Documentary on Durga to be shown at Times Square, London
The Statesman | 18 September 2025The documentary titled, Durgotsav 432, will be screened on the day of Mahanabami on 1 October. The duration of the documentary is 17 minutes 32 seconds. The Puja has been organised by Times Square Durga Utsav Association.
The documentary depicts how Durga Puja has become a festival over the years. In the beginning, Durga Puja was organised in the houses of rich people who were either landed aristocrats or used to do business with the East India Company.
The documentary is the research of Samrat Chattopadhyay.
In Kolkata, Lord Clive, who defeated Siraj-Ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey in 1757, attended the Durga Puja which was held in the house of Raja Nabakrishna Deb of Sovabazar. Taking a cue from him, others started organising Durga Pujas at their homes.
Over the years, Durga Puja has become a major festival in the country with people from all communities taking part in the four-day ceremony. UNESCO has given the Intangible Cultural Heritage tag to the Durga Pujas.
Kumartuli is the area where the clay artisans make the idols. It is situated on the banks of river Hooghly. The idols made here are also exported to Europe and the USA. The light artisans from Chandannagar go to different countries and decorate the pandals with lights depicting the world around, from the animal kingdom to the social changes that have taken place over the years.
Durga Puja has become global with several IT companies putting up the festival on social media. People from across the world come to Kolkata to enjoy the four-day festival and the carnival where the award winning clubs organise cultural programmes on Red Road.
