Cultural festivals and urban transformation: a case of Durga Puja in Kolkata

In recent years, there has been a shift in heritage tourism from being object-based to experience-based, with a focus on intangible heritage, where mega-cultural events, particularly large-scale festivals, have gained importance. This study explores the relationship between mega cultural events, tourism, and urban public spaces using the case study of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, India. It leads to a seasonal transformation of the city through the creation of temporary structures called ‘Pandals’. Located in public spaces, they are the activity nodes. The paper uses a spatial survey of over 60 Pandals and thematic analysis to examine the relationship between development pattern and the scale of operation, and explores their relationship with intangible and tangible elements, including the distribution of facilities within these Pandals. The findings highlight that the scale of operation of activities is driven by spatial and tangible elements such as the built environment and road network, which play different roles concerning the manifestation of tangible and intangible aspects of heritage. The case of Durga Puja in Kolkata contributes to the understanding of the mega-cultural festivals from cultural heritage and tourism promotion as well as urban planning and management perspectives.