People can get very creative with pandals. Every year, people create mindblowing Ganpati and Durga Pandals and their creativity astounds all visitors. This year, an entire neighbourhood in Kolkata was turned into a 2D Comic Book world as it paid tribute to Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol, one of the most iconic works of Bengali literature. You’ve heard of bringing art to reality but this might be the first time when reality was turned into art!
Durga Pujo Pandal Pays Tribute To Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol
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The Durga Pujo pandal at Hatibagan’s Nabin Pally is unlike any other that you might have ever seen. The streets, buildings and even the interiors inside a few buildings are painted to look just like a 2-dimensional comic book! They are all painted black and white and seem to resemble the pages of a comic book. Visitors are immersed in the whimsical world of Sukumar Ray!
Every part of the neighbourhood is painted to have this immersive effect. The black paint is used to create the effect of glass panes, door arches and even balustrades. Everything, though, seems like it has jumped straight from the pages of Sukumar Ray. An apartment was converted into Ray’s Nonsense Club. Images of characters from this unique literary work are also painted on facades.
Images of Hnukumukho Hyangla, Kumdo Potash, Ramgorurer Chhana, Tyansh Goru, and more lined the facades of the neighbourhood. It is a must-visit for all those in Kolkata who look for such quirky experiences and are also huge fans of Bengali literature. Literary enthusiasts would no doubt be geeking out over here and this place is definitely a must-visit.
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About This Iconic Comic From Bengali Literature
*This year, the Hatibagan Nabinpally Pandal, in Kolkata is a tribute to Sukumar Ray’s ‘Abol Tabol’ and has re-created the nostalgic theme around the entire para, and brought it to life with such a fascinating black & white look. pic.twitter.com/rZ0zuGihWV
— Bidisha Banerjee🇮🇳 (@bidishapsgs) October 17, 2023
Abol Tabol was first published on September 19, 1923, by U. Ray and Sons Publishers which was founded by his father. It was published posthumously just nine days after the death of its author, Sukumar Ray. For those of you who don’t know, Sukumar Ray is the father of the iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray, who is responsible for shaping Indian Cinema.
Author Sukumar Ray’s unique work of literary nonsense verse– Abol Tabol completed 100 years on 2 October 2023. So Hatibagan Navin Pally Durgatsav committee in Kolkata is celebrating the centenary anniversary of Abol Tabol. Relive the childhood nostalgia in this Durga pujo pandal. pic.twitter.com/S198DIbtBP
— Sourav || সৌরভ (@Sourav_3294) October 17, 2023
Sukumar Ray’s father was also a notable children’s story writer, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhary. Talent clearly runs in this family as Satyajit Ray’s son is also an eminent filmmaker.
The comic is actually a series of children’s poems written in Bengali. It is considered a work in the genre of Nonsense Literature. Nonsense Literature or Literary Nonsense where words and sentences are not written to have meaning. They are meaningless utterances written often for humorous purposes.
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Have you witnessed anything like this before? Would you want to visit this if given a chance? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image Credits: @bidishapsgs/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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First Published: October 22, 2023 6:52 PM