Pandals

Pandals are temporary ceremonial structures, typically large canopies used to house and display a deity during public festivals. The word pandal comes from the Bengali for tent or canopy. They are especially associated with Durga Puja in West Bengal, and across parts of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, where puja committees construct ornate pandals to enclose the clay idol of Goddess Durga and a sanctum for worship.

Pandal construction is a community activity involving volunteers and artisans. Frameworks are usually built from bamboo or lightweight materials, with coverings of cloth, fibre panels, plaster, papier-mache, or wood. Exteriors are decorated with lights, fabric drapery, murals, sculptures, and thematic installations; modern pandals may incorporate contemporary art, technology, or recycled materials. Inside, an inner sanctum or altar is prepared for the idol, often surrounded by decorative settings and sometimes artificial rivers, platforms, or garden motifs.

The pandal serves as both a place for ritual darshan and a venue for cultural programs, exhibitions, and processions. It is customary for committees to present a new theme each year, with public interest and media attention focused on the designs; some pandals are entered in design competitions.

Because they are temporary structures for large crowds, authorities regulate construction through safety codes and permits; fires, structural failures, and crowd management are concerns.

Outside Durga Puja, pandals are used for weddings or other large gatherings and may be erected for village fairs.