• S3 Episode 43 | The Story Behind Kolkata's Most Beautiful Pandals feat. Eshika Chandra and Deep Das
    Apr 17 2026

    Every October Kolkata transforms into the world's largest open air art gallery. But behind every glowing pandal and every breathtaking idol there is a human story that never gets told.
    Sneha Chakraborty brings together Deep Das and Eshika Chandra, two young artists who are redefining what Durga Puja means in the modern world for a conversation that is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking.
    They talk about art, identity, gender, struggle, Raja Ravi Varma, the emptiness after Bisarjan and what Maa Durga really means to the people who spend their entire year making her.
    This is not just a podcast episode. This is a love letter to Bengali art and the invisible hands that keep it alive.

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    54 mins
  • S3 Episode 42 | Roots, Reels & Real Life feat. Laughtersane
    Apr 15 2026

    In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, host Meghdutt Roychowdhury sits down with content creator Laughtersane for one of the most honest conversations on the channel yet.
    They cover his early life and childhood memories, the family bonds that shaped his personality, his school experience and what it really taught him, how he developed his unique content writing style, his deep obsession with old money culture, luxury watches, and classic literature and the mindset he uses to deal with hate comments and online criticism.
    If you've been following Laughtersane's journey this is the episode that fills in every gap. And if you're discovering him for the first time, you're about to understand why people connect with him so deeply.
    Subscribe to Make Calcutta Relevant Again for conversations that actually mean something.

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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • S3 Episode 41 | The marvels behind Calcutta's Pujo feat. Bimal Samanta and Anirban Das
    Apr 14 2026

    Every year, millions celebrate Durga Puja. But very few know the hands behind it. In this episode, host Sneha sits down with two remarkable self-taught artists, Anirban and Bimal, whose lives, struggles and devotion have quietly shaped the soul of Calcutta's greatest celebration.Anirban and Bimal, two self-taught artists who never went to art school, never had a safety net and never once stopped creating.

    One grew up without a mother and spent his entire life sculpting her. The other grew up without money and spent his entire life proving it never mattered. Together they have given Calcutta's Durga Puja something no budget, no committee and no award can manufacture.

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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • S3 Episode 40 | Why Durga Puja is World's Biggest Art Show feat. Sneha Chakraborty
    Mar 24 2026

    In this special episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, Travel Artist Sneha Chakraborty steps in as the new host while Meghdut takes a short break as he prepares for fatherhood. Sneha begins a unique mini-series exploring Durga Puja, Kolkata’s art culture, and the incredible artists behind it.
    Growing up across different parts of India, Sneha often felt disconnected from her own Bengali roots. Her journey became a search for identity, one that unexpectedly led her back to art, Kolkata, and Maa Durga. From moments of creative frustration to painting Durga on canvas, that turning point helped her reconnect with both her culture and purpose.
    Sneha also shares powerful stories of rejection, resilience, and survival from facing failures as an artist to painting walls in Dharavi and eventually gaining recognition.
    This conversation explores Durga Puja as the world’s largest public art exhibition, while highlighting the often-overlooked artists who transform Kolkata into a living gallery every year

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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • S3 Episode 39 | How We Won UNESCO Status for Durga Puja feat. Tapati Guha Thakurta
    Mar 24 2026

    In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, host Meghdut Roychowdhury engages in a profound dialogue with renowned historian Tapati Guha Thakurta to explore the city’s evolving soul.
    From her instrumental role in securing UNESCO recognition for Durga Puja to the systemic decay of our iconic libraries and museums, Tapati reflects on the shifting identity of Kolkata. The conversation sheds light on the tragic loss of the "human component", the scholars and curators that once made this city a global intellectual magnet.
    These stories of our past and the challenges of the present are a call to action for all of us. We hope this conversation helps bring back the intellectual pride that defines our city. By understanding our history, we can work together to build a stronger, more vibrant future for Calcutta. Thank you for listening and for caring about the spirit of our city.

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    51 mins
  • S3 Episode 38 | Building Calcutta's Skyline and a Legacy, feat. Harsh Neotia
    Mar 13 2026

    Meet Harshavardhan Neotia, the man who built Calcutta's skyline and rewrote India's real estate rulebook forever. While every other builder was making excuses for delayed projects, he did something nobody in India had ever done, invented a penalty clause that made HIM pay for every single day of delay.

    In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, we sit down with the quiet empire builder who chose Calcutta when everyone else ran away and turned it into his biggest win.We talk real estate, accountability, Calcutta's untapped potential, and why this one rule scared an entire industry. This isn't just a business story. This is Calcutta's story.

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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • S3 Episode 37 | The REAL Reason Rajbari Bawali Stands Out, feat. Ajay Rawla
    Mar 13 2026

    In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, host Meghdut Roychowdhury sits down with the visionary Ajay Rawla, the founder of Rajbari Bawali and a champion of heritage restoration in Bengal. Ajay shares the inspiring journey of transforming a crumbling 300-year-old palace into an international landmark.

    From navigating complex family ownerships to finding healing through restoration after personal tragedy, Ajay’s story is one of profound resilience. Discover his philosophy of restraint in design, the economic empowerment of local village women, and his mission to make rural Bengal a global destination through sustainable, community-driven projects.

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    56 mins
  • S3 Episode 36 | STOP Apologizing for Being Bengali feat. Anuvab Pal
    Mar 12 2026

    In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, host Meghdut RoyChowdhury chats with comedian Anuvab Pal about Kolkata's unique cultural identity. They explore why the city's "slower" pace is actually its charm, discuss Durga Puja as the world's largest public art festival, and examine how Kolkata shapes cosmopolitan thinking globally.

    Pal encourages embracing the city's rich intellectual and cultural heritage with pride and authenticity. A thoughtful conversation about identity, belonging, and rediscovering what makes Calcutta truly remarkable.

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    54 mins