Sun Sep 28 00:23:14 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
The Behala Friends Durga Puja in Kolkata, India, is attracting attention in 2025 for its powerful theme juxtaposing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza with the 1943 Bengal famine. Artist Pradip Das, an alumnus of Government College of Art and Craft and Rabindra Bharati University, conceived the theme ‘Nabanna,’ named after a play on the Bengal famine. The pandal features visual and auditory elements, including poetry from Gaza, that draw parallels between the two tragedies. The idol deviates from the traditional ten-handed Durga, instead depicting a distressed woman symbolizing the victims of war and famine. The Puja has gone viral on social media and is receiving positive responses from visitors.
**News Article:**
**Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Draws Parallels Between Gaza Crisis and Bengal Famine**
**KOLKATA, INDIA – September 28, 2025** – A Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata is generating buzz for its poignant and thought-provoking theme that connects the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza with the devastating Bengal famine of 1943. The Behala Friends Durga Puja, known for its innovative themes, is showcasing ‘Nabanna’ by artist Pradip Das.
The artist, an alumnus of Government College of Art and Craft and Rabindra Bharati University, said his inspiration came from both historical accounts of the Bengal famine and contemporary reports from Gaza.
“The man-made famine inflicted by colonial powers in Bengal is now being witnessed by the world in the Gaza genocide,” Das told *The Hindu*.
Visitors to the pandal are immersed in a multi-layered experience, including recited poetry from Gaza, visual depictions of bullets, and inscriptions of Bengali and Gazan poetry on the walls. The idol of Durga is a departure from tradition, portraying a distressed woman symbolizing the suffering caused by war and famine. An arch at the entrance is designed to resemble a human rib cage.
“In place of the ten-handed form of the goddess, we put up a sculpture of a dishevelled and distressed woman to depict the women who bear the brunt of the aftermath of war and humanitarian crises,” Das explained.
Organizers say the pandal has been met with positive responses and is drawing diverse crowds. Srinjoy Saha, a member of the organizing committee, said, “Various kinds of people are visiting the pandal and every one is taking away different interpretations from it.”
The Puja has also gained traction on social media, with images and videos of the pandal going viral. The Behala Friends Durga Puja offers a powerful reflection on humanitarian crises, linking past and present tragedies.
First Piper 