Kolkata: Architect and urban designer Anjan Mitra, who specialises in cultural heritage and inclusive development, is presenting Kolkata’s Durga Puja at Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi, through an exhibition and a series of talks that got underway on Monday and will conclude on Wednesday.The initiative, undertaken with photographer and electronics engineer Aniruddha Guha Sarkar, seeks to showcase Durga Puja of Kolkata, recognised by Unesco as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.The exhibition explores the idea of festivals as powerful cultural, social and economic forces within the city. Through photographs, informative panels, interactive talks and discussions with the curators, the initiative presents Durga Puja as a celebration of public life, imagination, artistic practice and intangible heritage.The presentation also looks at how the festival supports traditional knowledge systems, artisanal skills, community participation and the informal economy. “Festivals are a spontaneous expression of Indian society, guided by a shared cultural code. They create meaningful temporary spaces and offer a powerful spectacle of public imagination. In the process, they conserve traditional knowledge and skills, while also providing a platform for communities and design professionals to interact and evolve. This mechanism supports the informal economy to a great extent. We hope our exhibition and discussions will trigger an alternative design campaign,” said Mitra.
