Famous South Kolkata Pujas to showcase Bengal's art excellence

Kolkata: Two of the most mesmerising art forms of Bengal have come alive in two popular Durga Pujas in South Kolkata.

Ballygunge Cultural Association has decided to adorn its Puja pandal in an artistic décor through the intricacies associated with Shola (thermocol) art and various items made of thermocol, while Mudiali Club has displayed a unique blend of Dokra art and Patchitra through its puja this year.

The Ballygunge Cultural reached out to a far-flung village in South 24-Parganas and roped in around 40 artists of the village along with their 200 assistants to work tirelessly for 240 days.

It has provided the residents of the village associated with this art form an opportunity to project their artistic skills to countless visitors and art lovers across the world.

"Bengal's Shola items have been used in various religious, public, cultural, social and various other traditional occasions in the past, its use in such a large scale has probably never been done before. We are striving for the development and prosperity of this art through its publicity by taking this handicraft of Bengal beyond its geographical confines and projecting it on a grand stage to the world," a member of the Puja committee said.

With Facebook on board as 'Official Social Media Partner', Ballygunge Cultural is set to become a global Puja, powered by appropriate hashtag #BiswaPujo, whereby people all over the world will be able to witness the Puja via the goings-on here. Every Puja moment at Ballygunge Cultural will there online either live or via recordings.

The Mudiali Club in its 84th year has made an effort to showcase the Patchitra of Bengal through Dokra art through its theme 'Mayer Aanchal'. Goddess Durga along with her entourage is seated on a chariot that is being pulled by two oxen. There is a big horse like animal at the entrance of the pandal, which according to theme maker Gouranga Kuila is a mix of animals like donkey, deer, goat. "People have been calling it a terracotta horse but a careful look will reveal that it is a blend of many animals with which you would associate the tribals of Midnapore district," Kuila added.

Some 50 odd artists from Tamluk in East Midnapore have worked for nearly three months to create the pandal.

"The idol will be Sabeki keeping in with the tradition of Mudiali Club. The pandal has been decked up with foam, bangles and bells to give the feel of a motherly care," said Arun Lal, Secretary of the Club.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated both these pujas which have been crowd pullers for the last few years.