Friday, 11 October 2024
Friday, 11 October 2024
Durga Puja in Bengal has grown over the years from religious celebrations to an explosion of creativity, with artists playing a key role in shaping the spectacle. These artists who design the elaborate pandals bring their own stories, inspirations and messages into their work.
The Telegraph Online speaks to six artists who explain how the art of Durga Puja has evolved over the years, the inspirations behind their creations, and how the Puja industry supports hundreds of families.
Moloy Roy: From graphics artist to pandal design
Moloy Roy, 48, from Amherst Street, was a graphic designer. He switched to pandal designing in 2015, driven by an interest in the craft. His work this year is on display at the Rajdanga Naboday Sangha, Hindustan Park and Ultadanga Bidhan Sangha.
“Durga Puja has changed drastically. When I used to go out for pandal hopping with my father there were just plain pandals made of bamboo and cloth and fewer women out at night; now it is entirely different. Prizes have been introduced. Now it is so competitive with big budgets. Material-based pandals are also a reality,” Roy says
He works with over 150 artisans from districts like the Sundarbans and Krishnagar. He takes pride in contributing to Bengal’s economy through his work at Bengal’s grand festival.
“The amount of money the workers under me get paid during Durga Puja runs their families for nearly four to six months. Durga Puja is an industry now, 10 per cent of Bengal’s GDP comes from it,” he says.
Anirban Das: A spiritual journey
Anirban Das, 45, from Dumdum Park, has been ideating Durga Puja pandals for over 20 years. This year, he has designed six pandals, including Dumdum Park Tarun Sangha and Ahiritola Sarbojanin.
“I do Puja at my home every day and not a single day goes by when I do not worship Her. It is an addiction. Durga Puja in Kolkata is a journey that has always been moving in a forward direction. There is so much focus on performing arts, video projections; it is no more about mere light installations,” Das says.
He highlighted how the transformation of Durga Puja pandals over the years helps people run their families.
“I worked with as many as 450-plus members in my team and the amount of money these people make during the season is enough to sustain them for five to six months. I feel proud that so many people get work because of me and I feel this is nothing but Maa Durga’s blessing on me,” adds Das.
Rintu Das: The message behind the Art
Rintu Das, 50, from Ruby, is an Arts College alumnus. He has been designing Durga Puja pandals and deciding themes since 2013. With a background in western painting, Rintu’s designs at Naktala Udayan Sangha and Kashi Bose Lane this year are filled with social messages.
At Kashi Bose Lane, the theme this year is Ratnagarbha, where Rintu portrays the womb as a source of power; at Naktala Udayan Sangha, Rintu puts the spotlight on the breakdown of joint families.
“In the last 11 years Durga Puja has changed significantly in Bengal. Now, there are art installations in the pandals, so many varieties. There are a large number of people involved in this also. The income of many workers have also increased. I worked with 350-plus people in two pandals. The entire world is looking at us now, and as artists we have great responsibility towards society to give a strong message” says Das.
Bhabatosh Sutar: From decorator to pandal designer
Bhabatosh Sutar, 50, is a designer from Behala. He has been involved in creating themes for the Durga Puja pandals for the past 30 years.
“After somehow passing out from the government Art College, there was a person in my para (neighbourhood) who used to sell bamboo. He also had a decorator business. One day, he told me: ‘You have passed out from Art College, why don’t you join me?’ Ever since then I am in this,” he says.
Bhabatosh’s work has evolved over the years. Earlier, his designs focused on traditional village art. This year, his themes at AK Block in Salt Lake and Arjunpur range from Brishti (rain) to a detailed interpretation of the Indian Constitution.
“Durga Puja in Kolkata has grown a lot in the last few decades. I feel the pandals also have less lighting as this is what works nowadays and this is also what goes with the theme. Previously I used to design differently focusing on traditional village work. Then we realised it is similar to what others are doing, and we started to put our creativity to work. Gradually it changed, I have also made Taj Mahal,” Sutar says.
Aditi Chakraborty: From studying botany to pandal design
Aditi Chakraborty, 47, from Behala, holds a postgraduate degree in Botany. But she found her inner calling in designing and learnt the tropes of the art by herself. She has been in the business for the last 11 years.
This year, Aditi’s creations can be seen at Dumdum Park Bharat Chokro Club and Bakul Bagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav.
“In Bakul Bagan the theme this year is Mashan where I worked on family rituals and dolls. In Bharat Chokro club the theme is Jamdani. The process of weaving a saree as it is a craft itself. I come from Purba Bardhaman gram [village] and I have seen the work on Jamdani since childhood. Hence, via this pandal I have given them a tribute,” Chakraborty says.
Somnath Tamli: Blend of tradition and modernity
Somnath Tamli, 39, a designer from Medinipur, has been involved in Durga Pujas for a decade. This year, he has worked on two pandals- Pally Unnayan Samity in Paschim Putiari and Tala Barowari.
At Pally Unnayan Samity, he focused on the traditional madur shilpo (mat industry) of Medinipur, while at Tala Barowari, Tamli paid tribute to Satyajit Ray’s cinematic world.
“I pursued a master’s in painting. I can say that Durga Puja in Bengal is changing every single year. Starting from perspective, the form, everything has changed. The festival is fully conceptual now, performance and contemporary art has also entered the festival,” says Tamli.
His work is defined by detailed textures and dim lighting, showing the shift in the festival’s artistic style.
“I focused on painting and team work and the two pandals are extremely different from one another in terms of texture and design where one focused on set design and the other on a semi realistic environment, and both are precious to me,” Tamli adds.
