Durga Puja 2026 | Lessons from the pandal

Durga Puja 2026 | Lessons from the pandal left The Ramayana pavilion at Alipore Sarbojanin is painted in parts, with metal cutouts dotting the rest Amit Moulick https://th-i.thgim.com/public/life-and-style/98sfjd/article71587668.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/Alipore%20Sarbojanin%20Durgapuja%2010.jpg AMIT MOULICK Gallerist Sharan Apparao finds this year’s pandals a masterclass in collaboration and generosity Three years ago, I added pandal hopping in Kolkata to my calendar and since then it has become an annual art pilgrimage. Every year, during Durga Puja, the city amazes me with the sheer number and creative variety of the massive installations that spring up across its length and breadth. The first year, I remember thinking Kolkata could rival the Venice Biennale during these five days of October. My second year, I was impressed by how pandals became important platforms for social and political activism. But this year, I was moved by how the installations are an ode to the spirit of collaboration.