A unique celebration of Kali Puja took place at Ballygunge’s Kapur Villa between November 11 and 13, with residents Gagan Kapur and Oiendrila Ray Kapur joining hands with Kounteya Sinha to source 72 renditions of Kali from 13 artists as part of Koi Kali Puja or Shobar Pujo. The three co-founders of Koi, a luxury travel start-up, also welcomed 15 women dhaakis to the event, which was attended by US consul general Melinda Pavek, actors-turned-MLAs June and Agnimitra Paul, actors Mumtaz Sorcar and Koneenica Banerjee, thespian and musician Pranati Tagore and Kolkata Centre for Creativity chairperson Richa Paul, among others.
Inclusivity was the overarching theme at the puja Amit Pramanik
“Nothing that we do at Koi, we do alone. We always want everybody to be a part of it,” observed Sinha, as Maa Kali found herself surrounded by artist Rini Seal’s alpana and artwork-filled saris. The 72 renditions of the goddess were curated on everything from wood etchings to acrylic, from ceramic and enamel to textiles and more, and were displayed at Kapur Villa for all three days of the event following the inauguration on November 11. Among the artists featured were Gosto Kumar, Bobo, Partha Dasgupta, Argha Dipta Kar, Sunetra Lahiri, Arjun Prashad, Chonddak Majumder, Srikanta Paul, Jonathan Matas, Priti Roy, Gouri Saha, Rini Seal and Hemal Kapadia. Most of the pieces were showcased to the public for the very first time as they usually inhabit private collections accessible to a select few. “Kali represents the force of time, carrying both destruction and the creation of life and the universe. This makes her unique, inspiring generations of great artists and their work. However, the art world has seen very little of this repertoire,” stated Oiendrila Ray Kapur, when asked what birthed the idea to host such a celebration.
Some of the artwork on display at Kapur Villa, featuring paintings by Partha Dasgupta (left) and Argha Dipta Kar Amit Pramanik
Priti Roy’s artwork featured Kali embracing her sacrificial animal and thus taking a stand against the act of inhumanity. On the other hand, senior artist Paul’s painting highlighted one who is not only boundless but also a representation of women who can transform into Kali when needed.
Jonathan Matas’s painting Amit Pramanik
As for Matas, he started painting his portrait of Kali the moment the midnight puja started. He only put the brush down after the purohit had recited the last chants.
(From left) Suprovo Tagore, Kounteya Sinha, Oiendrila Ray Kapur and Ritwika Chaudhuri Koi
“What I like best about this puja is the sense of inclusiveness. The sense of belonging that they create for all of us is something to learn from… One of us handled the puja end of things and the other person looked after the logistics of it this year. The boron for the puja, usually reserved for married women, was done by a friend of ours who identifies as a transwoman. Such is the inclusiveness that Koi Kali Puja stands for,” said Suprovo Tagore and Ritwika Chaudhuri, co-directors of Shriek of Silence, a Kolkata-based theatre start-up.
The diyas at the puja were handcrafted by girls inhabiting the slums of Chetla Koi
Complementing the artwork, bang in the middle of the courtyard, sat a table decorated with splashes of aalta, blood-red flowers and sparkling diyas, handcrafted by girls who inhabit the slums of Chetla. To inaugurate the event, Sinha asked everyone present to unveil Kali’s face and also light the diyas while pledging to light up others’ lives in the same way. The evening was also graced by aural accompaniments by elocutionist Korak Basu and classical singer Sohini Roy Chowdhury, who performed the Kali Kirtan and Vivekananda’s poems on the goddess. “Kali is the goddess of time, of creation, of preservation and of destruction,” stated Basu.
Guests speak
Mumtaz Sorcar, actress Koi
“To see how they have done up the whole place is wonderful. Kali is the symbol of womanhood at its extremes. Many may beg to differ, but I believe that Kali is the symbolisation of ultimate power, motherly and home-loving yet bold and extreme. To witness so many artists’ renditions of this sheer power is an absolute honour.”
Pranati Tagore, thespian Koi
“It’s both the ambience and the art installations that mesmerised me. Koi Kali Puja is for the sake of craft, not for publicity. The alpana, the people and the candles made by the Chetla girls add to what Shobar Pujo stands for.”
Melinda Pavek, US Consul General in Kolkata Koi
“I enjoyed getting to understand Kali and her positively destructive nature. For any celebration, hosting at home has a deeper meaning, fostering interpersonal connections with people you love the company of.”
Srikanta Paul, artist Koi
“The environment was electric. It’s rare to witness family and friends coming together to celebrate art with Kali as the binding force. As an artist, I feel proud to be able to showcase my work in a place where it’s quite literally being worshipped.”