‘Dhunuchi naach’ at Amra Sobai Bangali Sangho’s Durga Pujo
The organisation will present Bhanusingher Padabali, Rabindranath Tagore ’s celebrated collection of Vaishnava lyric poetry, at Congress Bhavan at 7pm on Oct 16. The programme will also feature a tribute to legendary singer Asha Bhosle on Oct 18. On Oct 19, BSS will host Srijan Porel, a participant in Indian Idol Season 15 and second runner-up in Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, at Congress Bhavan. On Oct 19, members of the Assamese community will present a Bihu dance, followed by a live concert. The celebrations will conclude on Oct 20 with Bharate Chai, a Bengali comedy play, and a concert by the winners of VPL Pune 2026.
“We started with just me and a close group from the scientific community,” said Dr Paramita Saha Choudhury, a founding member. Now we have a full schedule of artists performing during the festival,” she said. “We wanted the pandal to reflect a confluence of cultures,” said association president Bhutnath Chakraborty. “Along with Bengali Durga Puja, we have elements from Odisha’s Jagannath tradition, Assamese culture and other Indian traditions,” he said.
“Slowly, more people joined, and the celebration grew bigger. At Bangiya Sanskriti Samsad (BSS), the focus will be on music and Bengali literary heritage. The line-up brings together Bengal’s literary and musical traditions and contemporary popular talent. The festival will also feature performances by Kalpataru’s children, girls and women, followed by musical tributes to Uttam Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Zubeen Garg and Bhupen Hazarika. The cultural calendar extends beyond community-led performances, with other organisers also bringing music and dance to their pandals. The line-up at another venue includes Anand Mela, a talent showcase presented by Bangla Bharati, and Amar Gaan, a musical tribute to Kishore Kumar. Performances by Anushka Patra and other artistes will add to the celebrations. For organisers, these programmes go beyond entertainment. They offer younger generations an opportunity to engage with Bengali music and culture while giving the city a glimpse of the rich diversity of traditions associated with Durga Puja. As Pune’s pandals welcome visitors over the coming days, the celebrations promise a blend of devotion, nostalgia and live performances, with the cultural stage becoming almost as important as the rituals themselves.