The Durga Puja pandal of Central Colony Durga Puja Committee at NJP in Siliguri. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Central Colony Durga Puja Committee, New Jalpaiguri

Pandal made of: Plywood, paper pulp, bamboo, wood and folk-art items made in Bengal

Designer: Dhiren Sashmal from Calcutta

Cost of the pandal: Around Rs 22 lakh

Inspiration: The idea is to project the folk art of Bengal. The pandal has been adorned with dokra, chalchitra, potchitra and statues made of paper pulp. “We have put our best efforts to exhibit a gamut of Bengali folk art of the state. The folk art is dying in the state and needs to be portrayed before the people,” said Partha Dey, the secretary of the Durga Puja committee.

Logistics: Most of the items have been brought by the designer from Calcutta and some materials have been procured locally in Siliguri

How long has it taken to get the basic work done? Led by Sashmal, a 30-member team created the pandal by working for three months. From Calcutta, they have brought certain designed parts which have been fitted together to make the pandal

How did the pandal designers source their unusual material? “It was indeed a cumbersome task to collect so many varied materials of Bengali folk art but we could eventually manage to gather all the necessary items,” said Dey. “We have worked on the plan for past five-six months,” he said.

The idol: The idol is a contemporary one but it is made of paper pulp, with colours being put to render a gracious look. Sabyasachi Sengupta, also from Calcutta, has made the idol

Lighting: The illumination is sublime across the pandal premises to give a soft look to the pandal. On the pandal premises and roads, illuminated gates have been put to welcome pandal hoppers

Fire safety: Fire extinguishers have been installed across the pandal. A separate water connection has been made in the pandal premises.

The Durga idol of the ACDC Club in Cooch Behar’s Natun Pally. The idol has been crafted by Upen Pal of Krishnagar, Nadia, which is famous for its clay modellers. (Main Uddin Chisti)

The Durga idol of Natunpara RG Party Sarbojonin Durga Puja Committee, in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday. Picture by Biplab Basak

The Durga idol of the Tulsitala Samaj Seva Sangha in Raiganj on Tuesday. The theme of the puja is Nadir Parer Rupkatha to create awareness on keeping rivers pollution-free. The idols are seated on a boat sailing on a river. Picture by Nantu Dey

Three gates leading to the puja pandal of Youth Club of Gangarampur in South Dinajpur on Tuesday. The lighted gates have been made by electricians from Chandernagore in Hooghly. Picture by Shantanu Misra.