AK Block

Year: 15th

Budget: Rs 6 lakh

Location: AK Park

The look: A decorator from Contai is creating a five-tiered chariot-like pandal, modelled on the one made in Puri to celebrate Nabakalebara. A fibre glass Jagannath will sit on the top tier, flanked by musicians and devotees in celebration. The idol will be 15ft high. 

Fun funda: The inauguration will take place on Monday at 7pm, to be done by local councillor Krishna Chakraborty. Afterwards, Jiten Kanwali and troupe will belt out retro Hindi and Bengali hits. On Wednesday, local residents will perform.

 

BK Block

Location: BK Park

Year: 13th

Budget: Rs 8 lakh

The look: The park will be decked up like a Santhal village. Several huts will be built and done up in tribal motifs and even the stage will have Santhal art in the backdrop. Talks are on to set up a bamboo tea stall inside the park like those in the villages. The idol will be Shyama Kali.  

Fun funda: The puja will be inaugurated on November 9 and then a team of 10 Santhal dancers from Birbhum will perform. On November 10, 10 musicians will play joy dhaks for two-and-a-half hours in the evening and on November 11 singers Emon Chakraborty and Shubham Mukherjee of Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma fame will take stage. 

BL Block

Location: BK Park

Year: 24th

Budget: Rs 4.5 lakh

The look: The circular pandal will have different patterns of alpona painted on it.

Fun funda: The puja will be opened on November 9 and a children’s talent hunt will take place for which they can perform anything on stage. On November 10, a video game contest (Fifa 2013 and NFS 4) will start at 10am. An airgun shooting contest will start at 1pm, a treasure hunt around the block from 3.30pm, a quiz at 5pm and antakshari at 7pm. The contests are open to all. Bangla band Lokkhichhara will take stage at 7.30pm on November 12. 

 

Salt Lake Maitree Sangha

Year: 27th

Budget: Rs 25 lakh

Location: Outside the BF Block swimming pool 

The look: The pandal will resemble a Kali temple in Tripura’s Unakoti district. The entire block will be draped in lights. A musical show is slated on the day of inauguration. But mayor Sabyasachi Dutta, who heads the club, is putting the club’s big-bang Bollywood music night on hold till the end of the month because of his work pressure. 

 

Balaka Sporting Club

Year: 44th 

Budget: Rs 8 lakh

The look: The idol and pandal will be traditional. 

Fun funda: The puja will be inaugurated on November 9 and singer Rupankar will take stage. On November 11, singers from Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will perform. 

 

Lalkuthi Netaji Sangha

Year: 39th

Budget: Rs 3 lakh 

Location: Take a right from Kali Park in Rajarhat and follow the 91 road. The puja takes place near Patharnagari. 
The look: The pandal will resemble an enchanted palace. Visitors will first enter a cave and then will be greeted by artificial rain, a cluster of mushrooms and fairies, once inside.

 

Pragati Sangha

Year: 47th

Budget: Rs 12 lakh

Location: Cross City Centre 2 to reach Chinar Park crossing. Take a right from here onto Sourav Ganguly Avenue.
The look: A temple from Mohenjodaro is taking shape here. The pandal will recreate the mound around the temple and actual wheatgrass has been sown to get the desired effect. The puja will be inaugurated on November 8.

 

Narkelbagan Shakti Sangha

Year: 47th

Budget: Rs 8 lakh

Location: Further down the road from Pragati Sangha

The look: Bangkok’s imposing grand palace is coming up on a field adjacent to the airport here. A host of cultural activities has been lined up after the November 9 inauguration. 

 

Sukantanagar Centre for Culture and Sports

Year: 24th

Budget: Rs 5.5 lakh

Location: The second puja on the left flank service lane as you head towards Chingrihata Crossing from Nicco Park
The look: The Pagoda-inspired pandal will be made out of jute sticks and thermocol. The idol will be attired in daker saaj. A 5-ft high Buddha will greet visitors at the entrance. The puja will be inaugurated on November 8. A slew of cultural programmes has been lined up till November 13

Pictures by Snehal Sengupta