Kojagori Lokhhi Puja that follows Durga Puja and is held on Kojagori Purnima is widely popular all over Bengal. However, for many of the older generation this is also a Puja that reminds them of the dark days of Partition, the blood bath that followed
It was the fag end of the 19th-century and the year was 1892 (some say 1894) when Binodbihari Pal and Kusumkumari Devi of Ghurni in the neighbourhood of Krishnagar in Nadia district were blessed with the birth of their third child, Gopeswar. Gopeswar displayed immense
In 1790 or thereabouts, 12 young men were denied entry to a private Durga Puja in Guptipara in Hooghly district, less than 100 km from Kolkata. Incensed and humiliated, they decided to start their own Puja. Only, it would not be a private event, as
‘Goddess Durga was created by combining the luminosity of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, and all the other gods. The 10 arms of Durga hold 10 different weapons.” - This is not just a story from the Puranas, but a dialogue from a feature film. Satyajit
If you happen to find a fair firangi, clad deftly in a saree, making preparations for Maa Durga’s Bodhon this Shashthi, in a 300-year-old mansion of Chandannagar, then do not be surprised. This is the famous Mondal Bari situated in the erstwhile French colony of
Hathkhola Dutta family is not just about palatial mansions and luxurious rooms that light up to opulence and splendour during Durga Puja, it is also about patriotism … a household that had in the pre-independence era upheld patriotism even during Durga Puja celebrations. It was
Kolkata is gradually getting into the festive mood and people are agog with excitement to participate in the annual Durga Puja. One of the oldest traditional pandals in Kolkata, Baghbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav is an inseparable part of history and progress of Bengali culture for over
Three iconic restaurants on Park Street — Mocambo, Trincas and Kwality received a heritage tag from the prestigious INTACH (Indian Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage). The heritage tag is a plaque that will adorn their entrances, and it signifies that these places have existed
World Animal Day is an international day of action for animal rights and welfare celebrated annually on October 4, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals according to Christian belief. First observed in 1925, the annual day was initiated
For most Bengalis, Durga Puja celebrations still need the customary pandal-hopping ritual followed by a sumptuous meal and a movie night with friends. Moviemakers bank on the festival to revive ticket sales and release their feature films during the pujas to draw the maximum number