This Devil Doesn’t Wear Prada: Donald Trump Depicted as Demon Mahishasura in Durga Puja Pandals in West Bengal

The depictions of Donald Trump and Dr. Muhammad Yunus as the demon Mahishasura in Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal during the 2025 celebrations sparked significant public interest and controversy. These were prime examples of how the festival is used as a medium for geopolitical and political commentary. 

Here is a discussion on the context, controversy, and significance of these depictions:

1. The Donald Trump Depiction.

Pandal & Location: The figure resembling Donald Trump as the Mahishasura was featured at the Khagra Crematorium Ghat Durga Puja Committee in Berhampore, Murshidabad.  

Stated Rationale (The Committee’s View): The organizers explicitly stated that the depiction was a symbolic protest and represented a “betrayal” of India. Their grievances were tied to specific economic and immigration policies:  

• Trade Tensions: The main reason cited was the imposition of a 50% tariff on certain Indian goods by the U.S., which the committee felt was detrimental to Indian businesses and an act of economic aggression.  

• Visa Policy: The strict H-1B visa regime and fee hike, affecting Indian professionals, were also mentioned as a point of contention.  

• “Betrayal”: Committee spokespersons claimed the U.S. President had “betrayed” the trust and friendly relations cultivated with India’s Prime Minister, thus symbolizing a global “evil force” that needed to be vanquished by the Goddess.  

The Controversy:

The depiction was met with a mix of amusement and sharp criticism.

• Creative Expression vs. Religious Sanctity: Many visitors and social media users debated whether a religious and cultural festival should be used to make such explicit, personalized international political statements. Critics argued that it was an inappropriate “politicization” that detracted from the sanctity of the ritual.  

• Artist’s Disclaimer: Notably, the idol’s artist reportedly dismissed the resemblance as “just a coincidence,” attempting to distance the artistic work from the political controversy.

2. The Dr. Muhammad Yunus Depiction

Pandal & Location: The Mahishasura figure resembling Bangladesh’s Nobel Laureate, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, was featured at the Khagra Sadhak Narendra Smriti Sangha in the same region of Murshidabad.  

Stated Rationale (The Committee’s View): This pandal’s theme was titled ‘Dahan’ (Burning/Destruction), symbolizing the eradication of perceived national threats. The depiction of Dr. Yunus was part of a larger theme that included a decapitated head resembling Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.  

• Geopolitical Symbolism: The organizers stated that both Dr. Yunus and Sharif were portrayed because they “symbolize evil” and represented “perceived threats to the nation” in the current geopolitical climate.  

• Tensions with Bangladesh: The timing coincided with recent political turmoil and strained diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh, with some Indian concerns centering on Dr. Yunus’s role as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government and his alleged anti-India rhetoric. 

The Controversy:

Like the Trump idol, the Yunus depiction was highly controversial and immediately drew attention:

• Blatant Political Targeting: It was viewed as an aggressive and highly direct use of a religious symbol to target foreign political and public figures.  

• Media and Social Media Buzz: The choice of three prominent international figures (Trump, Yunus, and Sharif) in neighboring pandals turned the small Berhampore locality into a global news point, underscoring the trend of Durga Puja becoming a platform for explicit, often provocative, political messaging.  

Broader Significance: The Politicization of the Festival.

These 2025 incidents underscore the increasing trend of Durga Puja being weaponized for political and social commentary:

1. Mahishasura as a Stand-in: The demon Mahishasura, traditionally representing pure evil or ego, is now routinely replaced with figures symbolizing contemporary perceived ‘evils’—from Mahatma Gandhi (in a previous, highly criticized incident) to global political figures.  

2. From Local to Global Issues: While politicization in West Bengal has historically focused on local state politics (TMC vs. BJP), these depictions show the festival now encompasses international trade disputes and geopolitical tensions, using a religious canvas for public diplomacy.

3. Viral Cultural Capital: The controversy itself generates immense public attention, making the pandals and their message go “viral.” For the organizers, this ensures massive footfall and media coverage, fulfilling the contemporary political economy of a high-profile Sarbojanin (community) puja.

The politicization of Durga Puja, particularly in West Bengal, has become a prominent and high-stakes political phenomenon. Once primarily an inclusive social and religious event, the annual festival is now a major arena for political competition, cultural messaging, and the exercise of local power.

Here is a breakdown of the key aspects of this politicization:

1. Political Messaging and Themes in Pandals

The temporary artistic structures (pandals) and the themes they represent are widely used to project political and cultural narratives:

• Regional vs. National Pride: Political parties often align pandal themes with their core ideologies.

• One major party, for example, emphasizes “Bengali Asmita” (pride/identity) and may highlight issues like the plight of Bengali migrant workers or the state’s unique cultural heritage.

• The rival party often counters with themes of national pride (e.g., “Operation Sindoor” to honor the armed forces) and a more muscular projection of Hindu national identity.

• Current Events and Social Issues: Pandals sometimes depict contemporary political or social struggles, with some even portraying political figures or foreign leaders as the Asura (demon) to be defeated by the Goddess Durga.

• Symbolic Competition: The choice of themes and narratives is a form of “cultural capital,” where parties attempt to demonstrate their deep-seated commitment to—and ownership of—Bengali culture.

2. Patronage and Control through Puja Clubs

Local Durga Puja committees, or “puja clubs,” serve as essential political nodes:

• Patronage Politics: The state government often provides substantial financial grants to thousands of these puja clubs. This is widely seen as a form of patronage politics—a distribution of largesse that fosters a network of loyalists and local power brokers who, in turn, ensure political compliance and control at the neighborhood level.

• Local Power Grids: These clubs are deeply entrenched in local neighborhoods (paras) and their influence extends beyond the festival, often acting as local centers of political power for the ruling party.

3. High-Profile Political Participation

Senior political leaders from all major parties use the festival as a key platform:

• Inaugurations: Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, and other top leaders actively participate by inaugurating pandals, drawing huge media attention and signaling their involvement with the masses and Bengali tradition.

• Rhetorical Battles: These events become stages for political rhetoric, with leaders using their speeches to take swipes at opponents, praise their own achievements, and pray for desired political outcomes (e.g., “Sonar Bangla” or a change of government).

• Timing of Rituals: Even the timing of events, such as inaugurating pandals before the traditional start of the festival (Mahalaya), can become a political flashpoint, leading to accusations of “sabotaging Hindu rituals” or catering to specific vote-banks.

4. Historical Context

The political connection to Durga Puja is not new, but its current intensity is.

• Colonial Era: Historically, major Durga Pujas were sponsored by kings (Rajas) and wealthy landlords (Zamindars) to express their power and status, and some even aligned with British colonial powers. Later, the festivals became platforms to promote nationalist and Swadeshi (indigenous goods) sentiments against the British Raj.

• Contemporary Intensity: In recent years, as the political landscape of West Bengal has become highly contested, the festival has been weaponized by all parties as a central battleground to win the cultural and emotional loyalty of the electorate.

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Amy Ghosh is a Los Angeles-based Attorney at Law, specializing in Immigration Law, Family Law, and Employment Law, among others. She can be reached at: amygesq@gmail.com