UK Durga Puja to pay tribute to Walt Disney, Nandalal Bose and Jamini Roy
Times of India | 26 September 2025In 1989, eleven families came together to form the Milton Keynes Ananda Club with the vision of celebrating Durga Puja. Since then, the club has continued to grow and spread its wings into diverse areas, including art and culture, wellness, and social service.
This year, the members of the club have decided to pay tribute to Jamini Roy’s style of painting in the pandal decoration. “We have a grand marquee at Simpson Village that is beautifully set amidst lush greenery.
This year, our Puja decor echoes the artistic spirit of Santiniketan. In our decor, we tried to incorporate Tagore’s vision in the graceful patterns of alpana art.
The designs are inspired by the style of celebrated Indian painter Nandalal Bose. We are also delighted to incorporate the works of Jamini Roy, who is renowned for his bold lines, vibrant colours, and folk-inspired style. Every bit of the decor of our pandal is hand-crafted and hand-painted,” said Arup Bhattacharya, president of MK Ananda Club.
Another key highlight of the celebration is a programme by the young brigade on Saptami. The stage will come alive with the performance by 36 kids and five adults. The star attraction is a cultural showcase that includes a programme titled ‘Once Upon a Dream’. “It is a magical tribute to Walt Disney by our children.
That apart, there is a graceful jugalbandi of two classical Indian dance forms - Bharatanatyam and Kathak.
Other attractions include presentations by the MKAC Choir, Illusion dance, and dhunuchi dance as well. On 2 October, a special performance by Marathi Mandal, followed by a dazzling Bollywood musical extravaganza by Indrani Dutta and Joy Bhowmik, is also on the cards,” said Radha Dhiman Goswami, a member of Milton Keynes Ananda Club.
According to Bhattacharya, the idea behind this year’s celebration is to blend “global imagination with Bengal’s heritage”. “While our children will present a tribute to Walt Disney's world of dreams, courage, magic, and friendship, our Puja decor celebrates Santiniketan’s alpana art. Together, these two themes - Disney’s magic and Santiniketan’s artistry - represent our vision for Durga Puja this year: to delight our children and inspire our community where imagination takes flight and tradition finds its voice,” Bhattacharya added.
