Kolkata, Oct. 26 -- When night falls and Bengal's streets shimmer with festive lights, one name glows quietly behind the brilliance - Chandannagar. Once a serene town by the Hooghly River, it has evolved into the creative capital of illumination, where art meets technology to transform light into poetry.

From Durga Puja pandals to Christmas carnivals, from Kolkata's grand events to international exhibitions, Chandannagar's light artists continue to craft visual magic, carrying forward a legacy built on imagination and skill.

The story of this luminous tradition began nearly seven decades ago with Sridhar Das, a young boy whose curiosity sparked a revolution in light art. At just 13, Sridhar experimented during his school's Saraswati Puja with a modest budget of Rs 10, using simple bulbs and coloured cellophane paper. To create movement, he would stand behind the frame, manually connecting and disconnecting wires to make the lights flicker - an innovation that marked the humble birth of Chandannagar's lighting legacy. From those handmade beginnings, Chandannagar's artistry has grown into a global phenomenon. Its light panels now illuminate major festivals and events across India and abroad. The once-static displays have transformed into 3D installations, where artists and technicians collaborate to bring motion and life to their creations using LEDs, motors, and mechanical systems.

"What began with handmade bulb designs and night lamps," says local artisan Tapan Ghosh, "has now become an advanced craft using iron and fibre structures fitted with high-quality Chinese LEDs. The industry is evolving every day, and the new generation must continue this tradition."

To make large installations more portable, artisans are switching from heavy iron to fibre-based frames, making the structures lighter, eco-friendly, and easier to transport.

Among the luminaries of this male-dominated craft is Chitralekha Pal, the only woman artisan in the trade. "From Christmas to Jagaddhatri Puja, our lights are always in demand," she says with pride. "The work never stops - every festival needs a touch of Chandannagar magic," she said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.