Figures from the Jana Sangh's founding era — among them party architect Syama Prasad Mookerjee alongside Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who composed the national song Vande Mataram — and the deity Lord Ram have emerged as recurring reference points at the Durga Puja festival, which is taking place under a Bharatiya Janata Party administration in West Bengal for the first time. Pandal installations across West Bengal draw their conceptual themes not only from ritual tradition but also from the prevailing social and political currents running through communities at any given time.
Marking the 125th birth anniversary of Mookerjee, the New Alipore puja group Suruchi Sangha — among the longest-running festival organisers in Kolkata — arranged a commemorative observance in his honour. Bearing the name Utsa — a Bengali word for origin — the exhibition unfolds across an arrangement of visual elements, among them a sculpted figure, archival photographs, and clippings drawn from old newspaper pages, each piece mapping a chapter of his life.
Sikdar, a BJP MLA serving as the club's newly appointed puja patron, told reporters that the theme was selected both to honour Mookerjee's legacy and to bring awareness of his contributions to younger audiences, adding that past administrations had, in his view, worked to remove Mookerjee's name from historical accounts. He stated that without Mookerjee's presence, Kolkata's place on India's map would not have been guaranteed, and that efforts to honour his memory gained traction only after the BJP took power. Sikdar described the puja as one component of that broader undertaking.
On Thursday, 15 October 2026, Suvendu Adhikari — holding the position of Chief Minister — formally opened the puja proceedings as devotional chants of "Jai Shree Ram" and "Jai Maa Durga" rang through the gathering. At the ceremony in southern Kolkata that same day, Chief Minister Adhikari called on organisers to observe what he termed 'Sanatani' traditions, adding that his administration stood ready to extend support to those who maintain religious practices and cultural heritage.
Honouring both Vande Mataram and its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, on the occasion of the song reaching its 150th year, stood out as one of the prevailing decorative threads running through pandal displays this year. A shared decorative concept took shape across the pandals of five organising bodies — Santosh Mitra Square, 66 Pally, Kalighat, Kankurgachi Milan Mela Samiti, and Bijoypur Sarbojonin of Sodepur — during this year's festivities.
Building on the reception its 'Operation Sindoor' installation drew in 2025, Santosh Mitra Square chose 'Sanatani Chetanay Vande Mataram' as the theme for its current year's display. Mounted on the interior wall of the pandal — constructed to resemble the Red Fort — an LED display tracing the outline of India's map was installed within the space. Visitor numbers at the art and sound installations have held steady since Tritiya, with attendees continuing to turn out in force.
Roughly 17 presentation honours have accumulated for the club so far, with those behind the production pointing to the combined work of their art, sound, and arrangement departments as the driving force. In a quoted remark, a club representative noted that themes tied to nationalism and the freedom struggle have long defined the group's identity. Vande Mataram has drawn associations with India's independence era, with various observers linking the composition to that period's political and cultural mobilisation.
Archival newspaper photographs alongside images of Chattopadhyay have been put on display through a series of installations, Swarup Dey, Joint Secretary of the puja committee, explained, noting that the aim was to draw visitors' attention toward the legacy those materials represent. Dey also noted that awareness of the topic among younger age groups tends to be limited.
Pandal visitors have shown growing interest in displays centred on Lord Ram — covering his story, the temples built in his honour around the world, and his standing within Indian culture. For its 58th annual Durga Puja observance, the Youth Association club at Mohammad Ali Park centred this year's festivities around a theme rooted in antiquity — specifically, the 657-year-old Wat Phra Ram temple in Thailand, which served as the creative foundation for the 'Ancient Ram Mandir' concept on display.
On Friday, 16 October 2026, both Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Governor R. N. Ravi took part in the opening of a Durga Puja celebration hosted by Salt Lake Sankritik Sansad, whose chosen theme for the occasion was 'Ram Ki Ayodhya'. The club, hosting a puja for the first time, has set 20 October as the date for its Dussehra festivities, with a Ravan Dahan ceremony forming part of the programme. Among those expected to attend are the Chief Minister and actor Ranbir Kapoor, who will be joined by fellow cast members from his forthcoming film, Ramayana.
Preparations for the Durga Puja festival are under way during the ruling party's first year in office, with organisers aiming for a large-scale event that incorporates traditional Hindu observances.
