How to celebrate an eco-friendly Durga Puja: clay vs plaster of Paris idols, natural colours, immersion rules, artificial ponds, and less plastic and noise.
An artificial pond built for idol immersion, keeping the sea clean. Photo: Rudolph.A.Furtado, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The classic Bengal Durga is built on a bamboo and straw frame, coated in layers of clay, often including clay from the banks of the Ganga, then dried and painted.
Idols take shape in a workshop lane at Kumartuli, north Kolkata. Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Idols are traditionally painted with mineral and plant-based pigments and a natural binder.
An artificial pond built for idol immersion, keeping the sea clean. Photo: Rudolph.A.Furtado, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Bisarjan (immersion) on Bijoya Dashami, which falls on Wednesday 21 October in 2026, is the most moving moment of the festival, and also the one with the biggest environmental footprint.
Sovabazar Rajbari's Durga is readied on boats at Baghbazar Ghat for immersion in the Hooghly. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
A large pandal generates a lot of waste over five days: plates, cups, bottles, flex banners, thermocol and food.
Phuchka, Kolkata's favourite street snack. Photo: TAPAS KUMAR HALDER, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The dhak is the soul of pujo, but loudspeakers and firecrackers can push noise far beyond comfort, especially for elderly people, infants, patients and animals.
Dhakis playing the dhak at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
If you hold a small puja at home, you have the most control:
An artificial pond built for idol immersion, keeping the sea clean. Photo: Rudolph.A.Furtado, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Yes. Clay, straw, natural colours, flowers, leaf plates and the dhak are the oldest parts of the festival.
Dhakis playing the dhak at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
How to celebrate an eco-friendly Durga Puja: clay vs plaster of Paris idols, natural colours, immersion rules, artificial ponds, and less plastic and noise.
Eco-friendly Durga Puja → Next story: Durga Puja FAQ: 40 questions answered All photo storiesMusic: Sitar sample yaman, Tito Dutta, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.