Fusing art & awareness | Pujas honour Ravi Verma, spotlight digital addiction
Kolkata: A community Puja in south Kolkata is paying tribute to visionary painter Raja Ravi Verma, regarded as the hidden sun behind our vision of the divine, while another in New Town is drawing attention to the dangers of digital addiction and at the same time, emphasising the need to embrace technology as a tool for progress without becoming enslaved by it. There was a time when the throne of the divine was locked away, hidden in temple sanctums and royal corridors, where the touch of the common man was forbidden. It was Raja Ravi Verma who, with every stroke of brush, brought the gods closer to the people. With his own printing press, he carried their faces bright and radiant, immortal into every home, across every caste and corner of the land.
“Generations of artists followed this path, inspired by the beauty and truth of his vision. Even today, when we imagine a deity, it is Ravi Verma’s image that lives in our hearts. We believe without him, perhaps God’s face would have forever remained in darkness. Hence, we are paying tribute to Ravi Verma through our theme ‘Dev Darshan (Beholding the Divine),” said a spokesperson of Pratapaditya Road Trikone Park while explaining their idea. This Puja is patronised by Kolkata South MP Mala Roy.
Akandakeshari Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee in New Town is celebrating its 67th year with a thought-provoking theme titled “Shakti”. In an era where the world is deeply entrenched in the Digital Age, the Puja highlights how excessive dependence on technology and virtual connections is reshaping society, often leading to anxiety, depression, intolerance, and emotional emptiness. Through its pandal and artistic narrative, the theme serves as a reflection of Maa Durga’s divine energy — a guiding force to restore wisdom, ignite hope, and rekindle the light within today’s youth. By aligning age-old cultural traditions with a contemporary social concern, this Puja aims to inspire visitors to seek balance — reconnecting with nature, nurturing real relationships, and sowing the seeds of inner peace and self-awareness.
