Inscribed by the UN cultural company, UNESCO, in 2021 as a component of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Durga Puja isn’t only a pageant, it’s a city-wide act of reimagination, one which resonates with the Bengali diaspora and others all over the world.
For a number of autumn nights, the town of Kolkata (and different components of West Bengal) turned an open-air gallery the place native communities construct dazzling short-term temples or pandals, artisans from Kumartoli sculpt the goddess from river clay, drummers (dhaakis) roll thunder by means of the streets, and thousands and thousands wander from one illuminated dreamscape to the subsequent.
The festivities drew to a detailed on Thursday.
Pageant goers go to a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata.
What seems to be like a spectacle is definitely a neighborhood in movement: native golf equipment elevating funds, households volunteering, craftspeople collaborating, and full native economies springing to life round meals, lights, music, and artwork.
Households map their “pandal-hopping” routes, musicians set the rhythm, meals stalls weave the town collectively, and the town itself turns into a stage. All types of divisions – class, caste, ethnicity – on this metropolis of teeming thousands and thousands, soften away.
UNESCO recognition
UNESCO recognised the Durga Puja, named after the Hindu goddess Durga, in 2021 describing it as “the perfect occasion of the general public efficiency of faith and artwork, and a thriving floor for collaborative artists and designers.”
As Tim Curtis, UNESCO Representative in India, defined, “It embodies the Sarbojonin spirit – ‘for all folks’ – that has outlined neighborhood worship since 1926. From clay sculptors to drummers, designers to native organizers, the complete metropolis contributes to one of the vital vibrant cultural expressions on the earth.”
That is heritage not locked away in monuments however alive in observe, handed hand-to-hand by means of craftsmanship, reimagined yearly with new themes, and binding communities throughout class, religion, and language.
Durga Puja can also be a artistic financial system powerhouse. A 2019 examine estimated the pageant’s industries generate $4.53 billion, 2.58 per cent of West Bengal’s GDP.
Artwork with a message
For Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, this 12 months marked his first go to to the century-old pandal now spotlighting sustainable agriculture, highlighting the broader significance of the Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp visits a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, India.
He advised UN Information, “Usually you see Goddess Durga defeating evil – right here the ‘evil’ is pesticides and unsustainable farming practices. Behind me stands a show with 280 rice varieties from jap and northeastern India. That’s 12-13 million guests being uncovered to highly effective messages about natural agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainability.”
One other headline-grabber is an AI-themed pandal that fuses devotion with digital creativeness. Goddess Durga seems in her conventional type – ten arms and a lion – whereas the backdrop bursts with circuit-board patterns, glowing knowledge streams, and neon gentle.
The purpose is evident: religion and know-how can co-exist; even in a futuristic body.
Customer reactions mirror this mix of surprise and warning. One 30-year-old lab technician from Kolkata, Nupur Hajara stated “the extra positively folks obtain AI, the higher. In the event that they take it negatively, that received’t assist – proper?”
Collectible figurines made with digital waste materials are displayed in a pandal or temple.
IT skilled, Sumitam Shom defined: “Durga Puja is our largest, most particular pageant – and now AI is a part of the dialog. It could actually do plenty of good, however there are dangers too, particularly fraud. Deepfakes and viral photographs are actual issues. With out safeguards, somebody may misuse images and deceive folks. So, it’s essential that we use these applied sciences responsibly.”
Including a special register of urgency, one other pandal with the theme of “Shabdo” (“Sound”) attracts consideration for its poignant give attention to the vanishing sounds of nature – chirping birds, rustling leaves, croaking frogs – captured by means of immersive, sensory design.
A meditation on nostalgia
It was a meditation on environmental loss and nostalgia, asking what it means for the sounds of nature inside a metropolis to develop quieter as habitats shrink.
Raja, a pandal customer, put it merely: “You barely see birds anymore. My grandfather used to inform me how frequent they have been; now they’re uncommon – partly, we imagine, as a result of cellular community impacts. This pandal is our solution to get up the neighborhood, to discover ways to deliver the birds again and to start out engaged on it collectively.”
Many different pandals additionally echo pressing social themes. One honours acid assault survivors, not solely elevating consciousness however celebrating their dignity and contributions. One other highlights water conservation.
A Puja pandal explores the theme of the vanishing sounds of birds in city areas.
For younger guests too, the messages resonate. Tisa, an 18-year-old scholar at a pandal devoted to water conservation, mirrored that “groundwater is depleting day-to-day. That is one of the best ways to unfold consciousness to the general public.”
Making Puja accessible to all
Durga Puja can also be taking a step towards inclusivity.
In June 2025, UNESCO and the UN in India, working with organizations of individuals with disabilities, launched complete accessibility pointers for pageant organisers.
The outcomes are seen on the bottom. Ramps and barrier-free layouts ease mobility, Braille signage and sign-language interpreters increase communication, and quiet seating areas present permit folks to relaxation.
Because the UN’s Shombi Sharp recalled, “We heard from a father who, for the primary time in 17 years, was in a position to deliver his daughter, a wheelchair person, to rejoice Durga Puja. That was an extremely emotional second.”
