Durga Puja
Mithun Chakraborty unveils 7.5-foot chocolate Durga idol in Kolkata with a message of inclusivity
Kolkata/IBNS: Bollywood actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty unveiled a 7.5-foot Durga idol made of pure chocolate, mixing Bengali craftsmanship with culinary excellence at Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport in Kolkata.
The unveiling was celebrated alongside the children from Future Hope, an NGO working towards education, shelter, food, and Healthcare for children from difficult circumstances, who were the guests of honour for the evening.
The idol was made by famous veteran master craftsman Sujit Pal, with his creations reaching national and international worship locations across the world. He led a team of 10 artisans along his side, in collaboration with the culinary team at the Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport.
Vice Chairman of Jain Group & Owner of Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport, Shrayans Jain talked about the importance of inclusivity in the times of celebration and Holiday Inn's aim towards that goal.
Photo: PR Team
"At Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport, we believe that the true essence of Durga Puja lies in inclusivity, sharing joy and spreading festive light to all corners of our community. It is an immense privilege to have celebrated icon Mr Mithun Chakraborty and the bright, young souls from the Future Hope joining us for this occasion. This initiative has united creative artistry with social warmth, and we are proud to continue this legacy on an even grander scale," said Shrayans Jain, Vice Chairman, Jain Group & Owner, Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport.
Mithun Chakraborty, who is also the Cultural Advisor, Government of West Bengal, unveiled the 7.5-foot statue by lighting the ceremonial lamp. He wore a classic Bengali panjabi (kurta) in black to inaugurate the idol.
Amid an increasing debate in the artistic space about how goddesses should look and an active increase in colourism in the nation, Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport and Sujit Pal’s initiative show off the idol in a beautiful dark brown skin tone, representing their initiative towards inclusivity and progress.
The idol will remain on public display in the hotel from October 10 to 21.
In addition to this, the culinary brigade at Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport has curated a Durga Puja-themed buffet named “Durga Mandap 2026,” serving for both lunch and dinner during the pujo season.
The timings for lunch and dinner are 12-4 pm for lunch and 7 pm -12 am for dinner, respectively.
(Reporting by Swastik Sarkar, Photos by PR Team)
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