Artiste Pradip Rudrapal’s theme puja debut with “Punorjanmo” at Telengabagan Durgotsab

Artiste Pradip Rudrapal’s theme puja debut with

“Punorjanmo” at Telengabagan Durgotsab

Pradip Rudrapal - one of Bengal’s top sculptor and ace idol-maker whose Durga pratimas have adorned many famous and prestigious pandals over the years – is for the first time delving into creating a puja pandal theme for Telengabagan Sarbojananin Durga Puja in North Kolkata this year.

The theme “Punorjanmo” is a symbolic clarion call for each of us to introspect and transform ourselves and our modern society which has fallen into a vice-like demonic grip of fake news, trolling, phising and other social media ills that have brought us technically closer but made us spiritually distant. Pradip is using his creative genius to depict this ubiquitous social malaise in the form of a 40-feet asura having a stranglehold on our society with his tamasic powers while Maa Durga, seated in a meditative posture, would symbolise the sattvic force that would deliver mankind from the dark forces.

“At the core of the Punorjanmo or Reincarnation theme is Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya i.e., from darkness to the light. Ashubho shakti thekay subho shakti te manusher chetona ke jagroto kora,” says Pradip Rudrapal. Pradip had won many top awards for his Maa Durga Durga idols over the years including Asian Paints Sharad Samman in 1994, 95, 98, 2001, 2003, 2008 and Ananda ACC, Ananda Snowcem, Anandabazar-Panasonic in 1995, 2008 and 2009 respectively and many others.

“It is a matter of great privilege for Telengabagan Durga Puja to have an artiste like Pradip Rudrapal to be involved with us in his maiden Theme Puja venture. The meditative pose of Maa Durga symbolising our inner spiritual power would be mesmerizing treat for the pandal hoppers this year. Music, vedic chants and shlokas would add to the ambiance,” said Subir Roy, Vice-President, Telengabagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee.