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2/1/2026

12/31/2025 "Spaces have temporary characteristics in the city owing to the changing installations which change how that space is perceived every year. That makes the permanent identity of the city that of the temporary Durga Puja pandals." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKvgoPLvZEk Durga puja from the skies what influences material choice? what are some common materials? where do they come from? what happens to them after? policies ban thermocol but are there any other polic

12/26/2025

"The project focused on the revitalization of the Sovabazar Sector in North Kolkata, integrating heritage conservation with urban regeneration. T he initiative emphasized the adaptive reuse of Lal Bari, transforming it into an interpretation center to celebrate the intangible heritage of Kumartuli. A heritage trail was designed to connect Lal Bari with cultural landmarks and the Ghats, enhancing visitor engagement and fostering community pride. Additionally, interactive digi

Documentary the kinds of mud used to make the idols how it is collected from the ghat the kumartuli sarbojanin decorators the bamboo makers themed pandals vs traditional pandals mitra house puja losses because of floods - tea stall vendor

Participation, Reciprocity, and Empowerment in the Practice of Participatory Research Main Ideas – Carl Wilmsen, “Participation, Reciprocity, and Empowerment in the Practice of Participatory Research” (2015) Core argument:  Empowerment in participatory research depends on reciprocity , mutual trust, exchange, and benefit between researchers and communities. Problem:  Participation alone can be tokenistic or extractive  when researchers retain control or fail to share power an

Authors of Paper: Chaitali Sinha ( chai_sinha@yahoo.co.in ), Tuhina Mazumdar, Supriya Dutta, Shrabani Saha (Lincoln   International   Business School ,  Lincoln ,  England ,   ssaha@lincoln.ac.uk ) The study is grounded in firsthand accounts from craftspeople  working in Kumortuli (North Kolkata)  and Kalighat Poto Para (South Kolkata) , using questionnaires + interviews , carried out before Durgotsav (2021–2022)  in September–October . Durga Puja as an annual “city-making” e

Motivation I started learning photography six years ago, as a high school student. Immediately, I found myself drawn to street portraits, capturing people in spaces they had made their own. In a market in the small village of Shantiniketan, my lens followed the artisans as they displayed their handmade novelties, a short break at the tea stall, the toils of their daily rituals. The portraits told their stories, as they shared with me over friendly conversations. Returning to

"Housing within a city constitutes the majority of its built form. The quality of housing defines the image and the qualitative experience of a city. Despite this obvious connection, state housing policies and the consequent regulatory frameworks often prescribe architecture for housing unmindful of the living environments they tend to create." UDAAN How does urban policy and state regulation affect housing? Especially in underdeveloped places like Kumortuli. How does state p