Kolkata Pandals Blend Fantasy and Reality with Interactive Durga Puja Performances

As the 2025 Durga Puja celebrations approach, Kolkata's pandal organizers have embraced a new trend of interactive performances to captivate visitors. At least five prominent pandals, including Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja Samity, Tala Prattoy, and Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha, are incorporating thematic performances that go beyond just visual displays.

Kashi Bose Lane is celebrating the legacy of writer Leela Majumdar, showcasing the "blend of fantasy and reality" in her works through a three-and-a-half-minute performance featuring muppets and puppets. Tala Prattoy's theme, "A Seed Courtyard," features performances like people walking in reverse motion and someone writing while another erases, reflecting the "politics of erasure." Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha's exploration of the world of detective Byomkesh Bakshi includes visitors being welcomed by characters from the stories and a book installation where plots emerge as pages are turned.

These interactive elements are aimed at engaging the audience and bringing the themes to life in a more immersive manner. As Bhabatosh Sutar, the artist behind Tala Prattoy's concept, explains, the performances are meant to "connect with the audience" and make the space "alive and interactive." With over 90 performers across three shifts, these pandals are offering visitors a truly unique Durga Puja experience this year.