People Of Pujo

2022

Rono Banerjee

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Rono Banerjee added a different dimension to Kolkata Durga Pujo some two decades back. He has been the principal architect behind bringing many Durga Pujo clubs into limelight through his blockbuster creations and despite his stupendous success as a creator the man always remained grounded. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is proud to present the story of the master creator and art practitioner Rono Banerjee in the final episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Mousumi Choudhury

Meet the woman behind the mask - Mousumi Choudhury, the woman chhau dancer from Bengal whose revolutionary passage to the male dominated chhau dance stage was largely enkindled by the heroics of Debi Durga in Mahishasurmardini play in her childhood. Here is an ode to all the women chhau performers who dared to break the shackles and shine on stage

Munmun Sarkar

For the last one decade Munmun spends her Pujo days religiously with the residents of an old age home in Siliguri. From new clothes to pandal hopping and special treats, her joy of festivity revolves around the senior citizens of this old age home. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman presents the touching story of Munmun Sarkar in today's episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Chandana & Bandana Kar

A tale of two sisters in law from a small village near Uluberia who found happiness in designing and painting the powerful weapons of Ma Durga. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman brings you the heartwarming story of Chandana & Bandana Kar in today's episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Ram Paul

Impossible is nothing – Ram Paul’s life itself is a live example of this saying. Paul’s journey is an honest statement of how will-power and passion for Ma Durga can get the better of a visual challenge too. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman presents the awe inspiring story of Ram Paul’s life as an idol maker with you all..

2021

Rono Banerjee

>

Rono Banerjee added a different dimension to Kolkata Durga Pujo some two decades back. He has been the principal architect behind bringing many Durga Pujo clubs into limelight through his blockbuster creations and despite his stupendous success as a creator the man always remained grounded. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is proud to present the story of the master creator and art practitioner Rono Banerjee in the final episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Mousumi Choudhury

Meet the woman behind the mask - Mousumi Choudhury, the woman chhau dancer from Bengal whose revolutionary passage to the male dominated chhau dance stage was largely enkindled by the heroics of Debi Durga in Mahishasurmardini play in her childhood. Here is an ode to all the women chhau performers who dared to break the shackles and shine on stage

Munmun Sarkar

For the last one decade Munmun spends her Pujo days religiously with the residents of an old age home in Siliguri. From new clothes to pandal hopping and special treats, her joy of festivity revolves around the senior citizens of this old age home. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman presents the touching story of Munmun Sarkar in today's episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Chandana & Bandana Kar

A tale of two sisters in law from a small village near Uluberia who found happiness in designing and painting the powerful weapons of Ma Durga. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman brings you the heartwarming story of Chandana & Bandana Kar in today's episode of People of Pujo Season V.

Ram Paul

Impossible is nothing – Ram Paul’s life itself is a live example of this saying. Paul’s journey is an honest statement of how will-power and passion for Ma Durga can get the better of a visual challenge too. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman presents the awe inspiring story of Ram Paul’s life as an idol maker with you all..

2020

Ramkrishna Sutradhar

Meet Ramkrishna Sutradhar from Birbhum district, who is the flag bearer of almost an extinct art form - Durga Patachitra. He is keeping the art form alive against all odds.

Dhananjay Patra's

Dhananjay Patra's physical challenges had to bow down before his indomitable will power and passion for Durga Pujo. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is overjoyed to share his awe-inspiring story with you all.

Dr. Rajatshubhra Mukhopadhyay

Dr. Rajatshubhra Mukhopadhyay believes Maa Durga is the truest example of inclusiveness. Watch the story of his exemplary life on Asian Paints Sharad Shamman People Of Pujo Season IV, as we bring you the third episode of the series

Reba Pal

Reba Pal, of 75yrs, has been blending the colours of her life in Durga chalchitra for last five decades. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is elated to share her story with you all in the fourth episode of People Of Pujo Season IV

Bakul Rani Mitra

Meet Bakul Rani Mitra, Officer-in-charge, who happily sacrifices her Pujo holidays to ensure no one goes missing amidst the festivities. Join us to salute the efforts of Bakul Rani Mitra and her team in Kolkata Police in the fifth episode of Asian Paints Sharad Shamman People of Pujo Season IV.

Sri Pranab Mukherjee

Sri Pranab Mukherjee - a statesman par excellence, a legendary parliamentarian and the former President of India. But beyond all the stately roles, he carried an earnest passion for Durga Pujo that brought him back to his native village every autumn amidst his extremely busy schedule. Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is privileged to share an exclusive sneak peek into the lesser known side of the great soul, Late Sri Pranab Mukherjee's life in the final episode of People of Pujo Season IV.

2019

The Malakar Brothers - Ashis Malakar & Prabir Malakar - The Sholapith Artists

The Malakar Brothers - Ashis Malakar & Prabir Malakar - The Sholapith Artists

During the time of World War II, when the perils of destruction was looming large, a new avatar of art was emerging here in the horizon of Kolkata Pujo. The war in Germany, incidentally opened ways for Shola art in Bengal’s Durga Pujo premise. The gilded foils and glass beads used in decorating the devi were sent by daak (post) from Europe and specifically from Germany. But once the war broke out, the stream of exports dwindled and the artisans here, in a frantic search to look for indigenous alternatives, turned to Shola, an aquatic wild herb grown in marshy wetlands. Sholapith then evolved as the medium for Durga’s décor. Mrityunjoy Malakar of Bankapasi pioneered in introducing ornate for Durga & Kali Pratimas made of Shola which even took Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose by surprise at that time. Bose went on to use ‘Shola r Saaj’ made by late Mrityunjoy for Kali Pujo at his residence. know more

Debajyoti Roy - Social Activist

Debajyoti Roy - Social Activist

“I strongly believe that the differently abled persons have inherent rights to their human dignity and irrespective of the origin, nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities become as self-reliant as possible’’, says Debajyoti Roy, who runs an NGO called National Institute of Professionals (NIP). NIP initiated India’s first ever university directed computer course for the visually & physically challenged persons directed by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 2004 & in the same year, two of their visual impaired students cleared the IGNOU exams with flying colours with all other general category students. know more

Gokulchandra Das - Dhak Artist

Gokulchandra Das - Dhak Artist

t was during one of his concert tours with Ustad Zakir Hussain he came across a lady at a music store in Los Angeles demonstrating saxophone, clarinet, brass, trumpets to customers by playing them all by herself.” If a lady in US can do so to earn her bread why not our girls back in Bengal? In a way she was my inspiration to build up an all girl’s dhaki team starting with the women from my own family’’ says a smiling Gokul Chandra Das, the man who is the face of Bengal’s dhak in national & international stages today know more

Saju Talukdar - A Good Samaritan

Saju Talukdar - A Good Samaritan

As a little boy, sporting new clothes in Pujo was an unaffordable luxury for Saju Talukdar. His father, who was a tailor by profession, used to stitch shirts for him that was made out of leftover clothing materials of army men from nearby Hasimara Air base. This little boy is in mid forties today. He ensures that the poor and underprivileged people from the neighbouring villages in Dooars get garments round the year and more so during Durga Pujo. Saju Talukdar started a Clothes Bank with used garments in 2017. He collects used garments from people and distributes it amongst people who feel privileged to own even a used shirt or a saree. know more

Suparna Kanti Ghosh - Music Composer

Suparna Kanti Ghosh - Music Composer

Did you know that two of Bengali music’s all time cult songs were composed on the go? Yes, one in a double decker 2B bus en route to Hazra from Manna Dey’s residence at Hedua & the last part of another historic number was composed in an upper bunk of a sleeper class compartment in Howrah-Mumbai Mail via Nagpur. Seventies is labeled as the golden era of Bengali music, with stalwart music directors like Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, Nachiketa Ghosh, Sudhin Dasgupta, Salil Chaudhury & RD Burman composing classic numbers one after another in their Pujo albums. That was the time when a young lad, barely a teenager then, dared to compose a Pujo release song for legendary Manna Dey in 1978. Many senior artists of that time had their strong reservations, but his ‘Manna Kaku’ chose his composition over some senior music directors. ‘’Se amar choto bon’’ was an instant hit after its release. ‘’I was thrilled to hear the song playing in the Biswakarma Pujo pandals that time and by the time Pujo came the song became a rage’’, recalls Suparna Kanti Ghosh, now in his early sixties today. That very year Suparna Kanti's another composition for Bhupen Hazarika, ’O malik.... megh kore dao’ also became a big hit in Pujo know more

2018

Sridhar Das - Magician of Lights

Sridhar Das

For over five decades, he has been a rage amongst the Pujo organizers with his novel spectacles of lighting decorations to attract lakhs of people to the pandals. He is Sridhar Das, the pioneer of illuminations in Pujo. know more

Arpan Sardar - Budding Artisan

Arpan Sardar

Arpan Sardar of Das Para, Budge Budge, never had any formal training on art but from a tender age he had an instinctive aptitude towards the finer nuances of art & craft. Every year post monsoon while coming back from his school, he spent hours at his grandfather's studio watching him make Durga idols. know more

Putul Maity - Pujo Organiser

Putul Maity

The story of Putul Maity is similar to any other Pujo organiser in the city, yet so very different. At a tender age of eight, she was brought to Asha Bhavan Centre, Uluberia, a home for the special children spearheaded by Padma Bhushan Dominique Lapiere. Putul is a victim of quadriparesis and is wheel chair bound with 95% physical disability. know more

Nitaidas Mukherjee - a good samaritan

Nitaidas Mukherjee

Nitaidas, a co-founder of a social welfare organization called HIVE India, along with his team, runs a 24X7 emergency response unit that relentlessly works through the year, rescuing and reuniting the lost with their families. He heads another unit of trained volunteers to support Police, Fire Brigade & Disaster Management deptt of Govt. know more

Panchugopal Kar - The 'Daak' Artist

Panchugopal Kar

The gorgeous decoration worn by the deity in the traditional Pujo pandals & Baadir Pujo are mostly done by either Sholar Saaj or Daaker Saaj. While Katwa in Burdwan district is the den for Shola works, Krishnanagar is carrying the legacy of Daaker Saaj industry for almost over centuries now. Since the beaten silver foil used to come from Germany those days by post or daak, the décor came to be named after it. know more

Biren Kalindi - Master of Chau

Biren Kalindi

Good triumphs over evil - that’s the essence of Durga Puja. But, have you ever witnessed this spirit come alive in front of your eyes? Biren Kalindi and his Chau dance troupe have been offering such soul-stirring experience across the nation & even beyond for last two decades. know more

2017

Soham Paul - Child Activist

Soham Paul

Soham Paul, the small framed guy in his early twenties with a boy next door look, has been silently doing some exceptional work at Muktakash with the street children of North Kolkata off Vivekananda Road, for last two and half years now know more

Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay - Novelist & an Iconic Literary Person

Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay

For the Kolkatans & Bengalis around the world, Pujo Sankhya (Pujo editions of Magazines) have been one of the star attractions during Pujo. Land mark novels, short stories and poems by Sunil Gangopadhyay to Satyajit Ray and many more, published in these Puja Magazines have enriched Bengali literature over the decades know more

Dr Sugata Dasgupta, In Charge –CCU, R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital

Dr.Sugata Dasgupta

‘’We celebrated Durga Pujo in our house at Kapasdanga-Hooghly, waiting eagerly for those five days of Pujo. It was truly a magic realism with the gathering of all our family members & friends.The smell of new dresses, beats of dhak, bhog, rehearsals for cultural programs & plays - Pujo was always larger than life a charm for me’’, says Dr Sugata Dasgupta, who has been happily spending most of the Pujo days at the 7th floor of CCU at RG Kar Hospital ever since he took charge of the critical care unit there in 2011 know more

Iyakub Chitrakar & Family - Poto Chitrakar, Pingla

Iyakub Chitrakar

Naya, a small village of Pingla in West Midnapore district, is the habitat of 70 odd families whose livelihood runs through age old colourful folk art of Poto Chitra & Poter Gaan. The Poto Chitra themes & songs range from traditional mythological tales and tribal rituals to modern Indian history and contemporary issues. Iyakub Chitrakar is one such leading Patua from Pingla who is 4th generation Patua & successfully could disseminate the art through his next generations as well know more

Dr. Saptarshi Basu - Pujo Organizer

Saptarshi Basu

Despite his busy & highly demanding schedule as a Medical Practitioner, Intensivist & In Charge, CCU – Institute of Neuro Sciences, Kolkata, Dr Saptarshi Basu manages both ends happily & successfully during Pujo. This year, one of the visitors suffered a cardiac attack in the Pandal during Aarati, Dr Saptarshi’s professional skills as a Intensivist came handy to revive her from a near fatal consequence know more

Pinaki Ray - Chef de Cuisine, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Pinaki Ray

Chef Pinaki Ray is a diehard Kolkatan by heart and like every other Kolkatan, he too is obsessed with pujo. An ex Xaverian & graduate from The IHM Taratola-Kolkata, Pinaki has been staying abroad due to his professional demands for over a decade & half now. Staying away from his home town, more so during Pujo, always used to pinch him somewhere deep in his heart. But ever since he settled down in Singapore in 2003, it became a ritual for him to be a part the Pujo celebrations in the Bengali Associations Singapore know more

China Pal - Artisan, Kumortuli

China Pal

‘I love to create Debi Pratimas & my love for my job has intensified over the years’, says China Pal, a woman artisan from Kumortuli – the Land of God Makers in the City of Joy China Pal, aged 45, invokes life in her idol creations with simplicity and perfection. Talking about her childhood days, she recalls how the regular visits to her father’s studio got her intrigued towards the art of creating idols know more

Toton Das - Traditional Dhak Player

Toton Das

Banschator, a remote village of Murshidabad, where Toton stays has nothing very exceptional to mention about except the fact that about 70 odd families in his village have dhaks in their houses and the male members go out & play dhak in Pujo & other rituals. Dhak runs in his family as well and Toton is the 4th generation to try hands on dhak know more