Durga Pujo: Pandal Hopping on Panchomi

Panchomi (literally 'fifth day') is, according to my expert guide, the first day to go check out the big pujos. The crowds haven't really picked up as yet, but the big pandals are fully setup, open and decorated. While there were definitely crowds, I could tell it wasn't as bad as the other days. Due to the atrocious traffic in Kolkata, we could only see three pandals on Panchomi: Shreebumi, Dumdum Park Torun Shango, and Dumdum Park Bharat Charkra. I'll discuss each of them and then give them a "prize" indicating how I thought they related to the others I saw.

Shreebumi Sporting Club

Shreebumi's pandal was clearly modeled after an Italian villa, although it was made from what looked like plaster and plastics. The pandal featured a wide courtyard with statues (plastic). The idol was fairly nice as well, and the chandelier inside the villa was incredible. If you look closely enough at the chandelier, you'll note that the birds are actually hanging from the roof -- I had thought they were painted on.

Prize: Most elegant pandal.



Dumdum Park Torun Shango

Dumdum Park Torun Shango had a pandal situated right next to a lake, which gave me some great photographs. The entire pandal surface was made out of scraps of towel, sewn together to make the general color they were after. All the artwork was likewise made from towels. The idol was nice, but my mother in law's first comment was that Durga was too thin.

Prize: Most innovative building material.



Dumdum Park Bharat Chakra

Dumdum Park Bharat Chakra's pandal featured dozens of animatronic dolls, displaying stories and shifting between various poses. The animatronics were nothing like Disney's, but they were pretty impressive for a temporary structure built by hobbyists. The pandal also featured dozens of dolls bobbing their heads, which was pretty cool, albeit a bit creepy. I liked the idol, particularly the symmetry.

Prize: Most mobile decorations.