The iconic Hebbal Durga Puja celebrations, ‘Oikotan Hebbal Durgotsav-2022’, is going to begin on October 1, this year. The Hebbal Durga Puja celebrations have been a major attraction for the Bengali community living in Bengaluru. This year, their theme is the cultural richness of West Bengal’s capital, Kolkata. According to the organisers, Oikotan Hebbal Durgotsav-2022 will pay homage to 'Bonedi Baris', the traditional aristocratic households of Kolkata. This year's theme is titled ‘Phire Dekho Kolkata’ and it will capture the unforgettable images of Kolkata Durga Puja celebrations over the years.
The iconic images from 18th century Durga Puja celebrations will also be presented in this event which is expected to be the major highlight of the celebrations. In a statement, the organisers of Oikotan Hebbal Durgotsav - 2022 said, "As Kolkata’s Durga Puja proudly finds its way into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Oikotan Hebbal Durgotsav's 10th year celebration pays homage to this remarkable achievement by bringing a slice of Kolkata's 18th century Durga Puja celebrations to Bengaluru through an extraordinary visual experience to visitors,"Oikotan Hebbal Durgotsav is popular in Bengaluru for its unique theme pandals. The organisers also said that this time the decorations are deeply inspired by the iconic Jorasanko Thakur Bari, shaped by the Kolkata pandal artists. Jorasanko Thakur Bari, which is currently located inside the Rabindra Bharati University campus in north Kolkata, is the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. In the past, Oikotan's theme parks were based on themes like 'Mayurpankhi' boat (peacock feather boat), Channapatna toys from Karnataka, Bishnupur Terracotta Temple of Bengal and Sonar Kella, the golden fortress.