THE BACKSTORY - RADHIKA SINGH

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

THE BACKSTORY

Radhika Singh lifts the layers behind the journey of Kolkata Durga Pujo being inscribed on the Representative List of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

Photo Pradyut Choudhury Photo Pradyut Choudhury

This year, as we begin to emerge from the shadow of the pandemic, October beckons us with a capricious smile. Khuntipujo has begun all across the city as I write this and the construction of pandals will follow. The sky is turning into a riot of colours and the nip in the air is a familiar, much loved one. An inexplicable joy creeps up and brings a smile to our lips. In a couple of months, the fragrance of shiuli and the gentle waving of the kaashphool will signal the arrival of our Ma.

Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s baritone still slices through the dawn on Mahalaya, the pitch and fervour of akal-bodhan still raises goosebumps and the nabapatrika-snan at Belur still marks the beginning of the festivities in Kolkata, the snaking lines of thousands of people out for nightlong thakur-dekha still defies logic, but change is in the air. Our beloved Pujo has transformed from the simple neighbourhood event into a world famous festival.

In December 2021, an Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This Representative List currently has 492 elements. It includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of intangible heritage and raises awareness of its importance. This recognition is undoubtedly a matter of great pride for the Bengali community all over the world. What we always knew but could never adequately express in words has now been acknowledged and appreciated by the entire world.

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The journey to achieving this extraordinary milestone has involved people, institutions, agencies and officials from all across India. I feel blessed to have been a part of this community which worked single-mindedly towards showcasing Pujo as a world class festival that transcends caste, creed and economic status. My own contribution has been nominal, but I had the privilege of a ring side view of the developments leading up to this recognition.

It began in 2018, when a MoU was signed by the Government of West Bengal and the British Council to improve awareness and cultural relations between the United Kingdom and West Bengal. A joint delegation visited UK with the aim of highlighting Durga Puja and promote international tourism to our state. It was an unforgettable visit, packed with meetings and opportunities to position Pujo as one of the worlds largest public festivals that transcends the boundaries of caste and creed. An exhibition of images of Durga Puja, commissioned by the Department of Tourism and taken by Kolkata photographer Manjit Singh Hoonjan was organised as part of the Thames festival 2018. This exhibition saw thousands of visitors and generated great excitement and interest.

In 2019, the West Bengal Government's Department of Tourism invited the British Council to carry out a mapping exercise on their behalf to determine the economic importance of West Bengal's unique creative industries. This initiative titled ‘Mapping the Creative Economy around Durga Puja 2019’ looked at 10 creative industries that drive the festival. The research was conducted by IIT Kharagpur, Queen Mary University London and an agency named Smart Cube and their report estimates the economic worth of the creative industries around Durga Puja in West Bengal at Rs 32,377 crore which is the size of the economy of many smaller countries across the world. Durga Puja accounts for 2.58% of the state GDP.

It was after this that the idea of submitting a nomination for the UNESCO representative list arose. Numerous academics, experts, clubs, civil servants, public representatives, government officials and civil society organisations contributed to a series of consultations over three years that then resulted in the formal submission of a nomination dossier from India. The rest as they say is history!

Everyone can help! Many communities of the creative industries in West Bengal, such as the dhakis, have suffered significant losses during the pandemic. Each of us can help by encouraging and enthusing friends and family abroad to visit during Durga Puja. There are over 36,000 pujos in West Bengal and 2500 in Kolkata city alone. All the different agencies and services now come together to make it a safe, clean and thoroughly enjoyable few days. Hotels, restaurants, tour operators and club organisers offer a variety of plans to suit every pocket.

The guests will get the experience of a lifetime while contributing to helping local communities keep our culture and traditions alive.

Radhika lives and works in Kolkata and likes to define herself an 'obangali' by birth and 'bangali' by choice. She is a committed activist for the protection of heritage and tradition. She works for the British Council and was part of a team that contributed to the nomination dossier for Kolkata’s Durga Puja.

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