Sambandh, a Bengali association based at Helsingborg (Sweden), celebrated its fourth Durga Puja this year. The non-profit organisation was started in 2019 by a few ‘probashi’ Bengali families in the Scandinavian nation. A fibreglass Durga idol was sourced from Kolkata last year with a five-year plan in mind. As with many ‘probashi pujos’, there is no immersion; the idol is wrapped and stored for reuse
All photos courtesy Sambandh
At least 500 people collaborated, contributed and connected to replicate the festivities in Sweden. The footfall was not just limited to Indians and Bengalis, but expats and locals also joined in to soak in the spirit of the festival. In 2020, around 40 families and 10 organisers started the Durgotsav. In 2023, the number has increased to 400 members within the community
The theme of the puja was ‘Karukrit’, a celebration of art and creation. The artists within the Sambandh community came together to honour folk arts and artists, incorporating Aipan art of Uttarakhand, Madhubani from Bihar, Warli from Maharashtra, Gond from Madhya Pradesh and Kathakali and Theyyam from Kerala into the festive decor
Gond painting is a renowned folk art from tribal communities of central India. The traditional artists believe that viewing a good painting brings good luck. There were no specialist artists hired to create the paintings for the Durgotsav, but six artists within the core group — all working professionals in Helsingborg with a passion for art — contributed to create the artworks for the decor
Culture has been a strong point of Sambandh. This year’s Durgotsav featured an inaugural classical dance, as well as Bangla songs and theatre by the members. The first-generation Bengalis, who started this puja in Helsingborg, expect to expand with their children taking up the mantle in the years to come
