Dum Dum Tarun Dal

Location: Near Dum Dum Park post office

Year: 35th

Budget: Rs 15 lakh

The theme: Wool katay jadur chhoya

The look: The pandal is a work of woollen art. It is divided into three segments -— sky, soil and water. Each segment has three panels each on either side. If swans fly in one, in the second are depicted slices of rural and forest lives. In the third segment, which is the sanctum sanctorum, a pond is created using a woollen blanket. A giant lotus blooms from it. Within its petals stands the goddess. A couple of mermaids welcome her.

Organiserspeak: “We have used 850 to 900kg of wool. Strands of wool are affixed even on the mermaid figures, made of straw with a wrapping of jute,” said Sourabh Poddar, a club member.

Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha

Location: Next to water tank 3

Year: 27th

Budget: Rs 18 lakh

The theme: Rong-Utsav-Durga-Srishti-Milan

The look: Upturned tubs of colour line the walls of a pandal that has paints of every conceivable shade cascading down. In the sanctum sanctorum, drops of paint have solidified on the ceiling like icicles. The idol, in stark contrast, is shorn of colour. A blue beam of light is directed at her, creating an ethereal aura. A shower of LEDs also spreads a blanket over the water behind the pandal.

Organiserspeak: “Colour is drying up in people’s minds. That is why we are showing our puja to be a receptacle of colours. The colour then flows into the adjoining pond which stands for life,” says member Debraj Sikdar.

Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra

Location: A two-minute walk from water tank 3

Year: 12th year

Budget: Rs 16 lakh

The theme: Alor sondhaney

The look: Numerous human figures with outstretched hands stand on a hemisphere that forms the outer shell of the pandal. They are all wrapped in silver foil. The structure will be bathed in a splash of red, courtesy LEDs, giving the pandal a look of the morning sun.

Artistespeak: “The sun is the source of Creation, of which human beings are the pinnacle. Lights would play a pivotal role in creating the look of the sun,” says theme-maker Gauranga Kuilya.

Dum Dum Park Yubak Brinda

Location: At the entry to Dum Dum Park from VIP Road

Year: 44th

Budget: Rs 12 lakh

The theme: Rongin kagocher mouchak

The look: The pandal in the shape of a bee hive uses kirigami (a variation of origami that includes cutting of the paper and use of adhesives) as a colourful tool to create a pandal that is gorgeous and almost ready to receive guests a fortnight before the Pujas. While the outer wall uses cute little coloured papads, inside it is innovative use of the paper craft all the way. The entrance on both sides is lined with kirigami sunflowers. Inside, not an inch is left bare. Near the ceiling are panels depicting popular rhymes and fables. Below, at eye level, are depictions of Lord Krishna’s frolics --- makhan chor, Kaliya daman, gopini et al. A central pillar stands for a tree with birds on its branches and branches spreading out to the sky as rays of the sun. An arch of sunflowers leads to the goddess, whose ornaments are also in kirigami. She has vanquished the demon and has only flames on her palms.

Artistespeak: “There are only two families which make kirigami in Calcutta. I want to popularise this art in Bengal,” says theme-maker Debatosh Kar.

Lake Town Adhibasibrinda

Location: Children’s Park, Lake Town Link Road. Entry from VIP Road.

Year: 50th

Budget: Rs 15 lakh

The theme: Srijone shikore

The look: The puja takes one back by five decades to the period when it was started. The passage to the pandal is lined with scenes from rural life like land being ploughed by oxen and motifs like the fisherman’s wicker basket and stacks of hay. The main ingredient for the pandal decor is bamboo slices. They have been used to create various motifs like leaves of a twig, a handfan etc. About 20 artistes from Santiniketan are also painting on the walls. The goddess is sitting astride a lion with dragon-like mane. Her four children are dancing on the facade of the pedestal on which she rests.

Organiserspeak: “We want to show the next generation how Durga puja was 50 years ago. One of the four lakes that gave Lake Town its name was right behind our puja site. This was a predominantly bheri area before the urban development department took over the land. The elderly residents still recall that VIP Road did not exist then and Jessore Road was the only entry to the area. Even we remember the existence of Bichuli Ghat on Bagjola Canal where one of the footbridges to Salt Lake has come up,” says executive member Debashis Guha.

Pradeep Sangha

Location: 85, SK Deb Road, Lake Town

Year: 33rd year

Budget: Rs 16.5 lakh

The theme: Srishtisukher ullashey

The look: A 32 ft-high pitcher arising out of silver waves (the sea) is shown to be the source of life, subsequent inventions and opportunities therefrom. A giant circular frame, made of iron rods and standing for the cycle of Time, will constantly rotate in front of the pandal. The decorations use cola bottle caps, nets, mosquito coils (painted silver), the mason’s cementmixing plate and spoon.

Artistespeak: “There are ample opportunities present on earth. Just as a cell multiples, we should use the existing opportunities to create new avenues. That’s our message,” said Santu Kayal, who is assisting the theme-maker Bandan Raha.

Shreebhumi

Location: Canal Street, Shreebhumi

Year: 40th

Budget: Rs 75 lakh

The look: The inspiration for the gopuram (the ornamental tower at the entrance) is Minakshi temple of Madurai. The idol created by Pradip Rudrapaul will hold pride of place in the 90-ft pandal. The decorations inside, like the figure of a horse rearing with the rider on him, are largely imaginary and made of fibre glass for finesse. A huge chandelier lights up the pandal.

Organiserspeak: “Work has been on for three months now. A large part of our budget is set aside for social work,” says Dibyendu Kishore Goswami, the general secretary of Shreebhumi Sporting Club.

United Club

Location: Lane adjacent to Bidhannagar Road station, Ultadanga

Year: 50th

Budget: Rs 9 lakh

The theme: Tomar dekha naire

The look: Exhaust pipes symbolically drain toxic waste on both sides of the visitor entering the pandal. Inside, life-sized figures of eight fishermen in their respective boats adorn the inner walls of the compound. Small hilsas, made of fibre glass, are plentiful in view.

Organiserspeak: “We want to send across the message of hilsa conservation. If this monsoon most Bengalis were deprived of the fish, it was our fault. Custom has it that hilsa should not be had after a pair is offered to the goddess on Navami till Saraswati puja. That is the period when the new-born hilsas grow. But unscrupulous traders are luring fishermen into catching khoka ilish despite it being illegal. The second reason is pollution of the Ganges which kills the baby hilsas and makes the mature ones avoid the river in its breeding season,” said Subrata Mitra of the club.

Mitali

Location: 180A, Maniktala Main Road, Kankurgachhi. Near CIT Road crossing.

Year: 76th

Budget: Rs 18 lakh

The theme: Satya janani

The look: The puja shows the four facets of a mother — pregnant, giving birth, nurturing the child, and disciplining him when he goes astray. The stage is depicted symbolically by the statue of a germinating pollen at the entrance. As one climbs the steps, a pole from a huge swastika continues downward to the ground, draped in blood red. This signifies birth. The third facet is of Ganesh janani, a doting mother.

In the inner chamber, the goddess has already disciplined Mahishasura, so is peacefully seated in a meditative posture. There are no weapons in her hands. The head of the vanquished demon is hanging from the tip of the trident visible behind Durga’s head, on the backdop. She is also clutching the horns of the ox, indicating that she has got the beast under her control. A huge halo of bamboo poles adorn the idol’s backdrop. Light gets emitted from behind the bamboo poles giving the halo a divine aura.

Organiserspeak: “Our artist Parimal Pal specialises in idol-making. This year we have forced him to take charge of the pandal as well,” says secretary Kanchan Mullik.

Nabamilan

Location: Beleghata Main Road, close to the CESC office

Year: 81st

Budget: Rs 4 lakh

The theme: Sujolang sufolang

The look: A cactus and dying branches of trees welcome the visitor into the pandal. On both sides, ragged structures with windows form the walls. These are skyscrapers that form the concrete jungles that have destroyed greenery and sapped life out of earth. A figure of Mother Nature stretches her hands heavenwards, seeking rain and relief. The sanctum sanctorum is where all is well again. Light focused on innumerable nylon threads hung at the middle as well at the sides gives an impression of rain. Water accumulates below. In it, lotus blooms. Even behind the goddess is a giant tree rising from a synthetic glass carpet paving the platform. Lights create the effect of clouds floating atop.

Artistespeak: “We need to wake up to the disaster brewing all around us because of our mindless destruction of greenery,” says theme-maker Sarasi Das Roy.

Sandhani

Location: A two-minute walk from Nabamilan

Year: 43rd

Budget: Rs 17 lakh

The theme: Junglemahal

The look: There are eight watch towers connected by balconies on which tribal folk will march, with bows and arrows in hand. The pandal, rising up to 35ft, is created out of bamboo slices.

Organiserspeak: “We chose Junglemahal as our theme as the area is in the news and will arouse interest among people. We are trying to showcase the lifestyle of the tribal folk there. An acquaintance of our Contai-based pandal decorator had gone to the area for a recce and passed on the inputs. We have invited about 21 inhabitants from Junglemahal. We also want to hold a health camp in Junglemahal after the Pujas,” says assistant treasurer Supratim Kar.

Beliaghata 33 no. Palli Bashi Brinda

Location: CIT Road, near Beleghata Main Road-CIT Road crossing

Year: 12th

Budget: Rs 15 lakh

The look: It is a lookback to the era when the caveman fought to secure food. If atop the pandal are symbols of valour like the sun, lances and arrows, on the ceiling inside the cave-like pandal are lotuses.

Organiserspeak: “Our pre-historic pandal is also a tribute to womanpower,” says president Parimal Dey.