For students of SSLNT Women’s College, Dhanbad, Shymal Sen (65) would always be their go-to man for any queries on college fees or related issues. The same group of students would be no less surprised to see his name as one of the main artists behind the most famous Durga Puja pandal in Manaitand.
Sen, who worked as a senior accountant at SSLNT Women’s College, Dhanbad, from 1977 to 2014, is also a dynamic artist. For the last 40 years, he has been the driving force behind Manaitand Durga Puja pandal. “I have been associated with Manaitand Durga Puja since 1977. Later in 1984 we formed a group named Navyuvak Sangharsh Samiti and started creating pandals on several unique themes and temples like Dwadas Jyotirlinga in 2017 Baidyanath Dham of Deoghar in 2012, a model of whale fish in 2011 and replica of Vanchandi Temple, Assam, in 2010,” said Sen.
Besides holding multiple degrees in academics and fine arts, including a diploma in fine arts from Pracheen Kala Kendra (1980), MA in music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti (1982) and MCom from Ranchi University (1986), Sen has also been felicitated over the years by Lions Club, Rotary Club, Dhanbad Municipal Corporation, Dhanbad District Decorator Association and district administration in categories like best pandal, best idol and best internal decoration.
Sen has also been providing art and craft classes to school and college students under the banner of Bhawna School of Art since 1995. “Even though initially it was difficult, but later it was my passion for fine arts that motivated me to stay up till late in the night and work on pandals,” he said.
Apart from working on the Manaitand pandal that is being made on theme of pre-historic period, this year on special request Sen is also engaged in creating another pandal on New Station Road on the theme of rural and urban lifestyle. “Your profession provides you the means to sustain life but your passion provides you the reason to live a happy life,” he signed off.
The pandal is being built on the theme of ‘Gaon Se Sahar Tak’ Gautam Dey
