Kolkata, 17 October 2026: Apsara, the stationery brand, brought a unique creative initiative to Kolkata's Durga Puja celebrations with its campaign, 'Amaar Haate Amar Pujo' (Pujo through my hands), transforming colourful pencil shavings into intricate works of art created by young children and showcased across two prominent Durga Puja pandals in the city.
The campaign aimed to celebrate children's imagination by encouraging them to look beyond the conventional use of a pencil and explore new possibilities for artistic expression. Using colourful shavings from Apsara Matt Magic pencils, children from 10 art schools across Kolkata created 30 distinctive artworks inspired by the city's cultural heritage and Durga Puja festivities.
Guided by artists, the children transformed pencil shavings, a material ordinarily discarded after sharpening, into detailed artistic representations of traditional festive motifs and Kolkata's iconic landmarks, including the Howrah Bridge and trams. The artworks were subsequently photographed and reproduced as large-format creative installations.
As part of the initiative, the children's creations were displayed along the pathways of two prominent Durga Puja pandals — Ultadanga Bidhan Sangha in North Kolkata and Selimpur Pally in South Kolkata. The installations brought the children's artwork into public spaces, allowing pandal visitors to experience their creativity as part of the city's festive decorations and the entire corridor focuses on these creatives exclusively.
Extending the initiative beyond the exhibition of children's artwork, Apsara Matt Magic also introduced an interactive Maa Durga installation at Ultadanga Bidhan Sangha. Visitors were invited to participate in completing a portrait of the Goddess using colourful pencil shavings, creating a collaborative artwork shaped by contributions from people across age groups.
The installation enabled visitors to take an active role in the creative process, moving beyond viewing the artwork to contributing to its completion. The activity reflected the central thought behind 'Amaar Haate Amar Pujo', encouraging people to become participants in the artistic expression associated with Durga Puja.
The campaign also documented the creative journey, from children developing artworks at art schools to the public installations and visitor participation at the pandals. These moments have been brought together in a campaign film highlighting the role of imagination, creative expression and community involvement in the celebrations.
Through 'Amaar Haate Amar Pujo', Apsara Matt Magic sought to demonstrate how a simple, everyday material could become a medium for artistic expression while offering young creators a platform to showcase their work during one of Kolkata's most celebrated cultural festivals.
About Apsara
Apsara is a brand offering pencils and other writing and drawing products. Through Matt Magic and the 'Amaar Haate Amar Pujo' initiative, the brand aims to encourage children's imagination and creative exploration.
