Oct 2-5 - Idols

Yes, pandals are stunning, quite surreal at times, pieces of art, but why construct them in the first place? They hold the idols, of course! Each pandal holds Durja, her two daughters & their husbands, as well as the Bengal tiger & a depiction of Evil, usually a male figure. The representations, colors, designs & overall impressions are quite different from pandal to pandal. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves on their opulence...they are certainly worship-worthy!

The pandal near my flat - ours was pretty basic...the statues are slightly less than human life size.






Ganesh, the husband on the left of the picture who happens to have an elephant head, is one of my favorite Hindu stories. He helps people overcome obstacles, something I can relate to well lately!






From the interior of the Mayan themed pandal...






The ceiling was carved with glyphs & vines



From our day of pandal hopping...the small castle pandal


We didn't fight the crowds at the largest castle pandal, the one decorated with biodegradable jute...it's idols were all in white and huge - well over 15 feet high!


The golden temple pandal near my home had the most impressive clay work. The idols looked like they were carved from marble...truly beautiful, even with the distinct depiction of Durja killing Evil!



I love that Ganesh is riding on horseback as part of the chariot. And remember...these entire statues - every last part of them - are carried to the water and submerged.

Location:Multiple pandals, Durja Puja, Kol, WB