The pandal modelled on Rupasi Bangla theme. Picture by Aranya Sen

The sun, pata paintings, Nabarasa by Bharat Muni, Jibanananda Das’s Rupasi Bangla and “the power of seven” — are some of the most innovative themes this Puja. And behind all five is one man.

The Nabarasa theme of Santoshpur Avenue South Pallimangal Samity is the closest to graphics designer Anirban Das’s heart.

“We have created 1,000 terracotta faces of the goddess, depicting nine different moods. The pandal compound, made of bamboo, has been divided into nine zones, one for each mood. There’s a different colour scheme for each zone,” says the award-winning theme-maker.

Two more of Das’s pandals are in Santoshpur, where he lives and has been slogging for six months with his team. The other two are in Alipore.

“I am attending office in the morning and sleeping no more than three to four hours a day for several months,” says Das, who is also an Odissi exponent. He has switched jobs thrice to accommodate his passion for Puja.

How difficult is it to visualise and manage the preparation of five theme pujas?

“If one idea would come to me the first thing in the morning, I would think up another theme during the auto ride from office. As far as construction work is concerned, managerial experience at my office helped me a lot,” Das explains.

He chose Jibanananda Das’s collection of poems titled Rupasi Bangla for Alipore Sarbojanin Durgotsav as it is the 50th anniversary of the book. “Luckily, there are trees around the pandal. I have used illustrations depicting lines from the poems and scenes from rural Bengal. We will be playing music that goes with the theme.”

“The goddess wears a tant sari and her posture and expression suggests that she is waiting for someone, just like our mothers wait for us. The goddess is not carrying any weapons. Her hands are raised in blessing. Mahishasura kneels in front of her with folded hands, like a naughty child being punished,” says Das.

Das draws his “inspiration” from his father Dipankar. “He is an advocate but should have been an artist. He is an expert on folk arts. I often join him on trips to villages. These trips and the library in our ancestral home in Midnapore have helped me a lot.”

Despite being a successful theme-maker, Das warns newcomers of following in his footsteps. “I hardly have anything left for myself after paying my team. I have overshot the budget of Rs 2 lakh for the Nabarasa theme and I will have to fork out about Rs 20,000 from my pocket,” he says.