Salt Lake Maitri Sangha

Year: 32nd

The look: The pandal is a stark reminder of the receding groundwater table. A giant crow sits atop the gate with a pebble in its beak, in a reminder of how the clever crow filled up the pitcher with water at the bottom with pebbles to quench its thirst in the Aeshop’s Fables. One walks into the pandal surrounded by clay pitchers with mutiple holes in them and faces giant taps forming almost a canopy overhead. Below it are numerous 10 litre plastic containers. The third segment has the same containers with taps and funnels placed on top, indicating storage. The idol is by Pradip Rudrapal.

Fun funda: The inauguration is on Saturday evening by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar followed by a recital by Sourendra and Soumyajit. On October 31, Sonu Nigam and Sukhwinder Singh will take the stage at 7pm. Each artiste will sing for an hour and half.

BK Block

The look: The theme is a corner of the Amazon. The block turns the focus on the forest fire that destroyed huge parts of the south American jungle recently. The pandal depicts trees, birds and animals as if trying to escape the deadly fire. An anaconda snake hisses at the entrances and lights are used to show the fire.

Fun funda: Voice of India artiste Arghya Dutta and Tanaya Banerjee to sing on October 26. On October 28, Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa artistes Pritam Kumar, Sonali Biswas and Anand Rao, who will perform songs by Mohd Rafi.

The Pragati Sangha pandal façade on Sourav Ganguly Avenue in Narayanpur, Rajarhat (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Pragati Sangha

Year: 51st

Where: Sourav Ganguly Avenue, Narayanpur

The look: In keeping with the theme ‘From darkness to light’, the sun’s 50ft high chariot with seven horses catch the eye from a distance.

A bed of flowers at the Netaji Sangha puja (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Netaji Sangha

Year: 43rd

Where: In Narayanpur, not far from Pragati Sangha

The look: Based on the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly.

The pandal of Balaka Salt Lake City coming up in BD Park (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Balaka Salt Lake City

Where: BD Park

The look: The pandal is modelled on a Pathuriaghata mansion. The idol will be 19 feet high and will be decked in gold ornaments.

Illumination from Chandernagore will showcase forgotten traditional childhood games.

Fun funda: Singers Raghav and Amrita will perform on October 28 and Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa singers Ankita and Snigdhajit on October 29.

Dashadron Youth Corner, off Rajarhat Main Road. (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Dashadron Youth Corner

Where: Off Rajarhat Main Road

The look: The idol will be decked in gold ornaments

Fun funda: Actress Subhashree to attend the inauguration at 7.30pm on Saturday. Nachiketa to sing on Monday and Zubin Garg on Tuesday.

Aditya Smriti Sangha in Nayapatti. (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Pallyshri Sangha, Narayanpur (Sudeshna Banerjee)

Pallysri Sangha

Year: 68th

Where: Tentultala, Narayanpur, just ahead of Netaji Sangha

The look: The pandal has been decorated with items of use in rituals — paddy, betel nut, bell... A giant conch shell on a swastika symbol over the pandal is visible from afar. A 20ft third eye has been created with mirrors at the entrance. Three huge chandmalas hang on the walls.

(Sudeshna Banerjee)

Rajarhat Friends Association

Year: 47th

Where: Take a right turn from Chinar Park crossing ahead of City Centre 2. The puja is on a huge ground on Rajarhat Main Road, on the way to Rajarhat police station

The look: The Tower Bridge pandal, modelled on the London monument, actually works as a bascule bridge, folding up at 10-minute intervals to let a mini ship floating in the artifical moat below to sail through. Once the bridge is back to position, two buses, about six feet long, ply over it. The idol is by Pradip Rudrapal.