Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 13 (ANI): As the festive spirit begins to sweep across West Bengal, Durga Puja pandals built around unique and unconventional themes are once again gaining momentum, transforming the state’s biggest cultural celebration into a vibrant showcase of art, creativity and social consciousness.
Among the standout attractions this year is the celebrated South Kolkata club Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha, which has unveiled a thought-provoking and immersive pandal for Durga Puja 2026, built around the theme ‘Shodhan’.
Blending artistic expression with a deeper message, the concept seeks to encourage visitors to look beyond the grandeur of the festivities and reflect on the broader significance of purification, transformation and renewal.
Likewise, Siliguri’s Subarata Sangha has come forward with an Adi Shakti-themed Durga Puja pandal featuring a giant Lord Shiva idol and a Mount Kailash replica ahead of its 69th year.
Member of the Subrata Sangha Durga Puja Committee, Ashim Kumar Sengupta, spoke to ANI on the theme and shared, "...this year's theme is Adi Shakti. There is a power in the universe from the very beginning. The tradition of Shakti has been going on; it is invisible, formless, and cannot be seen, and we continue this tradition to this day...especially in Bengal, we celebrate it every year on a grand scale and consider it a festival...to handle the crowd, we have the police administration. We also hire private security. Along with them, we have our volunteers...our opening is tomorrow..."
The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur. Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees. (ANI)
Durga Puja 2026: West Bengal pandals embrace themes of ‘Shodhan’, 'Adi Shakti'
