00:00 Durga Puja in Bengal is characterized by the puja pandals.
00:07 Every year, these inspiring structures allow artists and organizers to create an inclusive
00:13 atmosphere that binds together people from all sections of the society.
00:18 From a pandal dedicated to the visually challenged to the one that pays tribute to the LGBTQ
00:25 community, from celebrating the diverse Chinese culture to voicing the rights of children
00:31 and sex workers, Outlook Traveller celebrates five unique pandals that took the spirit of
00:37 oneness a step ahead.
00:39 We begin with a pandal to touch because in this grand spectacle, the visually impaired
00:45 are not missing out on the action.
00:47 The Samad Sebi Sangh designed this magnificent pandal to cater to their special needs.
00:53 Boasting a huge installation of Durga at its entrance, the idol is made from 20,000 screws
01:00 and gave visitors like Rutul a chance to touch and feel the sculpture.
01:05 This is my first experience in my life.
01:08 I can totally see what the looks of Durga or any other goddess.
01:18 The next pandal takes the message of inclusivity one step further.
01:22 Their motto being that everyone is equal in the eyes of Durga Maa, no matter what one's
01:27 sexual orientation may be.
01:30 The pandal at South Kolkata's Baro Bagan Cultural Association was adorned with medical
01:35 equipment like saline bottles, tubes and bandages.
01:40 It drove home the message that the LGBTQ community is no different from the others around them.
01:47 Continuing with the spirit of diversity, Salt Lake's BJ Block Puja Committee made a Chinese
01:53 connection with 2018's Durga Puja by creating a pandal that celebrated international culture
02:00 and design.
02:01 In collaboration with the Chinese consulate, the committee constructed a Yunnan-themed
02:06 pandal which happens to be a village near the Kunming city.
02:11 This pandal comes with dragon motifs, lanterns and a giant replica of Hulu, the holy Chinese
02:18 bottle god.
02:19 In fact, the artwork is done by a team of 39 artists, specially flown in from China
02:26 to create the pandal and all of its structures.
02:30 Our next pandal featured a poignant theme around the fight against child labour.
02:35 In the hope of empowering children to voice their rights, Damdam Park's Tarun Sangh have
02:41 imagined the theme Shishu Shomer Bridwe, depicting the eternal struggle of a child, represented
02:47 by Lord Ganesha.
02:49 The artist Anarbandas has used items commonly found in a tea stall like 29,000 teacups,
02:56 4 lakh self-made tea bags, 1.7 lakh glasses and over 1.5 lakh kettles.
03:05 But certainly not the least, this final pandal broke all barriers.
03:10 From darkness to light was a groundbreaking theme of Aritola Juba Brinda Committee, who
03:16 teamed up with Sonakachi sex workers to showcase their lives and struggles.
03:22 Also unveiled was a 300-feet graffiti which narrated the tale of a sex worker's life,
03:29 from the distorted kumkum line to the woman peeping from behind the door.
03:33 This innovative artwork perfectly captured the hardships faced by women in this profession.
03:40 As magnificent as they are, these pandals speak of love as the key to diversity.
03:46 Art again does what it does best, it expresses the sentiment and the true emotion of our
03:51 society and that strength lies in differences and not in similarities.
03:56 So block your dates in your 2019 planner and come experience this land of art and diversity
04:04 as Bengal awaits you.
04:05 [MUSIC]
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