Residents of three north Calcutta neighbourhoods — Banamali Chatterjee Street, Principal Khudiram Bose Road at Hatibagan, and Kashi Bose Lane near Hedua — showcased remarkable para teamwork, planning, and dedication to pull off their Durga Pujas.

Their efforts impressed the 40 young judges of TTIS Choto Chokhe Boro Pujo (CCBP) — powered by JIS Group and co-sponsored by admissiontree.in — who awarded Tala Barowari the Best Idol, Hatibagan Sarbojanin the Best Puja, and Kashi Bose Lane the Best Innovative Puja on Sunday. Joining the young judges at the prize distribution were model-grooming coach and runway choreographer Madhabilata Mitra and actor Rwitobroto Mukherjee.

“I learnt so much from the Tala Barowari artwork,” said Ahana Das, a Class VI student from Purwanchal Vidyamandir and first-time CCBP judge.

The Tala Barowari pandal transported visitors to the world of Madhubani art and Bihar’s culture, complete with themed background music. Artist Prasanta Pal spent seven months crafting the clay idol and heritage-inspired art using recyclable materials. “This puja is 105 years old. Everyone in the para pitched in. I even opened my house for visitors to use the washroom,” said local resident Banani Paul. Rwitobroto praised the pandal’s detailed research.

Hatibagan Sarbojanin stood out with paintings of Calcutta’s ghats and snippets of city history, created by local artist Tapas Dutta and French artist Thomas Henriot. A ghat painting made with 14,000 gold threads was a major draw. “I loved every painting here,” said Madhabilata. Rwitobroto hoped the artwork would be preserved. Class X student of H.M. Education Centre and judge Avinaba Chakraborty said: “It felt great to see our city’s heritage brought alive through art.”

Children and the guests hand over the best idol award to Tala Barowari

Kashi Bose Lane offered a literary journey into the world of Leela Majumdar, with art installations, a giant crossword, a live show with her magical characters, and neighbouring houses painted with her book covers. “Thrilling, plus there were no queues,” said Class VIII judge Deekdshaa Gupta of Delhi Public School, Howrah.

Other winners included Newtown Sarbojanin (Judges’ Choice) and Hazra Park Sarbojanin (Best Pandal).

“We are delighted to be part of a celebration judged by youngsters,” said Suborno Bose, chairman of the International Institute of Hotel Management.

“Children have a different, unbiased perspective,” added Ananya Roy, senior manager (marketing and business), JIS Group.

Debraj De, MD of Shanghai – Flavours of China Town, called it “one of the best puja events.”

After a long day of pandal-hopping, the young judges were treated to a hearty spread. “Judging isn’t easy. We try to make it homely for the kids,” said Ishan Deb Chatterjee, director (sales & marketing), Hyatt Regency.