A Walk Through The Lanes of Kolkata on Durga Puja: The Biggest Festival of West Bengal

A festival that binds the Bengali community like none other, Durga Puja was overshadowed by COVID-19, just like all other festivities, last year. However, this year, with a large chunk of the population being vaccinated, the Pujo spirit was back to a large extent in Kolkata. Here's a look at some of the most awe-inspiring pandals of this year's Pujo in the city.

1) Babubagan: The pandal at Babubagan resembled a library, as the theme this year was "200 years of Bengal Renaissance". The Durga idol, too, resembled a book illustration.

2) Hindustan Park: The old Kolkata building that you see in the picture below is a pandal and housed this year's "pratima" at the Hindustan Park pujo.

3) Selimpur: At this pandal, one saw multiple caged Durgas and puppets, with a giant hand that pulled the strings, literally.

4) Tridhara Sammilani: The Durga at Tridhara this year nursed a sick Asura, instead of killing it, probably as a reminder of the importance of mercy at this hour of crisis.

5) Hindustan Club: The entire pandal and additional decor at Hindustan Club this year was made of stray branches, scraps, and waste material, including cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and bottle caps.

6) Jodhpur Park: There were two goddesses at the Jodhpur Park mandap this year, and one of them was seen slaying the "Coronasura". The decor, too, was a mixture of the corona theme and snippets from old folktales and Bengali children's literature.

7) Pally Mangal: Found this right next to Jodhpur Park mandap. Another pandal themed on the lockdown, with clay birds inside cages, reminding us of our plight.

8) 66 Pally: This pujo had women "dhakis" and women priests this year, breaking all age-old, patriarchal norms.

9) Mudiali: Although theme-pujo is a big deal in Kolkata, there are also these traditional pandals that remain true to their origins.

10) Hatibagan Nobin Pally: The pujo at this "para" was dedicated to the people of the locality who had passed away last year and this year due to COVID-19.

11) Hatibagan Sarbojonin: This puja recreated an old "para" and the traditional mandap.

12) Bagbazar: Called the "Maddox Square of North Kolkata", this pujo stayed true to its traditional image.

13) Jagat Mukherjee Park: A few steps away from Bagbazar lies the Jagat Mukherjee Park, and this year, their mandap reflected local cane and jute art in all its splendour.

14) Rani Rashmonir Bari, Janbazar: This is one of the "Bonedi Bari Pujos" of Kolkata. The traditional home of Rani Rashmoni, this old "bari" celebrated their homely pujo with proper COVID measures.

15) Santoshpur Trikon Park: Old Kolkata, with its taxis and hand-pulled rickshaws, was the theme at this pujo this year.

16) Shuruchi Sangha: An old marketplace, replete with movie posters, hangers full of clothes, and hoardings--- that was all about Suruchi Sangha's theme this year. The sight was heavenly!

17) Singhi Park: Another traditional pujo, with a tinge of an environmental theme in their pandal and decor.

18) Samaj Sebi: A pandal made entirely of household appliances --- that was what Samaj Sebi's pujo looked like this year.

19) 95 Pally: A typical "graam bangla" scene, replete with farmers, household utensils, and "kaash phool" --- that's what the 95 Pally mandap showcased this pujo.

20) Ballygunge Cultural Association: A village adorned with madhubani decor is what this pujo had to offer this year.

21) Badamtala Ashar Sangha: This puja committee adorns the nearby buildings with creative murals every year. This year, instead of a clay idol, they presented a 3-D art, showcasing Durga as a village homemaker.

22) Santoshpur Avenue: From the "alpona" that adorned the streets to the unconventional Durga, surrounded by what looked liked rice bags, Santoshpur Avenue's pujo was a hit this year.

23) Chetla Agrani: A beautiful temple, with awe-inspiring golden decor is what this puja had in store for the "darshanarthis" this year.

24) Ekdalia Evergreen: This iconic pujo is known for its gigantic chandelier. Alas, this year, it was not visible to the crowds, as the courts had passed a strict order to not allow anybody apart from the "para" community within the pandals, due to the COVID scare.

25) Shib Mandir: This pandal was made of items of daily use. The decor included even a bicycle and chappals.

26) Nolin Sarkar Street: This puja created a 70s-themed settlement and focused on billboards, ads, and movie posters of the time.

Of course, there was also the famed Sreebhumi Sporting Club pujo and their Burj Khalifa pandal, which has, by now, gained international renown. Unfortunately, the pandal's gates were closed to the common public since Ashtami night, after it drew thousands of pandal hoppers and created a near-stampede amid the COVID crisis.

Here's hoping, Devi Durga will truly help us defeat the pandemic by next year and we will witness a bigger and better Pujo, replete with the mandatory Pujo parikrama with friends, the jhalmuri and phuchka at the crowded pandals, and the awe-inspiring splendour and surreal creativity that Pujo in Kolkata is all about.