Durga Puja pandals based on Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. Yes, you’ve read it right. The Dutch painters influence has been visible in many forms over the years but this time, three Durga puja pandals in Kolkata — Bakulbagan Sarbojanin, Hindusthan Park Sarbojanin, and Sovabazar Burtola Sarbojanin — have drawn inspiration from them. Talking to The Telegraph about his creative process, veteran artist Sanatan Dinda, who worked on the Bakulbagan Sarbojanin pandal, said, “I think of the idol first and then the pandal. My job is not to copy Starry Night but to give it a sculptural interpretation”. He added, “I believe in minimalist pujas. Why should themes have so much detail and complication?”. Pictures of the dark blue and yellow coloured pandal are being widely circulated online. Saw a Starry Night (by Van Gogh) themed pandal!!!! pic.twitter.com/717jithiTQ — SANCHITA ⁷ 𖧵 (@BTS_enthucutlet) September 28, 2022 Not entirely sure of the provenance of this image (dad sent it and we both can’t find the source), but this Van Gogh-inspired pandal looks stunning. pic.twitter.com/nTVqlsECGc — Gautam Bhatia (@gautambhatia88) October 1, 2022 The above picture is of the Puja at Hindustan park, This is another one. Bakul Bagan, bhowanipore, artist Sanatan dinda, theme Van Gogh's painting. Total 3 Pujas have been inspired by the same painting. pic.twitter.com/nMCAs4bRav — rajiv jasani (@rajivhjasani) October 1, 2022 just saw Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night themed Durga Puja pandal — vani (@paneerchillli) September 26, 2022 Van Gogh at a pandal.#DurgaPuja pic.twitter.com/3EJvQCm9aM — Deep Halder (@deepscribble) October 1, 2022 now i know why kolkata bongs are more into pandal hopping than bhog, the pandals are worth it — Neeroopawmaa (@Nirupamahalder) October 1, 2022 How amazing is that! — प्रतीक (@VirajPrateek) October 1, 2022 Awesome, Brillient, Creative!!!!!😳 — व्यक्त-अव्यक्त (@Vyakt_Vichar) October 1, 2022 Took this myself this evening, if I am not mistaken this is from Hindustan Park, near Gariahat pic.twitter.com/1FqwBYruG2 — ekta_chhele (@ekta_chhele) October 1, 2022 Commenting on one such picture of goddess Durga’s idol that is placed under the backdrop of the Starry Night painting, a Twitter user wrote, “Now I know why Kolkata bongs are more into pandal hopping than bhog, the pandals are worth it”. Another person wrote, “Awesome, Brilliant, Creative!!!!!😳”. The Van Gogh-themed pandal by the Hindusthan Park Sarbojanin was designed by visual artist Raja Sarkar. What made his decorations special was that Sarkar used old clothes while decorating the pandal. As reported by The Telegraph, the pandal at Sovabazar Burtola Sarbojanin was designed by Debabrata Singha and Indrajit Roy. The two artists based their decorations on Van Gogh’s The Bedroom.
