It is that time of the year when the preparations have begun for the celebration of what is one of the most important festivals of the Hindu calendar, Dasara aka Dusherra. And arguably the best place to experience this festive fervour is Kolkata. Celebrated as Durga Puja aka Pujo, this is the grandest of all festivals celebrated in West Bengal and is an ode to the supreme mother, Goddess Durga. With colourful pandals (temporary structures that house large clay idols of Goddess Durga) curated with innovative themes, foot tapping music, delectable food and much more, the festival fosters a spirit of unity, harmony, devotion and mostly importantly joy in the community. Also called, Sharadotsava, this cultural extravaganza has been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since December 2021.
Honouring Kolkata’s symbols of heritage
It is key to note that the present-day grand community style celebrations of Durga Puja, locally called Sarbojanin Puja started in the 1920s and since then there has been a sea change in the scale and form of the celebrations. There has been a constant evolution in the way the idols have been crafted, pandals have been designed and also in terms of the materials and colours used. Recognizing this entire exercise as more than an act of devotion but also one of creativity, design and innovation, Asian Paints instituted Sharad Shamman in 1985 with the objective of honouring the best pandals. It was introduced as a humble paper ad which soon became a game changer and in its inaugural year three committees were honoured with the Best Puja or Shreshtho Pujas award. Since then, new categories have been introduced including awards for the Discovery of the Year (Bauchorer Bismoy), for Innovative Excellence (Nobo Nakshi), and for the Best Idol Maker (Shrestho Protimashilpi). Fondly called the Oscars of Durga Puja, Sharad Shammann is an event that the city looks forward to each year and has become an intrinsic part of Kolkata’s legendary festivities.
As Sharad Shamman celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, Asian Paints pays homage to yet another quintessential symbol of the city, the ubiquitous yellow taxi through its project called “Cholte cholte chālīsh”. These beloved yellow metered taxis have been an integral part of not only the city’s transport network but also its nostalgic past. “The yellow taxi has a deep-rooted connection with the socio-cultural fabric of the city. Whether one is shopping for pujo or going pandal hopping with their family or it is the artists bringing in their materials to craft the idols or carefully transporting them to the pandals, the yellow taxi as a means has been a constant. Hence, it is the perfect muse for celebrating four decades of Sharad Shamman. The latter is an event we have a deep emotional connect with and considering that the taxi is going to be phased out in a couple of years, it is only befitting that we pay a tribute to this enduring symbol of the city and its cherished tradition.” says Amit Syngle, MD and CEO, Asian Paints Ltd.
Moving storytellers
As part of the project, Asian Paints has teamed up with St+art India Foundation and forty taxis have been transformed into fascinating works of art with each of them representing one decade of Sharad Shamman. These snub-nosed Ambassador cars have been adorned with symbols and motifs that personify the tradition of Durga Puja. The interiors of the cabs have also been aesthetically enhanced by curtains and wallpapers from Asian Paints including those from the Paris–Calcutta series by Sabyasachi. So, right from the first print ad featuring the brand’s mascot Gattu, the flower vendors, and puchka sellers to the tramlines on the Howrah bridge and elements representing the current times, these taxis have been painted with the colours of Durga Puja and memories of Sharad Shamman. These travelling canvases of art will soon be plying on the streets in time for the festival and pandal hopping adding more colour and flamboyance to the already vibrant celebrations. “It is indeed a special project that captures the genesis and journey of Durga Puja over the decades. We have tried to capture the nuances that represent each decade of Sharad Shamman. A team of 8-10 people have worked on each taxi, meticulously painting them using Asian Paints Royale Glitz” says Arjun Bahl, co-founder, St+art India Foundation.
The first decade from 1985 to 1995 captures the essence of Durga Pujo when life was simple and pleasantly slow. “The design captures elements of nostalgia like our elders drawing alpona and people glued to the radio. It was a time when there was great focus on the idol itself rather than on elaborate pandals, so we have captured nuances of crafts, textiles, the first ad of Asian Paints and the like” says 27-year-old artist Bikramjit Paul. The second decade from 1995-2005 has been conceptualized by Meenakshi Sengupta. “It was a time when people started going out to see pandals during pujo and the signature LED lights of Chandannagar became a trend. It was also the period when pandal design became more creative. So, I drew inspiration from my own childhood memories and how we would look forward to our parents taking us to the pandals in the yellow taxi which was a luxury at that time” says 37-year-old Sengupta. So, the taxi of this decade has images of families carrying children on their shoulders to visit the pandals, balloon sellers luring the kids and also the emergence of Bengali Rock music which incidentally took place during that time.
The period of 2005-2015 saw the emergence of larger-than-life pandals, novel design themes, corporate sponsorship as well as a focus on sustainability. “The third decade was all about the pujo getting bigger and bigger with swelling crowds visiting the pandals. Artists during this time started the use of eco-friendly products and hence I have shown Maa Durga surrounded by greenery and holding the earth in Her hands. It was also the time when pujo went global with people from abroad visiting Kolkata for the festival” says artist Sayan Mukherjee, 38. The current decade of 2015-2025 depicts the age of digital transformation and social media. Artist Srishti Guptaroy’s design concept portrays the whole multi-sensory experience of the festival, people capturing the frenzy on their mobiles, pandal hopping through the night and how the entire experience of pujo has been elevated to a different level.
Rightly called a “Royale Tribute to Kolkata”, this project is an ode to the humble taxi that has carried generations of devotees, artists and even judges of Sharad Shamman to the pandals. Given that they are a part and parcel of Kolkata’s history and legacy, there could not have been a more apt platform to showcase the evolution of the city’s favourite Maayer pujo which is also its indelible cultural heritage.