The centrepiece of the pandal will function a big set up representing the Irish goddess Danu.
Eire Embassy in New Delhi has introduced a cultural collaboration for Kolkata’s iconic Durga Puja pageant to have a good time 75 years of diplomatic ties between the 2 international locations. Irish and Indian artists are working collectively to create a spectacular pandal to honour the Hindu goddess Durga and the Celtic goddess Danu.
This collaboration brings collectively Macnas, a celebrated Irish arts collective from Galway, and Kolkata’s famend Behala Nutan Dal, a cultural organisation well-known for its revolutionary Durga Puja celebrations.
“Eire and India share a powerful and rising partnership that transcends diplomatic relations,” stated Eire’s Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, in a press release. “Our peoples are linked via schooling, tradition and shared values. As we mark 75 years of friendship, we’re dedicated to strengthening these ties additional, particularly as tub nations discover new alternatives in commerce, expertise and tradition.”
The centrepiece of the pandal will function a big set up representing the Irish goddess Danu, designed by Macnas artists Johnny O’Reilly, Lisa Sweeney and Richard Babbington, working carefully with Indian lead artist Sanjib Saha.
“We have now come right here to Kolkata to collaborate with Behala Nutan Dal on creating their pandal for the Durga Puja,” Macnas artists shared in a video shared by the embassy. “Our goal is to assist develop creations of the pandals to combine Macnas id and conventional Indian aesthetics to try to create a kind of creative method.”
The pandal’s design will incorporate Irish pageant motifs, together with components from Samhain, Beltane, Imbolc and Lughnasadh, alongside Indian creative components.
Hear in as Johnny O’Reilly and Richard Babbington from @Macnas dive into the collaboration with Behala Nutan Dal and artist Sanjib Saha for Kolkata Durga Puja 2024 to have a good time 75 years of Eire-India diplomatic relations ????????????????#IrelandIndia75pic.twitter.com/kg1PpDhmAy
— Irish Embassy India (@IrlEmbIndia) September 26, 2024
This partnership is a part of broader celebrations commemorating the rising ties between Eire and India. From commerce to schooling and now tradition, the connection between the 2 nations continues to flourish. Over the previous decade, the variety of Indian college students in Eire has grown tenfold, and Irish companies are more and more trying to India’s dynamic marketplace for new alternatives.
The Durga Puja pandal at Behala Nutan Dal guarantees to be a big cultural trade. As Ambassador Kelly famous, “Durga Puja is likely one of the most awe-inspiring festivals I’ve ever witnessed. We’re thrilled to see Irish and Indian artists come collectively in celebration.”