Durga Puja's Unesco spark ignites pandal art, business and more

West Bengal's cultural extravaganza sees higher sponsorships, heightened creativity

Amid the fervour of Durga Puja in North Kolkata, a spectacle awaits all who venture to witness it: Tala Prattoy, with a larger-than-life metal structure cradling the magnificent Durga idol within its embrace.

Spread over 33,000 square feet, the Tala Prattoy Durga Puja stands supported by two towering arches and sturdy pillars. These pillars depict vignettes from the life of the ingenious artist, Susanta Paul. Inside this extraordinary structure, one can explore a study, a shower area, a dining space, and the inner sanctum, where the artist coexists with the deity during the days of the puja.

“Organised religion creates a distance between the devotee and God. I am trying to erase that. Here, I am living with Durga,” says Paul.

The mammoth metal creation, weighing about 50 tonnes, was brought to life by 180 artisans over three-odd months and cost Rs 1-1.5 crore. Despite its grandeur, Tala Prattoy exudes a sense of understated elegance, and is one of many creative themes at puja pandals this year.

Paul takes issue with the term "theme", but acknowledges that Durga Puja underwent a transformation when artists began participating around 1998-99. While the focus had initially centred on the pavilions, or pandals, that house the idol, the shift towards conceptual pandals took root with the Asian Paints Sharad Samman in 1985, an award celebrating the best-decorated pandals.

These pandals have since evolved into artistic concepts that explore a wide array of societal and contemporary issues, challenging age-old customs and rituals. This year, one pandal in Central Kolkata champions menstrual hygiene, dismantling societal taboos surrounding this vital topic.

The ingenuity doesn't end here. Across numerous pujas, one can witness artistic expressions that range from the poignant pain of Bengal's partition to explorations of surrogacy, child trafficking and even a mass uprising, possibly in response to the Manipur violence.

The Unesco effect

In December 2021, ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ was inscribed in Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The organisers and artists are making the most of the tag.

“The Unesco inscription has made a big difference in how Durga Puja is perceived nationally and internationally,” says Debanjan Chakrabarti, director, East & North East, British Council India. “We are also seeing a huge surge in creativity.”

The British Council and Unesco are international partners of the Durga Puja Preview Show conceived by massArt, a not-for-profit born in June 2022, months after the Unesco inscription. The preview draws attention to the gigantic public art festival that Durga Puja has become in the last 20 years.

It offers a glimpse into the finest Durga Puja art installations, allowing enthusiasts to avoid the last-minute rush. This year's response has been nothing short of overwhelming, drawing around 36,000 attendees, including foreign visitors, art critics, and aficionados from across the country, says Dhrubajyoti Bose Suvo, secretary, massArt.

Business bonanza

The festivities have taken over the streets of Kolkata, with excitement palpable in the air. The advertisers anticipated this, and have draped the city in banners to reach their audience.

“I have been associated with Durga Puja for the last 36-37 years and I can say that this is the best year as far as sponsorship goes,” Avijit Majumder, general secretary, Singhee Park Durga Puja Committee, says. He adds that 80 per cent of the outdoor advertising was booked two months ahead of the pujas, and attributes the surge in sponsorship to the Unesco tag.

Big brands have reallocated funds from their national marketing budget to the local level, resulting in an 80-90 per cent increase in outdoor advertising for the Singhee Park event.

Prominent pujas in South Kolkata also reflect higher sponsorship, such as the one hosted by the Ballygunge Cultural Association (BCA) and sponsored by Coca-Cola, which is said to have covered about 25 per cent of this puja’s budget. Coca Cola did not respond to queries from Business Standard.

Overall, sponsorship for BCA is up by 10-15 per cent. Anjan Ukil, BCA joint secretary, says all pujas, big or small, have gained from the heritage inscription.

Swaswata Basu, general secretary, Forum for Durgotsab, adds that on an average, sponsorship is up by a 15-20 per cent for all pujas. The forum is an umbrella organisation representing around 550 pujas, mostly in Kolkata.

Tala Prattoy

 

Feast for the senses

Retail and food & beverages play a pivotal role in the festival's economic ecosystem. Last year, post-pandemic, the frenzy of "revenge eating" and "revenge shopping" took centre stage. This year, businesses are experiencing a renewed surge in customer activity.

“It’s a very bright scene. Sales have been exceptionally good,” Nitin Kothari, owner of the iconic Peter Cat and Mocambo restaurants off Park Street, says. Bengalis, during the pujas and Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year), enthusiastically indulge in their cuisine.

Ananda Palit, founder and director of Savourites Hospitality, the group behind the Bengali restaurant chain, 6 Ballygunge Place, anticipates footfalls similar to or higher than last year.

Anand Puri, a third generation partner at Trincas, once a symbol of nightlife in Kolkata, adds, “There are so many amazing pandals… We will get a crowd.”

A research commissioned by the British Council on behalf of the department of tourism, West Bengal, estimated the total economic worth of the creative industries around Durga Puja, from retail and food & beverages to sponsorships and idol-making, at Rs 32,377 crore annually (2019 figues). Retail dominated at Rs 27,364 crore.

South City Mall, which houses retailers like Zara, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein, is seeing higher sales. “Last year, the surge was very high after the pandemic. This year, the growth is about 12 to 18 per cent,” Man Mohan Bagree, vice president, South City group, says.

At Quest Mall, home to luxury and premium brands like Burberry, Canali, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Senior Vice-president Sanjeev Mehra says the overall business and sentiment is “very good”.

All are hoping the Goddess continues to shower her blessings.