A Celebration of Art and Culture: This year, a total of 114 puja committees were honored with this prestigious award. The winners were chosen from a pool of online applications and were recognized across different categories to celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural expressions of Durga Puja.
The award categories and the number of winners in each are as follows:
- Shera Rashera (Best of the Best): 24 puja committees
- Shera Sabeki Pujo (Best Traditional): 12 puja committees
- Shera Mondop (Best Pandal): 13 puja committees
- Shera Pratima (Best Idol): 7 puja committees
- Shera Bhabna (Best Theme): 17 puja committees
- Shera Poribeshbandho (Best Eco-Friendly): 14 puja committees
Special Awards: 26 puja committees
Biswa Bangla Pujor Shera Album (Best Puja Album): 1 puja committee
While the awards celebrate the grandeur of Kolkata’s pujas, they are not limited to the city. Puja committees from 22 other districts were also recognized in categories such as ‘Shera Pujo’, ‘Shera Pratima’, ‘Shera Mondop’, and ‘Shera Samaj Sachetana’.
List of Prominent Winners
Among the prominent winners in the Shera Rashera (Best of the Best) category were renowned names like Suruchi Sangha, Tala Prattoy, Sribhumi, Chetla Agrani, Ballygunge Cultural Association, Kalighat Milan Sangha, and Behala Natun Dal. Other famous puja committees on this list included Ahiritola Sarbojanin, Kashi Bose Lane, Alipore Sarbojanin, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, Bagbazar Sarbojanin, Ekdalia Evergreen, and Simla Byam Samiti.
In the Shera Mondop (Best Pandal) category, awards were given to puja committees such as Kalighat Milan Sangha, Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha, Naktala Udayan Sangha, N’para Dada Bhai Sangha, Deshapriya Park, and Telengabagan Sarbojanin Durgapuja Committee.
For the Shera Bhabna (Best Theme), committees like Rammohan Sammilani, Nalin Sarkar Street Sarbojanin Durgapuja, Bospukur Sitala Mandir Durgapuja Committee, Kalighat Kishor Sangha, Keshtopur Prafullakanan Sarbojanin, Aswininagar Bandhumahal Club, Chaltabagan Sarbojanin, and Chorbagan Sarbojanin were honored for their creative themes.
The Grand Durga Puja Carnival
The celebrations will culminate in a grand Durga Puja Carnival on Sunday, October 5th, at Kolkata’s Red Road. This spectacular event will showcase the magnificent idols and decorations of the winning puja committees. Leading up to this, carnivals will also be held in various districts of the state on October 4th, extending the festive spirit across West Bengal. This annual event attracts millions, who come to witness and enjoy the rich artistry and cultural heritage of Durga Puja.
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