66 Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsab

66 Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsab

66 Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsab, off Nepal Bhattacherjee Street in Kalighat, is a South Kolkata institution dating to 1951 and celebrating its 76th year in 2025. The club has long been admired for bringing India's folk and classical art traditions into the pandal. In 2025 its theme drew on the folk art of West Bengal and, in particular, the ritual theatre of Kerala's Theyyam — presented under the banner Shaktirupa – The Mystic Divine.

Ten artists from the Nayana Kala Samiti of Thiruvananthapuram were brought in to render the divine feminine through the vivid face-paint, towering headgear and trance-performances of Theyyam, a striking departure from conventional pandal decor. With a budget around Rs 25 lakh and artist Gopal Poddar steering the visual language, 66 Pally turned its mandap into a cross-cultural stage where Bengal's devotion met Kerala's mysticism. The result was both photogenic and thought-provoking, reinforcing the club's reputation for ambitious, research-driven themes. For pandal-hoppers, 66 Pally is a must-visit Kalighat stop where the goddess arrives as a lived folk deity rather than a decorative icon.

Kalighat Metro is the nearest station, and 66 Pally's compact lane off Nepal Bhattacherjee Street is best approached on foot as part of a Kalighat pandal walk that also takes in Badamtala and KNBS. The Theyyam-themed year meant the pandal's interior was as performative as it was decorative, so visitors should linger rather than glance. Arrive on Ashtami evening for the fullest experience; entry is free and the organisers keep the queue moving efficiently even at peak.

• Area: South Kolkata (Kalighat)
• Established 1951; 76th year in 2025
• 2025 theme: Folk art of West Bengal / Kerala Theyyam ("Shaktirupa – The Mystic Divine")