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 world wide.
For just a few autumn nights, town of Kolkata (and different elements 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 the streets, and hundreds of thousands wander from one illuminated dreamscape to the following.
The festivities drew to a detailed on Thursday.
Pageant goers go to a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata.
What appears to be like like a spectacle is definitely a group in movement: native golf equipment elevating funds, households volunteering, craftspeople collaborating, and whole native economies springing to life round meals, lights, music, and artwork.
Households map their “pandal-hopping” routes, musicians set the rhythm, meals stalls weave town collectively, and town itself turns into a stage. All types of divisions – class, caste, ethnicity – on this metropolis of teeming hundreds of 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 Consultant in India, defined, “It embodies the Sarbojonin spirit – ‘for all individuals’ – that has outlined group worship since 1926. From clay sculptors to drummers, designers to native organizers, the complete metropolis contributes to one of the vibrant cultural expressions on the planet.”
That is heritage not locked away in monuments however alive in observe, handed hand-to-hand by craftsmanship, reimagined yearly with new themes, and binding communities throughout class, religion, and language.
Durga Puja can also be a inventive economic system powerhouse. A 2019 research 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 yr marked his first go to to the century-old pandal now spotlighting sustainable agriculture, highlighting the broader significance of the Sustainable Growth Targets.
UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp visits a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, India.
He instructed 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 japanese 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 mild.
The purpose is obvious: religion and expertise can co-exist; even in a futuristic body.
Customer reactions mirror this mix of marvel and warning. One 30-year-old lab technician from Kolkata, Nupur Hajara stated “the extra positively individuals obtain AI, the higher. In the event that they take it negatively, that gained’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 greatest, most particular pageant – and now AI is a part of the dialog. It will possibly do numerous good, however there are dangers too, particularly fraud. Deepfakes and viral pictures are actual issues. With out safeguards, somebody may misuse images and deceive individuals. So, it’s essential that we use these applied sciences responsibly.”
Including a distinct register of urgency, one other pandal with the theme of “Shabdo” (“Sound”) attracts consideration for its poignant deal with the vanishing sounds of nature – chirping birds, rustling leaves, croaking frogs – captured by 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 consider, on account of cellular community impacts. This pandal is our technique to get up the group, to learn to carry the birds again and to begin 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 daily. That is one of the simplest 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 enable individuals to relaxation.
Because the UN’s Shombi Sharp recalled, “We heard from a father who, for the primary time in 17 years, was capable of carry his daughter, a wheelchair consumer, to have fun Durga Puja. That was an extremely emotional second.”
