‘Let’s visit Durga puja pandal this visit!‘, said my husband, during our trip to West Bengal in 2019.
‘Pandal? What’s that?’ I thought, having never been to West Bengal before in Navratri time. But that autumn in West Bengal showed me such an amazing aspect of India that I was dismayed I had not known about it before.
For Durga puja pandal are unique. Not only are they a celebration of Navratri and Durga Puja, but also of West Bengal’s ethos, culture, food and craft. They are an ode to the Bengali way of life and their love for their culture, tradition and art. Perhaps that is why, come Durga puja, the mere mention of the words ‘pandal hopping’ makes anyone who has been part of the Bengali way of life feel nostalgic and reminiscent about the feverish energy of this festive season. For once you have seen the love and dedication that goes into making a Durga puja pandal, or the excitement of seeing one for the first time, you can never, ever forget it.
A pandal is a temporary or permanent structure used for social gatherings and cultural performances. Given below is one of the magnificent Durga puja pandal of West Bengal.