durga puja is bengal’s biggest festival that takes place over a week or so in september-october, on dates varying every year but announced well in advance. at the centre of the celebration is the figure of goddess durga, crafted traditionally in clay, who is worshipped in the act of vanquishing the demon mahishasura. it is particularly in the streets of kolkata (calcutta), the capital of the state, that durga puja transcends religious bounds and serves as the cradle for the world’s largest publicly funded Art show. while the worship of durga and her four divine children remains the ritualistic core, the temporary shelters of the idols – structures created from months in advance in street corners – become exquisite works of artistic expression, unique to each locality every year. thus there is a different artistic interpretation offered in every locality through the choice of a different theme to which the entire structure conforms.

 every autumn, the entire city wakes up to an explosion of creativity, with every neighbourhood decked up in unique templates that are a mélange of traditional Art and contemporary concepts, that are diverse and creative enough to rival any international art biennale. commercial promotion and sponsorship have kept pace with the explosion of Art, providing an eco-system of community support.

 as a result, every year, the durga puja experience is different and diverse. the evolution of durga puja of kolkata into an inclusive, community-driven celebration of Art has been hailed by unesco, which describes it as “the best instance of the public performance of religion and Art, and as thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers…”. durga puja has been inscribed on its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2021.