The pandal created by Bangiya Parishad is reminiscent of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Barnaparichay. While many Durga Puja pandals in NCR celebrate Bengali folk arts and heritage, some are focusing on the theme of women’s safety to empower female deities. For example, B-Block’s pandal is inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Mela Ground features daaker saaj-style idol and alpona motifs, and Kali Mandir is adorned with alpona motifs throughout. CR Park is buzzing with celebrations of heritage and culture. Milani Cultural and Welfare Association’s pandal centers around women’s empowerment, aiming to raise awareness about women’s safety through their artwork. Mayur Vihar Ph-1’s pandal showcases huge hand-painted pankhas representing the theme, while Sec 56, Gurgaon focuses on Barnoporichoy, an introduction to the alphabet in Bengali literature. The Cooperative Ground Durga Puja Samity’s pandal pays tribute to rural Bangla, featuring panels celebrating artist Jamini Roy and incorporating rustic elements like haath pankha and Bengali handicraft items. Durgotsab GK2’s pandal presents Kalighat-style patachitra art on the ceiling, resembling a visual sankirtan. Additionally, a black and white sketch by artist Nilanjan honors the workers who built the Durgotsab GK 2 pandal.The celebration at Pocket 40 in CR Park showcases traditional folk art from four regions of Bengal: Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, and Midnapur, which are known for their rich red soil. The decor features gambas hanging from the ceiling, while the walls and panels display the rural heritage of the Rahr Bangla areas of Bengal. Ashish, a school teacher and artist, is putting the finishing touches on a shora - hand-painted earthen discs at the Pocket 40 pandal. The Arambagh Puja Samiti pandal presents the theme 'Abandoned Mothers', shedding light on the challenges faced by widows left to navigate life on their own. Matri Mandir's pandal offers a mesmerizing journey into the heart of Gram Bangla with vibrant Bengali artwork on display throughout the alleys and panels. At Jalvayu Vihar Sanskritik Kalyan Samity's pandal in Sector 21, artists from Bengal have created a Bonedi Bari adorned with green wooden windows and cross beams on the ceiling, depicting paintings celebrating dhunuchi naach. The 16th edition of Balaka Durgotsav in Sector 61 Noida follows the theme of 'Temple of Peace and Harmony', featuring an off-white and gold pandal decorated with intricate cut-outs of doves. Noida Sector 137 Sarbojanin Pujo Samiti's pandal is adorned with hand-painted kulos - hand-woven sieves made from bamboo or cane, commonly used in Bengali households. Drawing inspiration from Satyajit Ray's film "Sonnar Kella" (1974), the DLF Phase IV's DCDP Bengali Cultural Society celebrates Ray's cinema and the legacy of the Ray family - Upendra Kishor, Sukumar, and Satyajit Ray, with a pandal facade resembling the golden fortress depicted in the film.It bears a resemblance to the Sun Temple of Konark. Photos by Ajay Kumar Gautam, Ranjit Kumar, Lokesh Kashyap, Nishad Alam.