Inside Durga Puja pandal that blends Bengali culture and tradition with futurism: See all the show-stopping pics, video

Durga Puja 2025: Kolkata’s Durga Puja comes alive with ‘Mukho Mukhi,’ a stunning pandal blending kinetic art, reflective installations and spirituality.

Durga Puja in Kolkata is more than a religious festival – it is a cultural spectacle where the city transforms into an open-air art gallery. Thousands of pandals spring up across the city, each telling a unique story through architecture, design, and creativity. This year, among the many eye-catching themes, the Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club’s ‘Mukho Mukhi’ has already become a major attraction.

Durga Puja 2025: The idol reflects divine power and spiritual depth, blended with a futuristic attire. (instagram/@arjunpuramrasabaiclub)

Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club’s theme: “Mukho Mukhi”

Though Kolkata’s main four days of Durga Puja are yet to begin – pandal hoppers have already taken to the city’s streets, exploring its art-filled installations. Even at this early stage, Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club’s show-stopping themed pandal is emerging as a major highlight.

Located in Taltala, the Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club, established in 1973, is known for pushing the boundaries of puja artistry. Their 2025 theme, 'Mukho Mukhi' (Face to Face), conceptualised by acclaimed artist Shovin Bhattacharjee, blends kinetic art, reflective stainless steel installations, and blue-lit ambience bringing the entire pandal to life. It delves into the spiritual realm of the “Antarjami” - one who knows the inner self - a deeply personal and at the same time, universal idea of a dialogue between the individual and the divine. The visitors are invited to confront their own reflections, marking a confluence between self-awareness, and the essence of divinity, the eternal energy of the universe.

The idol: A glimpse of artistic brilliance

At the heart of this striking pandal stands the idol of Maa Durga, sculpted by Shampa Bhattacharjee, as a symbol of gentle power fusing futuristic technology with tradition. Within the rotating structures and luminous setting, the goddess becomes the still point in a moving world - an artistic metaphor for divinity amidst constant change. Crafted by skilled Kumartuli artisans, the idol combines traditional grace with a modern aesthetic. Maa Durga’s eyes, drawn with lifelike finesse, radiate calm strength, while her minimalist adornment allows the sculpture’s natural beauty to shine through.

Sculptor Bimal Paul, who has worked with the club for three years, meticulously crafted the goddess’s eyes, imbuing them with a lifelike depth that captures both strength and serenity. He told TNCIS that this was one of the most emotionally charged pieces he has worked on - “The eyes took me three days,” he said during the unveiling, “because they had to capture more than just sight; they had to reflect the soul.” In line with eco-conscious practices, the idol has been crafted with clay and natural colours, reinforcing the club’s commitment to sustainability.