Brief history of Selimpur Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsav:

Establishment & Age: Selimpur Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsav is a community Durga Puja in South Kolkata’s Selimpur neighbourhood, close to Jodhpur Park, Kalighat and Gariahat. It began in 1947; in 2026, it is celebrating its 80th year.

The puja is organised by the Selimpur Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsab committee and is listed among South Kolkata’s prominent sarbojanin pujas in official award documents and festival guides.

Location: 39, Gariahat Road (South), Dhakuria, Kolkata- 700031, South Kolkata

Themes:

• 2024 – “Godhulir Swapno” (“Twilight Dreams”): The pandal used bright colours and a dreamlike twilight aesthetic to create an imaginative, visually striking environment.
• 2018 – Tribute to Bastar and Madhubani art: In its 72nd year, the theme highlighted tribal art from Bastar and the folk Madhubani tradition of Bihar.
• The puja has a history of choosing art-centric, folk and tribal themes, using the pandal to showcase India’s diverse visual traditions.

USP:

• Art and folk-tradition focus: Strong track record of themes based on tribal and folk art (Bastar, Madhubani) and imaginative visual concepts.
• South Kolkata para identity: Rooted in the Selimpur neighbourhood, with steady local participation and a loyal following among South Kolkata pandal-hoppers.
• Award-recognised: Listed in Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman documents under categories such as “Sera Protima” and “Sera Alok Sojja”, indicating recognition for idol and lighting/decoration quality.
• Accessible location: Its position near Kalighat and Gariahat makes it convenient to include in a compact South Kolkata puja route.

In Summary:

Selimpur Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsav, started in 1947 and now in its 80th year, is a South Kolkata neighbourhood puja known for art-driven themes such as Bastar and Madhubani tributes and the 2024 “Godhulir Swapno” concept. Its USP lies in its folk-art focus, award-recognised idol and decoration work, and easy accessibility near Kalighat and Gariahat.