A Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata that’s celebrating the coconut

The coconut, not solely integral to Hindu rituals together with those adopted in Durga Puja but additionally the important thing ingredient of a candy served throughout this time of the 12 months in Bengal, occurs to be the theme of one of many pandals in Kolkata selling sustainability. More than 2,000 discarded coconut shells have been used within the ornament of this pandal, positioned within the neighbourhood of Topsia.

“The total construction and ornament are an ode to the flexibility of the coconut tree, which offers meals, drink, shelter, fibre, gas, and numerous supplies for conventional and fashionable makes use of. Coconut shells, coir, dried leaves, and husk have been used to brighten the area, making it look earthy and an ethereal house for Goddess Durga,” mentioned set up designer Sujata Chatterjee concerning the pandal.

“We are calling the pandal Nariyal Katha. It has been designed to provide guests the texture of stepping inside a coconut — a symbolic womb of nature, nurture, and nourishment. It serves as a real reminder of sustainability, for it isn’t solely constructed of eco-friendly supplies however is, in reality, a zero-waste set up, the place each half will once more be reused or repurposed,” Ms. Chatterjee, an engineer by qualification, mentioned.

In the pandal, coconut shells/bowls have been used for lights; damaged coconut items for background paintings; coconut husk for exterior decorations; coconut shell jewelry for the goddess and her kids; dried coconut leaves as crowns; coconut ropes and leaves for inside décor; and coconut leaf stalk for asura’s neckpiece.

“The concept struck whereas I used to be distributing narkel naru (coconut candy) throughout Bijoya after final 12 months’s Durga Puja. We place the coconut on the pot throughout each ritual, we break the coconut at any time when we purchase one thing new or begin a brand new mission, we distribute narkel naru throughout pleased events, but the coconut by no means appeared to get the spotlight it deserved,” she mentioned.

“The design began practically 10 months again, and the final three to 4 months had been engaged in hands-on work. Every part, from the patterns on the wall to the chandelier lights on the ceiling to the jewelry on the goddess, has been hand-crafted. It was significantly time-consuming to remodel greater than 2,000 discarded shells, collected from markets, road meals sellers, confectioners, into creations,” mentioned Ms. Chatterjee, whose workforce included craftswomen from her organisation, Twirl.retailer, which manufactures what it calls waste-to-wonder merchandise, and in addition pupil volunteers from Chitraka of Techno India University.