USING REFLECTION IN PUJA PANDAL (2016) DECORATION

33 Pally Sarbajanin - 

Inverted umbrella made out of rear-view mirrors.

This year ( 2016 ) , I have come across two Puja pandals with remarkable and very aesthetic  use of mirrors to decorate the interior of the pandals.

The first one I would mention is a very well-known Durga Puja of this year - ' 33 Pally Sarbajanin '. Over-all planning here is by Shibshankar Das . He has used Ambassador cars and its parts to decorate the pandal - demonstrating  the height Kolkata's installation art reaches during Durga Puja.At the entrance , he has installed an 'inverted umbrella'-shaped  canopy decorated with 500+  rear view mirrors  on the pathway that leads to the pandal.

33 Pally Sarbajanin - 

A closer view of the above.

Inside the pandal, he created two  giant  'haat-paakhaa' ( hand held fan)  on each side of the podium the idols are placed. The surfaces of the 'fans' have quadrants of .mirror, reflecting the idols . Here is one comment  - I could not  find out the position from where I could see reflection of  Devi's face .

33 Pally Sarbajanin - 

Reflection of the idols on quadrants of mirrors.

Kali Puja at Parnasree is a big event. Surya Sangha started very early with their pandal construction and decoration. Huge chandelier was installed inside with  lots and lots of mirrors on the inside walls. Very impressive decoration as the mirrors framing added to the  effect created.

'Surya Sangha , Parnasree  -

The Dark Goddess and Illumination around Her .

DURGA PUJA 2012 - PART I

 Devi and her 'children'- Kartik in far right as seen in this photo - come down a spiral. 

Tarun De. Barisha Udayan Club.

Very lyrical,very graceful posture.

Many photographers - both amateur and professional - who like to chronicle their love for Durga Puja  start their  journey from Kumortuli. These journeys   have produced some wonderful shots , some repeatations. I have  been too lazy to visit Kumortuli for photography - only once I  went there as a child with my grandfather . I reckon this is one experience  I have missed so far.

  Devi among two hemispheres ( lower one in this photo) , within a Pavilion conceived as a 'Kadamba' flower. 

Shib Shankar Das. Santoshpur Triangular Park. 

(Photo taken 14days before inauguration)

  Devi ushering peace. A very tranquil image. 

Shib Shankar Das. Santoshpur Triangular Park.

 This year my association with Durga Puja started with visits to 'sites' where Sanatan Dinda , Shiba Prasad Das  and Purnendu Dey  were working beyond the eyes of the public. I also did a good amount of internet search to  get hold of old photographs of Jiten Pal's work, which brought into contact contact with some veteran Press photographers and finally Naba Pal, grandson of legendary Jiten Pal. More on the work of searching archives at a later date. Though I am yet to get the photographs I was looking for.

 Huge butterfly , installed by Bhabotosh Sutar. Naktala Udayan Sangha.

Looks like a dream when illuminated in the night. 

Devi  envisaged by Bhabotosh Sutar  in spite of  publicity,  a disappointment.

During our 'Puja Parikrama' this year, I have seen  a good no of excellent work. I am also learning to appreciate the great amount of artistic as well as mundane work which go into making an outstanding pavilion and at the same time shaping an idol that stands out in the crowd,stays in the heart of the viewer.

  Pavilion @ Barisha Sarbajanin,shaped as a massive 'SivaLinga' getting ready. 

Sanatan Dinda.

Yet, there are artists who do not get publicity  and their good work is ignored by the prize-giving community, at times by the pandal-hoppers who  are often guided by the Bengali News channels. One major work which has been largely overlooked is Barisha Udayan Palli. Tarun De's work - in Gen Y's language - rocks.

  'ShivLinga' @ Barisha Sarbajanin. 

Sanatan Dinda.

Devi placed within a cut-out on the 'SivaLinga' ,viewed at an angle.
Flames rage on the blue-coloured Linga. Symbols of eye  seem to float on it !
Barisha Sarbajanin. Sanatan Dinda.

 Sanatan Dinda's works in 2012 need elaborate explanation.It has several layers - beyond the obvious visual. More on Sanatan's work in future posts.