Kolkata has always held a special place in the hearts of its admirers around the world. Today, the City of Joy has been recognised, not only as a cherished cultural landmark but also as a beacon of modern urban development, sustainable progress, and global recognition. Travel + Leisure, in
An app that could change the way we perceive police services, the Bharosa App is an initiative by the East Bardhaman police that allows you to register and lodge complaints online without the fuss of visiting the police station. This mobile app was launched on Monday, 9 September 2024, and promises to
The women-led Sundarini cooperative in the Sundarbans is transforming lives with the aim of empowering local women. The West Bengal state government launched Sundarini Naturals in 2015—a brand which includes over 4,500 women farmers in South 24 Parganas. Under the Sundarini Naturals brand, these women collectively produce over 2,000 litres of preservative-free milk
The old palatial houses (Raj-Bari) of erstwhile landlords (zamindars) of Kolkata have long attracted much attention, especially the time-worn icons at Sobhabazaar, Jorasanko and the Marble Palace on Muktaram Babu Street. However, the stately homes of the districts still have surprises in store for the
Our last walk before Durga Puja had ended at the Rameswar Shiva temple on Nandaram Sen Street, off Chitpur Road. We now head back in the direction of Chittaranjan Avenue, and to temples of another kind - those dedicated to education and learning, many of
It was the year of Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India movement. 1942. It was also the year when poet Jibanananda Das created the ultimate mystery woman – Banalata Sen, the poem that ruled romantics down generations. Natorer Banalata Sen became the emblem of feminine charm and
Since long, flutes were just stout musical instruments used as accompaniment for folk music. But then came one Bengali musician who gave a makeover to the familiar flute and elevated it to another level altogether as an independent classical instrument. He is credited to have
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