Kolkata, September 27, 2026: Baguiati Rail Pukur United Club is celebrating the 73rd year of its Durga Puja with an evocative artistic installation themed ‘Collage’, bringing together art, mythology, heritage, social memory and the changing landscape of communication.
Conceptualised by artist Somnath Tamli, the pandal has been created using thousands of kilograms of recycled newspapers, transforming an everyday material into an immersive artistic experience. Individual sheets of newspapers, words, photographs and textures have been brought together to form the structure itself, giving a physical expression to the idea of a collage.
The theme also draws a symbolic connection with the mythology of Maa Durga. According to traditional narratives, Goddess Durga emerged through the collective divine energies of various deities, with Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Varuna, Vayu, Agni, Yama, Kubera and Surya among those traditionally associated with contributing their powers and weapons. Each contribution represents an individual fragment of strength, which, when brought together, creates the complete and powerful form of Maa Durga.
The same philosophy has been extended through the artistic installation, which pays tribute to inspirational figures such as Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Satyajit Ray, Satyendra Nath Bose, Matangini Hazra, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Vivekananda. Their diverse contributions have been brought together to represent a larger collage of Bengal and India’s cultural, intellectual and social heritage.
Newspapers form another important element of the installation. Visuals depicting newspapers being transported in bulk and distributed on bicycles recreate the newspaper culture of an earlier era. At the same time, the installation reflects on the transformation brought about by digital media and the changing ways in which people receive and share information.
Speaking on the occasion, Snehasish Debnath, Secretary of Baguiati Rail Pukur United Club, said that the theme seeks to bring together different fragments of society, culture, history and collective memory into one larger narrative. He explained that, just as individual pieces create a meaningful collage, the collective divine energies in the mythology of Maa Durga create a powerful and complete form.
He further said that the club has extended the same idea through newspapers, iconic personalities and stories that have shaped Bengal and India. The use of thousands of kilograms of recycled newspapers, he added, is also a tribute to a disappearing culture of reading and sharing news, recalling a time when newspapers were an integral part of everyday life.
Through ‘Collage’, Baguiati Rail Pukur United Club combines art, mythology, heritage and contemporary thought to offer visitors an experience that goes beyond the visual spectacle of a Durga Puja pandal. The installation ultimately highlights the idea that individual contributions, when brought together, can create something larger, meaningful and enduring.
