Haven’t been to The Big Apple, but here is an account of how India@60 is unfolding there. For the uninitiated, India@60 is high-decibel campaign in New York City organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with active support from India’s Ministry of Tourism. The 4-day Sun-Thurs extravaganza was flagged off yesterday by Foreign Minister […]
Viswakarma Puja
In my living memory this is perhaps the first time that Viswakarma, the God of creation, is being worshipped not on Sep 17. It appears that the 2 consecutive Bengali months, Ashar and Srabon, had 32 days this year, which meant that the last day of the ‘inauspicious’ Bhadro on which the Viswakarma Puja is […]
Puja thememakers
What are the reasons that drive the zeal of organizers of Durga Puja in Kolkata like nowhere else? They are the name, the fame, and of course the lure of money. And who doesn’t know that all of those are directly proportional to the number of footfalls and awards won? Oldtimers may shake their heads […]
Early signs of pujo
How do you know Durga Puja (or simply pujo) is just 45 days off? There are some early signs like the pujobarshikis’ that are already out in the stalls, the pictures of leaky Kumortuli workshops making the idols, the full-page newspaper ads by shoe-makers (Sreeleathers, Khadims, et al), the near-empty shops that indicate the lull […]
India finds its feet
Today completes 60 years of India’s independence from the colonial rule of the British. As the usual celebrations take place all over the country, for the first time I notice a marked departure from the ritual reference to the sacrifice made by the freedom fighters at the time of Independence. Whether it is the Prime […]
Crackers to sound less
In the large playground at Haral, Champahati in South 24 Parganas it was a novel meeting of sort on Friday evening last. The 3 groups of participants converging there included the makers of firecrackers, the environment department of the government and senior police officers. Also present was Sujon Chakraborty, the Member of Parliament from Jadavpur […]
10 Sundays to go
Have you watched this year’s calendar for the month of October? This is that month when the Bengalis all over the world go gaga over what is arguably the greatest community festival on earth, the Durga Puja. To be fair, Durga Puja is not Kolkata or Bengal’s alone. It is now celebrated in perhaps all […]
Clay Durga idol for LDDC
Last year history of sorts was created when craftsmen from Krishnanagore led by Nemai Chandra Pal had sculpted Durga idol for London Durga Puja Dusserah Committee (LDDC) at the British Museum in London. The nearly 2-month effort was a part of ‘Voice of Bengal‘ exhibition organized by British Museum’s Asia department. People thronged the place […]
Holi images
Holi, the festival of colors, the heralding of spring, the outpouring of hidden love, the thrill of getting drunk in public, is just over. No description of its celebration is complete without vivid images. Here are some of yesteryears collected from the Internet for reliving the festival one more day. Last year’s Holi at Indo-American […]
Bengalee’s valentine day
Today is Saraswati Puja, the last noteworthy festival in this Bengali calendar year. The air is rife with strains of popular songs wafting in from everywhere. For the para young the day has started very early in the morning, if only to start the loudspeakers to play the songs. School-goers too are quick to begin […]