WHEN JUDGES TURN PHOTOGRAPHERS

Squash champ Saurav Ghosal and actress June, True Spirit Puja judges on the East route, are click happy at the innovative Rashmoni Bagan Kishore Sangha pandal, a Three Star Puja, made out of paper cups and papier mache. “I gave points to them because they used bio-degradable things to make an eco-friendly pandal. It will appeal to the kids because it’s so colourful,” said June.

Craig L. Hall, the US consul-general, captures a rural scene created at Olabibitola Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity, a Three Star Puja on the Howrah-Behala route. A first-time visitor to Howrah during Durga Puja, Craig loved the ambience at the pandal and the community celebrations around it. “I connected with the theme — work is worship,” he said.

Friso Maecker, director of Max Mueller Bhavan-Goethe-Institut, takes a picture of the golden idol at Kidderpore Pally Saradiya, a Four Star Puja on the Howrah-Behala route. “The pandal’s majestic and for me, it’s a spiritual winner. I had intended to stop by and now that I have, I’m really glad. I’ll send these pictures to my friends and family back home,” said Friso.

Irina K. Bashkirova, consul-general of the Russian Federation in Calcutta, went click at the filigree-inspired pandal at Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra, a Four Star Puja on the East route.

THE PUJA SELFIES OF AND WITH THE STARS

June takes out time from serious judging to pose for a click with club members at Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra

Paoli Dam gets her Sashthi selfie in the car while hopping pandals on the North route

Tolly star Prosenjit obliges a young fan with a selfie at Abasar Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity, a Four Star Puja on the South route.

WHEN JUDGES ARE IN ACTION

Paoli takes a look at the ‘River of Books’ installation with old books ranging from chemistry texts to old journals, at Halsibagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav, a Three Star Puja on the North route.

Saurav and June are all smiles after checking out Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha, the Five Star Puja on the East route, because the club ticked all the boxes, from A for ambulance to Z for zest of the organisers.

Ma Zhanwu, consul-general of the People’s Republic of China, June and Saurav pose with the idol at Purbalok Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee, a Three Star Puja on the East route. 

Nusrat Jahan poses for a click in front of the flower decorations at True Spirit Model Puja, Suruchi Sangha. 

Prosenjit seeks the blessings of the goddess at Tridhara Akalbodhan, the Five Star Puja on the South route.

Prosenjit drums up a Puja beat with filmmaker Srijit Mukherji at the Interact Club of Chowringhee High School, a Three Star Puja on the South route.

Atletico de Kolkata star Javi Lara is kicked to try his hand at the dhaak. And yes, his beats got the loudest applause from the audience at Tridhara Akalbodhan.

Nusrat, Craig and Friso share a laugh at State Bank Park Sarbojanin Durgotsav, the Five Star Puja on the Howrah-Behala route, which not only had an interesting theme — carrying pole or bankh — but all the True Spirit parameters one should look out for, from medical facilities to a feeding room. 

Bruce Bucknell, the British deputy high commissioner in Calcutta, looks up at the depiction of swans at Santoshpur Trikon Park Sarbojanin Durgotsab, a Three Star Puja on the South route. The football fan’s instant response? “Ah! It’s a Swansea City!”

Bruce’s wife Henrietta, who can speak Spanish, explains the theme of the pandal at Tridhara Akalbodhan to Javi.

THE JUDGES EVALUATE THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE PUJAS 

Olaf Iversen, the consul-general of Germany, checks if the fire extinguisher is in working condition at Halsibagan Sarbojanin.

Paoli checks out the expiry date on some of the medicines at the first-aid centre of Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja Committee, a Four Star Puja on the North route.

The children of Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra greet Ma Zhanwu, the consul-general of the People’s Republic of China, with flowers at the entrance to the puja pandal.

Bruce, with wife Henrietta, consults the judging parameters at his first puja, Santoshpur Trikon Park Sarbojanin.

AT BENGAL CLUB

Co-stars Prosenjit and Paoli share a laugh over lunch at The Bengal Club.

Alan Gemmell, director, British Council in India, greets Prosenjit at Bengal Club after the judging process. 

(L-R) Alberto Marrero, sports director of Atletico de Kolkata, Bruce, Javi, Irina and Olaf at Bengal Club, with a gift pack of INOX Muchos presented by Team ATK.

Supratim Sarkar, the additional commissioner III (headquarters), briefs the judges on the importance of safety and security at puja pandals before the team set off from Bengal Club in four different routes. 

Pictures: Sudeshna Banerjee, Pabitra Das,
B. Halder, Arnab Mondal, Shuvo Roychaudhury