Watch | A walkthrough of Kolkata’s Durga Puja pandals with Sharan Apparao

Every year, during Durga Puja, nearly three crore people visit Kolkata’s pandals. Over the last decade, more and more contemporary artists have been involved in conceptualising, designing, and orchestrating massive installations that have gone far beyond conventional pujopandals. And now, the evolving nature of public art during this season is catching the attention of the art cognoscenti — rivalling any of the big art shows around the world.

As a novice pandal-hopper, Sharan Apparao of Apparao Galleries was recently part of a small preview group. Invited by her artist friend Sayntan Maitra, she spent three evenings visiting intricately-crafted pavilions, meeting the artists, artisans and technicians behind the installations, and even catching a show by itinerant puppeteers in the intimacy of a private courtyard. She gives Sunday Magazine a quick tour.

Read the full story |When Kolkata rivals the Venice Biennale