Until the 1990s a pandal was bamboo and cloth. Then clubs began commissioning artists, and the theme puja — a pandal built as a total installation on a single idea, with the idol designed to match — became the competitive form. Budgets of a crore or more are now normal for the big pujas, paid for by sponsorship and local subscription.
The artists who do this work are known by name and the good ones are booked years ahead. It is now one of the largest public art commissions in the world, and the work is dismantled after five days.
The names
Places, pujas and people, with what each one is| Name | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Sanatan Dinda | various clubs each year | A painter and sculptor; among the best-known puja artists in the city. |
| Bhabatosh Sutar | various clubs | Known for conceptual and socially themed installations. |
| Susanta Pal | various clubs | A long-established puja designer. |
| Rintu Das | various clubs | Known for large-scale narrative pandals. |
| Gouranga Kuila | various clubs | Works with craft traditions and rural materials. |
| Purnendu Dey | various clubs | Theme pandal designer. |
| Anirban Das | various clubs | Contemporary installation work. |
| Badamtala Ashar Sangha1939 | Kalighat | One of the clubs that consistently commissions serious artists. |
| Bhabanipur 75 Pally | Bhowanipore | Known for art-led pandals. |
| Behala Nutan Dal1940s | Behala | Strong on conceptual work. |
| Kalighat Milan Sangha | Kalighat | Another art-forward club. |
| Hatibagan Nabin Pally | Hatibagan | North Kolkata theme work. |
Worth knowing
- The artist is usually credited at the pandal entrance. Look for the board.
- Themes are announced in the weeks before and reported in the Bengali press.
- The work is dismantled after Dashami. None of it is kept.
- The design prizes — Asian Paints Sharad Samman and others — are taken seriously by the clubs.
- Chaturthi and Panchami are when you can actually see the work without a queue.
More on Durga Puja
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