is the star attraction. This year, it has a plan to dazzle us with Thailand’s white temple covering over 1200 sq. feet. It’s believed that the white temple in Thailand is a heavenly masterpiece because of its mystical aura. And we are super excited to see this magnificent pandal right here in the city of joy, this Pujo.
10. Pallir Jubak Brinda Club in North Kolkata - Chandrayaan-3
Pallir Jubak Brinda Club at Sitaram Ghosh Street in north Calcutta is going for a stellar theme this year, Chandrayaan-3, and are busy creating a giant Vikram replica that will be their pandal. Visitors will be thrilled to see Maa Durga sitting in the lander model that will be resting on the ground looking like the lunar surface.
So, which of these amazing pandals are you planning to visit with your friends and family? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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