OTV in Calcutta: Newspaper-themed Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata highlights transition to digital era

A Durga Puja pandal in West Bengal's Kolkata has drawn widespread attention for its unique theme, being made entirely out of newspapers. The pandal not only showcases the creative use of newspaper but also symbolically highlights the fading significance of print media in an era dominated by digital platforms.

According to reports, the entire pandal is constructed using newspapers. Several statues inside illustrate the role newspapers once played in everyday life. One statue shows bundles of newspapers being loaded in bulk, while another depicts their distribution on a cycle. Another installation captures the common sight of a man reading a newspaper inside a local salon, while yet another shows an elderly man engrossed in a newspaper at a tea stall.

Symbolism of the Digital Shift

The organisers explained to OTV that the pandal was created to portray the shift from newspapers to television, tablets, and other digital platforms. While the availability of news has grown multifold, the consumption of physical newspapers has steadily declined over time. One striking chandelier, made from crumpled newspapers, symbolises how readers discard them after use, reducing them to waste.

Committee Explains Vision

A member of the Puja committee said, “We have shown the transition from the physical newspaper era to the digital era. People are not reading newspapers these days, and sales have gone down as well. This is also affecting the livelihoods of those associated with the profession. The entire cost of building the pandal was approximately Rs 16 lakhs. We tried our best to keep the pandal eco-friendly and also gave Durga Maa’s idol a golden touch to depict some part of the transition.”