Thematic Durga Puja pandals are in-thing in Kolkata this year

Kolkata: Organisers are turning to various social themes to draw crowds at this year's Durga Puja in Kolkata.

The old 'Barowaari' Durga Pujas in North Kolkata are being organised with funds raised from the public as well as subscriptions and sponsorship.

North Kolkata's Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja Committee has reportedly themed its puja on 'How music resonates in our lives and surroundings'.

"This year we have turned to the theme of music or tried to reach out to the soul of music that echoes through this universe,” NDTV quoted Manmohan Choudhary, member of the puja committee, as saying.

Another Durga Puja committee has themed its puja as - 'Mukhose Mora Mukher Mela', meaning “wherever you turn, you will see faces sporting masks”.

The Maniktala Vivekananda Sporting Association has been reportedly organising the Durga Puja for the last seven decades.

"We have carried forward the lines of William Shakespeare - 'All the world’s a stage/And all the men and women merely players' which mirrors our life and others we meet,” the report quoted theme maker Raju Sutrodhar as saying.

“On this journey knowingly or unknowingly we put on one, sometimes more than one mask to hide our real selves," he added.

The Shyambazar Nabin Sangho has chosen the theme 'Shantir Bari'.

"We are referring to the age-old religious rituals including sprinkling of 'Shantir Jaal' after a puja to pray for the well being of those present," a puja committee spokesman was quoted as saying.