Salt Lake Maitri Sangha

Location: The puja will be held outside the swimming pool and cultural programmes at BF Park

Year: 27th

Budget: Rs 18 lakh

The look: The pandal is inspired by the Manakamana Temple of Nepal, that worships goddess Bhagwati. The Shyama Kali idol would be traditional.

Fun funda: Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi would inaugurate the puja on October 21. This would be followed by a musical soiree by Amit Kumar from 9pm. On October 23, a Mata ka jagran devotional programme would take place from 8pm and puja will commence at 11pm. On October 24, folk singer Debopriya would perform from 7.30pm and on October 25, a composer duo from Bollywood would take stage.

Balaka Sports Club

Location: BD Park

Year: 43rd

Budget: Rs 25 lakh

The look: The pandal will be based on an imaginary temple with terra cotta and white finish. The ceiling will be an inverted dome and have a massive chandelier with 100 LED bulbs hanging. The idol will be a 14-ft tall Shyama Kali.

Fun funda: Mumbai and Calcutta-based celebrities will inaugurate the puja on October 22. On October 23 night, after the puja, all are welcome to have bhog of khichuri, beguni, alu bhaja, phulkopir tarkari, chutney and payesh. Though the schedule for October 24 and 25 are yet to be finalised, a slew of artistes like Anupam Roy, Rupankar and Kishore Kumar clone, Saptak, will perform. The organisers are also promising a big name from Bollywood.

BJ Block

Location: BJ Park

Year: 30th

Budget: Rs 5.5 lakh

The look: An 18-ft Kali idol will be placed in the pandal.

Fun funda: The puja will be opened on October 22. A jatra titled Krishner kalankini Radha will be staged on October 23 at 6.30pm and will end in time for the puja to begin. After puja, bhog of khichuri, labra, chutney and payesh will be distributed to all till noon the next day.

BK Block

Location: BK Park

Year: 12th

Budget: Rs 6 lakh

The look: The pandal will be a replica of a Bishnupur temple and the idol will be Shyama Kali.

Fun funda: The puja will be inaugurated on October 23 and immersed the next day but cultural programmes will follow. Singers Somlata Acharya and Kaushik Roy Chowdhury will take stage on Saturday and on Sunday residents will perform miscellaneous items and then singer Sujoy Bhowmik will sing modern songs.

BL Block

Location: BL Park

Year: 23rd

Budget: Rs 4.5 lakh

The look: The theme of the puja is “Lantern-er alo-ey, Shakti-r aradhana”. So colourful lanterns from Bishnupur are being brought in to illuminate the pandal. The idol will be a traditional one sculpted by Swapan Pal.

Fun funda: A host of contests have been planned by the block’s youth wing that are open to all. Interested participants may reach the venue for registration before the event. On October 22, a talent hunt will be held at 7.45pm for those up till the age of 10. Contestants may sing, dance, recite or perform anything they wish. At 8.30pm, a solo and group dance competition will be held. On October 23, a video gaming competition on Need For Speed and FIFA 2013 will be held at 10.30am and at 4pm there will be a treasure hunt. Brain Teaser will quiz contestants of all ages at 5pm. A Hindi antakshari titled Geet Gata Chal will commence at 7.30pm. On October 24, singer and former block resident Debanjali Chatterjee will take stage at 7.30pm followed by the band Krosswindz at 9pm.

CD Block

Location: CD Park

Year: 34th

Budget: Rs 6 lakh

The look: A 15-ft idol of Shiva will be meditating next to a mountain in the park. The Kali idol, in the Shyama form, will be inside the pandal. Chandernagore lights will be installed at the entry points of the block, depicting musical instruments like sitar and harmonium.

Fun funda: The puja will be inaugurated on October 21, when 200 underprivileged children will be gifted firecrackers. After that, singer Lopamudra Mitra will take stage. On October 22, elocutionist Bratati Bandyopadhyay and a finalist from Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will take stage. On Thursday, mosquito-nets will be distributed among the needy.

AC Block Yubak Sangha

Location: The idol will be in AC community hall and cultural programmes will take place at AC Park.

Year: 35th

Budget: Rs 5.5 lakh

The look: The pandal will bring to life a zamindar’s house of yesteryear Calcutta. The traditional idol, sculpted by Sanatan Pal, will be 11-ft tall.

Fun funda: On October 22, the music duo You and I, comprising vocalist Soumyajit Das and pianist Sourendra Mullick, will pay a musical tribute to 100 Years of Indian Cinema. Singers Pratik Chowdhury, Sujoy Bhowmik and Tamanna will perform on October 24. A fireworks display will also take place from 8pm to 10pm.

Nayapatty Aditya Smriti Sangha

Location: While approaching New Town from Salt Lake, take the lane beside Azad Hind Dhaba opposite Technopolis. Drive straight and the turn right from the T-junction. After travelling for around 30 metres, the puja will be on the left.

Year: 22nd

Budget: Rs 2.90 lakh

The look: The theme of this puja is “Ajanar khoje — under the sea”. The pandal will showcase marine life and the walls will display different kinds of corals. A variety of sea fish, sea anemones and other creatures like octopus will greet visitors. This puja has gone green and will light up the structure and its surrounding areas with LED lights in order to save electricity. Keeping in tune with the theme, a 7.5 feet tall Kali idol would stand against a backdrop shaped like a giant seashell. The idol itself will sport a pearl-like finish and have 10 hands instead of the usual four.

Fun funda: Bollywood actress Rati Agnihotri will inaugurate this puja on October 21.

Lalkuthi Netaji Sangha

Location: While driving towards Rajarhat from Sector V turn right from Kali Park and follow 91 Road. It will lead to Parthanagari.

Year: 35th

Budget: Rs 12 lakh

The look: The theme is “Indradhanush”, which means rainbow as well as the chariot of lord Indra. So the mandap is being built to resemble Indra’s chariot, drawn by 20 horses. The idol would stand in the chariot. The seven colours of the rainbow would be shown through colourful lights.

Fun funda: Around 100 orphaned children from Siddhartha Welfare Mission would be inaugurating the puja on October 22 and local children will participate in a quiz and antakshari. Cultural programmes by local artistes would follow.

Pragati Sangha

Location: After crossing City Centre II, drive till a four-point crossing called Chinar Park. Turn right towards Rajarhat from the crossing. The puja is held on Sourav Ganguly Avenue, Narayanpur.

Year: 45th

Budget: Rs 20 lakh

The look: The Mahabharata would be portrayed here using statues and lights. So expect to see images of lord Ganesha writing the Mahabharata and the battle of Kurukshetra. To depict lord Krishna’s Vishvaroopa darshan, a 35-ft statue of Vishnu will be installed. The Kali idol inside the pandal will be made of jute.

Fun funda: A monk from Kaikhali’s Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and chairman of Rajarhat Gopalpur Municipality Tapas Chatterjee would inaugurate the puja on October 22. Children will stage cultural programmes along with a quiz and an antakshari.

(Above) Models of elephants line up at Pragati Sangha in Rajarhat which will depict The Mahabharata. (Below) A pandal on sea life at Aditya Smriti Sangha, Nayapatti. Pictures by Mayukh Sengupta

Narkelbagan Shakti Sangha

Location: Further ahead on the road from Pragati Sangha.

Year: 46th

Budget: Rs 10 lakh

The look: The pandal is a replica of Mayapur’s Iskcon temple. The goddess would be golden in colour.

Fun funda: On October 22, chairman of Rajarhat Gopalpur Municipality Tapas Chatterjee along with a Bollywood personality would be inaugurating the puja. Local children will stage music and dance recitals. A jatra — Mahatirtha Devi Kamakhya — would be staged on October 26.

Narendranagar Netaji Club

Location: On the same route as Lalkuthi Netaji Sangha, a 15-minute drive after passing Khadim Abasan, Narayanpur, close to Central Bank.

Year: 54th

Budget: Rs 6 lakh

The look: The mandap is a replica of a chariot and the chariot walls are adorned with various figures made of jute. The Kali idol, also made of jute, will be 11-ft tall.

Fun funda: Civic chief Tapas Chatterjee would be inaugurating the puja on October 21. A Bollywood personality is likely to join him. Cultural programmes like dance, recitation and music would be put up by local children.

Sukantanagar Centre for Culture and Sports

Location: The first Kali Puja on the left flank service lane as you head towards Chingrighata crossing.

Year: 24th

Budget: Rs 2 lakh

The look: The theme of the puja here is “Shilper Jagat-e Ami Nabarupa”. The pandal will be built out of a variety of bamboo items that are used in everyday life such as baskets, kulo, mats and other woven articles. An imposing 18-ft tall Kali idol will be adorned in traditional daaker saaj.

Fun funda: Swami Atmananda of Belur Math will inaugurate the puja on October 22. On November 23, there will be a baul performance. The next day a community lunch will be served with labra, khichuri, five different kinds of fries and payesh on the menu. November 25 will witness a musical night.

Sukanta Nagar Sporting Club

Year: 34th

Budget: Rs 2.5 lakh

Location: The second puja on the left if one approaches towards the Chingrighata crossing

The look: The pandal will resemble an ancient stone temple carved from black rock. In order to create a fitting contrast, the Kali idol will have a marble-like finish with white undertones.

Fun funda: The puja will be inaugurated on November 22 and will continue till November 26. A community lunch will be served on November 25 where revellers and residents will get to taste a sumptuous lunch of khichuri, mixed vegetables and sandesh.

Nabajyoti Sporting Club

Year: 33th

Budget: Rs 3 lakh

Location: The last puja on the service lane towards Chingrighata crossing.

The look: The pandal will have strong design cues drawn from a Ganesha temple in Gujarat. The entire structure will be made out of jute and the interiors will have complex motifs. The 10-ft tall Kali idol will embrace the traditional look and will be decked up in daaker saaj.

Fun funda: The puja is to be inaugurated by vice-chairperson of Bidhannagar Mucicipality and MLA Rajarhat New Town, Sabyasachi Dutta, on November 22. A Rabindrasangeet performance will follow.