To mark Indian Independence Day on Friday, 15 August Kingston Museum hosted an event showcasing the opening of its Durga Idol Exhibition.

Organised by Heritage Bengal Global (HBG) as part of the Kingston 2025 cultural programme, the exhibition highlights historical and cultural connections between India and the UK.

The event featured a documentary on Kolkata's Durga Puja, showcasing how artisans use clay from the Ganges to make the idol, a live workshop on the art of Bengal, and a showcase and sale of paintings and work by Papia Ghoshal.

Papia Ghoshal with her artwork (Credit: Esme Agius-Kensell)

Dr Debojyoti Das, a Kingston and Surbiton Green Party Member who helped organise the event, said: "This exhibition not only celebrates our rich cultural heritage, but also fulfils our borough's ongoing commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), by representing the vibrant South Asian diaspora within our community."

It is the first time ever where a Durga idol, sculpted in the traditional Bengal style, is being publicly exhibited in a UK museum setting.

Durga is a principal Hindu goddess known for her role as a divine feminine force (Shakti) who combats evil and chaos.

The sculpture is made from sustainable materials and sends a deliberate environmental message.

Artist Papia Ghoshal described Durga in poetic terms: "The goddess is a symbol of feminine power. So we are celebrating this independence as a woman, we are trying to be as free as possible in the real sense."

Heritage Bengal Global team and community members at the exhibition (Credit: Esme Agius-Kensell)

The Durga idol will also be seen in the Kingston River Festival on 6 September, which will also include a musical performance by Papia Ghoshal.

To support the Durga idol's appearance at the river festival, HBG has launched a crowdfunding campaign.

Councillor Kamala Kugan, one of Kingston's first female Asian councillors, noted the exhibition's resonance with UNESCO's inscribing it on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"Durga, as the consort of Shiva, will destroy evil powers. But she is also compassionate, and she is encouraging you, challenging you, to be a self-sovereign source, not to take a narrow vision of your life, because you have the boundless potential to be anything that you want to be," Cllr Kugan said.

Councillor Kamala Kugan addresses attendees at the exhibition (Credit: Esme Agius-Kensell)

She also reflected on the significance of holding the event on Indian Independence Day, a day that reflects colonial history, global peace efforts, and spiritual empowerment.

Shiv Rao Challa, a resident with roots in West Bengal and an attendee of the exhibition, emphasised how the Durga idol's presence in a UK museum marks a turning point in global representations of South Asian art.

"I am happy to see that my community is able to portray art and culture in Kingston. When people speak of India, they talk about Agra, the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur, they would not know of West Bengal."

The exhibition will run until the end of August and entry is free.