Durgotsav: Madly Bangali

 Kumartuli: The Rise of Maa Durga

Every year Durga Maa is made from the mud of the river Ganges at Kumartuli by the artistic hands of Kumars. Their devotion, creativity and their beautiful work makes this festival special. Even this year they have worked wonders & kept their doors wide open for Durga Puja devotees.

Mahalaya: Mahishashur Mardini

At 4am, the radio is turned ON
Chorus Song:
Ya chandi, madhu kaidabhaadi daithya dalani,...
Birendra Krishna Bhadra:
Aswiner sarada prate beje utheche alokomonjir,
Dharanir bohirakashi ontorhito meghomala...
The music & the words brings goose-bumps, Ah the feel-ing! The emotions that rush through the veins, wonderful.

Shopping: New Market

Shopping spree without a visit at New Market is incomplete. The vast collection of clothes, shoes, shades, bags for every budget. A small bite at the food stalls around. The overall experience is fulfilling.

Sasthi: Max Excitement

Puja starts for most of the people on this day. Even office goers try to make the most of this day after office hours.

Metro Railways: Life Saviour

A very important element of pandal hopping for a majority of the people is Metro. It commutes lakhs of people to the respective pandal locations. It acts like the blood vessels carrying people inside the heart of Bengal, Kolkata.

Kolkata Police: The True Hero

Hats of to the Kolkata Police who provide duty under so much pressure to manage the safe-keeping of pandal hoppers.

Saptami: Pandal Hopping Start

Not every Bengali gets a holiday from Saptami. But those who can, starts their puja from this day. The pandal hopping plan along with friends or family is so fun.

Ashtami: Anjali Special

The new traditional clothes on every Bengali. The spiritual purity & peaceful feeling during & after Anjali. And not to forget more pandal hopping & photoshoots. It feels great feeling to let go of official dress code for a day & get into traditional clothes on this day.

Nabami: Ultimate Fun

Rice along with mutton curry is a very common for Bengalis in Nabami. And after a heavy meal it becomes difficult to hop pandals. Hence, it might be a good idea to shift pandal hopping from evening to late night on this day.

Dashami: The Saddest Day of a Bangali

The morning starts with greetings of Dashami, the last day of puja. This day is full of sadness as the puja ends on this day & Durga Maa has to go back to her home. And so does everyone has to re-join work & their lives rejuvenated from the next day with happy memories.

Bhashan (Immersion): Tears of Departure

It appears as if Maa Durga also cries leaving the devotees behind. Maa Durga is not a goddess to us, she is family, which is why our eyes become teary at the sight of Durga Maa touching the Ganges water. She goes back from where she came from, The Ganges.

Hope: When is the next year Puja?

The moment when we sit with our closed ones at the pandal or perhaps returning after bhasan, seem to wonder or ask this question: “Porer bachore pujo kakhn?” meaning “When is the Puja next year?”. This is Durga Puja– Asche bachor abar hobe (Until Next Year)...

Sindoor Khela: The togetherness!

The bhasan (immersion) ceremony starts by Baron (welcoming gesture) & Sindoor Khela when Bengali women prays to her & greets each other by putting Red–Sindoor on each other’s cheek & forehead as a gesture of best wishes & dances to the tunes of Dhak.

-Soumadeep Chatterjee